4 ms·

Well I don't know how you conduct the interview but in my experience from interviewee side, usually interviewer doesn't want to disclose information if it's not

Well I don't know how you conduct the interview but in my experience from interviewee side, usually interviewer doesn't want to disclose information if it's not explicitly asked, which is bad. In your garage door example, it's better if you disclose the one button information when asked for "is there any more requirement?" or for any constraint, etc. If you only answer when asked "is it using one or two button" then it's a bad practice. This practice makes those with only* a decent knowledge about the problem domain at disadvantage, because the interviewer doesn't disclose the requirement, even if asked (unless if asked specifically). In the junior case, it is possible that they know some garage door with two buttons, thus assuming the same since you don't disclose any information about it (assuming the junior asked). And thinking about it, one or two buttons operation should not be the top priority to be asked.

bobsomers 4y ago
I'll happily disclose anything if they ask about, but the goal I'm trying to get to is that you land at requirements through conversation. Starting with a blank slate and saying "Give me all the requirements" and expecting that list to be complete, accurate, and never change is, at best, a complete fantasy when dealing with actual customers. If you did that to an actual customer, half the time they would blankly stare back at you with no idea what to say. Now, if that's the level they engage at, that might be ok for a junior role. I expect juniors to require projects to be spelled out in excruciating detail, and to not deviate from exactly what they were told to do. That's what, by definition makes them junior. A senior engineer on the other hand, can generally be given vaguely defined tasks and has the initiative to figure out what actually needs to be built in the first place, before launching into building something. I don't have a specific threshold of performance I'm expecting for passing or failing the interview. It's about gauging where a candidates skills are on a spectrum, and then seeing if that skill level lines up with their experience and the job level the are interviewing for. If you have senior experience and are interviewing for a senior role, my expectations are higher. If you perform at a junior level, then either we'd offer you a junior role instead or not make an offer. If you have junior experience and do well, then it might be time to make the leap to a senior role, or we'd make you a very attractive junior offer because we see that you're likely to advance quickly.

bobsomers 4y ago

I'll happily disclose anything if they ask about, but the goal I'm trying to get to is that you land at requirements through conversation. Starting with a blank slate and saying "Give me all the requirements" and expecting that list to be complete, accurate, and never change is, at best, a complete fantasy when dealing with actual customers. If you did that to an actual customer, half the time they would blankly stare back at you with no idea what to say. Now, if that's the level they engage at, that might be ok for a junior role. I expect juniors to require projects to be spelled out in excruciating detail, and to not deviate from exactly what they were told to do. That's what, by definition makes them junior. A senior engineer on the other hand, can generally be given vaguely defined tasks and has the initiative to figure out what actually needs to be built in the first place, before launching into building something. I don't have a specific threshold of performance I'm expecting for passing or failing the interview. It's about gauging where a candidates skills are on a spectrum, and then seeing if that skill level lines up with their experience and the job level the are interviewing for. If you have senior experience and are interviewing for a senior role, my expectations are higher. If you perform at a junior level, then either we'd offer you a junior role instead or not make an offer. If you have junior experience and do well, then it might be time to make the leap to a senior role, or we'd make you a very attractive junior offer because we see that you're likely to advance quickly.