3 ms·
I'm not saying being a polyglot is bad - it's certainly very awesome and desirable; but if your interview process is all in C, you're gonna turn away folks that
by MattRogish 14y ago
I'm not saying being a polyglot is bad - it's certainly very awesome and desirable; but if your interview process is all in C, you're gonna turn away folks that can't do it. That seems suboptimal to me, although if you're FogCreek I guess you get so many people applying you can make C literacy a requirement.
I learned C++ back in, oh, 1996. I haven't coded in it much since about 2001. I'd fail virtually any C++ exam today unless I spent a lot of time relearning my C++.
- jrockway 14y agoI can't get to the original article, but I assume that this is documented there. Yes, I think it's silly to require proficiency in a certain language. Google does not have this requirement. You must know a programming language well enough to be an expert, but it doesn't have to be Java/C++/Python/Go. Also, FWIW, Google intern interviews and full-time interviews are completely different. Interns must interview like everyone else after their internship to be converted to full-time employees.
- tedunangst 14y agoI think it's very important to mention that C is not C++. Expecting people to know C, even if not used frequently, is not unreasonable imo. Testing people on C++ would be burdensome. Fog Creek has no C++ literacy requirement.
- MattRogish 14y agoGood catch; edited my original post, thanks!