4 ms·

Maybe one that can be answered by 5 minutes of Googling is not an acceptable interview question.

by jerryji 17y ago

ABrandt 17y ago
Coming up with an answer on Google is not the same as knowing the answer. Sure I can look up what a class is and give you a reasonable answer, but if I knew anything about code (I don't) I would be able to give you an instant and satisfactory response. Interview questions aren't always about what the answer is, but how you answer it.
mdasen 17y ago
It really depends on the question. From the article: "what is a class?" can easily be answered as a definition from a Google search, but that definition doesn't help you write a class, use a class, etc. Similarly, you can search for a definition of a join, but if you can't come up with an answer off the top of your head, you don't have the skill to use a join. This is different from, say, being asked what the "succ" method of the Ruby Integer class does. Or, the preg_replace in PHP takes 5 parameters, which position do you place the subject string in? Those are two different types of questions. The first paragraph has questions about key computer science/database topics that, if you don't know, it will take learning and mastery to use them in a practical application. The second paragraph has questions of an arbitrary nature - knowing argument order in one language doesn't prove you understand regular expressions nor does knowing what a somewhat ambiguously named method does - especially a method that is also called "next" and can be accomplished as "var += 1" both of which seem clearer. But there definitely are some things that can be answered by searching that don't necessarily mean that the person has a mastery of the topic that would be required to actually use the definition. Now, the second set of questions might be a clue that this isn't a good place to work since they emphasize random knowledge that doesn't actually prove any competency, but that's another story.
- sunkencity 17y ago
  Yeah, if you don't know what a class is and is applying for a OO programming job you don't qualify, and it's not OK to look it up on the job. That's basically what the article is saying. But at least googling for answers to inane questions is better than going directly to asking your fellow coworkers. RTFM!!!
ShabbyDoo 17y ago
I generally ask interview questions which attempt to expose how a candidate thinks through a problem. And, I often tell them that they aren't being given enough information, so they should ask me relevant questions. Am I The Google? In contrast, if I see a resume with a few years of experience writing Java code (working full-time on 90%+ Java systems), then I think it's reasonable to discuss the specifics of the language/platform. If you've supposedly been writing Java code for a few years and you can't tell me how exceptions work, then you're a moron or a liar.
- wildwood 17y ago
  I absolutely agree - if I'm trying to gauge whether an applicant really knows as much as they think they know, I would ask questions where the interviewee might think "google it" is acceptable, but that would make me trash the application. For example, if someone rates themselves as 7 out of 10 on java, they better be able to come up with a handful of functions on Object that are useful to override, or walk through the rough call sequence to query a database using jdbc. And that should all be from memory. Maybe that's unfair on my part, but I feel like it does a lot to filter for people who can actually walk the walk.
  - sjf 17y ago
    Because everyone who writes in Java uses JDBC? Why not ask them about core features of the language?
    - lhorie 17y ago
      A real interview question I've seen that seemingly no one gets right: what's a transient variable in Java? I figure wildwood's assuming a job where you deal with databases.
cduan 17y ago
I would say that there are at least two reasons, in addition to those in the article, why a Googlable question is still a good question. 1. Internal memory is a pretty good predictor of sincere interest in a subject. Ever notice how baseball fans know every stat of every player? They don't spend hours rote-memorizing tables; their passion for the sport induces remembering facts about it. 2. Interview answers reveal how you problem-solve as well as what you know. Saying "I'd Google it" indicates to me at least that you go for the fastest method of solving the problem. Better would be "I don't know, but I'd look it up in a textbook on X" or something, which reveals a willingness to take the time to learn something in depth rather than just copy-paste someone else's code.
- holygoat 17y ago
  There's a half-way point: where I remember broadly how to do something, but I need to use my outboard brain to find the details. That's frustrating to introduce in an interview, though: "oh yes, I remember that... I'm sure I could find it again in a second...". What's that joke about my brain being a L2 cache of Wikipedia? :)
jacoblyles 17y ago
Such as questions about the Java API. Can YOU open and search a text document in Java without looking anything up?

