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I thought that was an anecdote on how NOT to hire. If you ask me a question and algorithm X is the "correct" answer AND algorithm X is obscure, that's a gotcha
by fsk 12y ago
I thought that was an anecdote on how NOT to hire.
If you ask me a question and algorithm X is the "correct" answer AND algorithm X is obscure, that's a gotcha interview question. Why not just ask me directly about algorithm X? I could certainly look up linear programming and implement it, but I don't know enough to go through it on an interview.
- jdmichal 12y agoOne day, a mechanic is approached by a company. One of the machines on their factory line isn't operating correctly, and they are in dire trouble. So, he goes, examines the machine over about ten minutes, pulls out a hammer and hits the machine. It begins working flawlessly. He tells the company the repair will be $50,000. They are aghast, and demand an invoice. So, the mechanic grabs a piece of paper and writes: Labor, 10 minutes exam and hammer hit: $100 Knowing where to hit the machine: $49,900 Moral of the story: Looking things up is fine if all you need is a walk through the algorithm to implement. Knowing WHAT algorithm to look up and implement is the part you'll get paid for.
- jamessb 12y agoYes, being able to look up and implement an algorithm once you've been told its name is a useful skill. However, being able to look at a problem and recognise that it is a specific instance of a well-studied problem with libraries already written to solve it is a different skill. Ultimately, someone on the team has to realise that the problem they're trying to solve is linear programming.