Maybe one that can be answered by 5 minutes of Googling is not an acceptable interview question.

by jerryji 17y ago

Maybe one that can be answered by 5 minutes of Googling is not an acceptable interview question.

Coming up with an answer on Google is not the same as knowing the answer. Sure I can look up what a class is and give you a reasonable answer, but if I knew anything about code (I don't) I would be able to give you an instant and satisfactory response. Interview questions aren't always about what the answer is, but how you answer it.

mdasen 17y ago

It really depends on the question. From the article: "what is a class?" can easily be answered as a definition from a Google search, but that definition doesn't help you write a class, use a class, etc. Similarly, you can search for a definition of a join, but if you can't come up with an answer off the top of your head, you don't have the skill to use a join. This is different from, say, being asked what the "succ" method of the Ruby Integer class does. Or, the preg_replace in PHP takes 5 parameters, which position do you place the subject string in? Those are two different types of questions. The first paragraph has questions about key computer science/database topics that, if you don't know, it will take learning and mastery to use them in a practical application. The second paragraph has questions of an arbitrary nature - knowing argument order in one language doesn't prove you understand regular expressions nor does knowing what a somewhat ambiguously named method does - especially a method that is also called "next" and can be accomplished as "var += 1" both of which seem clearer. But there definitely are some things that can be answered by searching that don't necessarily mean that the person has a mastery of the topic that would be required to actually use the definition. Now, the second set of questions might be a clue that this isn't a good place to work since they emphasize random knowledge that doesn't actually prove any competency, but that's another story.

sunkencity 17y ago
Yeah, if you don't know what a class is and is applying for a OO programming job you don't qualify, and it's not OK to look it up on the job. That's basically what the article is saying. But at least googling for answers to inane questions is better than going directly to asking your fellow coworkers. RTFM!!!

ShabbyDoo 17y ago

I generally ask interview questions which attempt to expose how a candidate thinks through a problem. And, I often tell them that they aren't being given enough information, so they should ask me relevant questions. Am I The Google? In contrast, if I see a resume with a few years of experience writing Java code (working full-time on 90%+ Java systems), then I think it's reasonable to discuss the specifics of the language/platform. If you've supposedly been writing Java code for a few years and you can't tell me how exceptions work, then you're a moron or a liar.

wildwood 17y ago
I absolutely agree - if I'm trying to gauge whether an applicant really knows as much as they think they know, I would ask questions where the interviewee might think "google it" is acceptable, but that would make me trash the application. For example, if someone rates themselves as 7 out of 10 on java, they better be able to come up with a handful of functions on Object that are useful to override, or walk through the rough call sequence to query a database using jdbc. And that should all be from memory. Maybe that's unfair on my part, but I feel like it does a lot to filter for people who can actually walk the walk.
- sjf 17y ago
  Because everyone who writes in Java uses JDBC? Why not ask them about core features of the language?
  - lhorie 17y ago
    A real interview question I've seen that seemingly no one gets right: what's a transient variable in Java? I figure wildwood's assuming a job where you deal with databases.

cduan 17y ago

I would say that there are at least two reasons, in addition to those in the article, why a Googlable question is still a good question. 1. Internal memory is a pretty good predictor of sincere interest in a subject. Ever notice how baseball fans know every stat of every player? They don't spend hours rote-memorizing tables; their passion for the sport induces remembering facts about it. 2. Interview answers reveal how you problem-solve as well as what you know. Saying "I'd Google it" indicates to me at least that you go for the fastest method of solving the problem. Better would be "I don't know, but I'd look it up in a textbook on X" or something, which reveals a willingness to take the time to learn something in depth rather than just copy-paste someone else's code.

holygoat 17y ago
There's a half-way point: where I remember broadly how to do something, but I need to use my outboard brain to find the details. That's frustrating to introduce in an interview, though: "oh yes, I remember that... I'm sure I could find it again in a second...". What's that joke about my brain being a L2 cache of Wikipedia? :)

jacoblyles 17y ago

Such as questions about the Java API. Can YOU open and search a text document in Java without looking anything up?