Software Engineering Manager and Endurance Running Race Director - Have lots of ideas of how to simplify and automate endurance race management through workflow optimization and software development.
I have 20 years software/web development experience and went into an interview yesterday for a contract position where I was asked basic syntax questions, like how do you create styles in a CSS for an control based on its ID. I thought to myself, really, this is what is going to based my employment on? I was then further asked more syntax questions, which some I haven't dealt with (or needed to) in many years, but given interview stress, I failed on some easier questions that I should have gotten right. I'm hopeful that the interviewers see past this.
Syntax questions are easy to flub, and if we wrote out the code on paper or the whiteboard, in some cases, the code may not even compile. Are we to be docked for this? I don't think so because these types of questions are available by doing a simple web search. More importantly, IMO, is to ask candidates practical or situational questions, especially, if they have years of experience in the technology they're interviewing for.
I agree with you 100%. Syntax questions tends to be tricky and quite honestly, I often forget it even when I am at ease at my work, let alone during an interview. I have been asked recently about this in regards of object inheritance and I went so nervous, I forgot everything, including what this is really.
Then again, working under stress is an important factor for a developer. Something breaks, a bug is found on a production and it's Friday – you have to react fast. In order to do so, you have to be able to maintain your stress level and think clearly.
Software Engineering Manager and Endurance Running Race Director - Have lots of ideas of how to simplify and automate endurance race management through workflow optimization and software development.
I have 20 years software/web development experience and went into an interview yesterday for a contract position where I was asked basic syntax questions, like how do you create styles in a CSS for an control based on its ID. I thought to myself, really, this is what is going to based my employment on? I was then further asked more syntax questions, which some I haven't dealt with (or needed to) in many years, but given interview stress, I failed on some easier questions that I should have gotten right. I'm hopeful that the interviewers see past this.
Syntax questions are easy to flub, and if we wrote out the code on paper or the whiteboard, in some cases, the code may not even compile. Are we to be docked for this? I don't think so because these types of questions are available by doing a simple web search. More importantly, IMO, is to ask candidates practical or situational questions, especially, if they have years of experience in the technology they're interviewing for.
Hello Brian, and thank you for the comment.
I agree with you 100%. Syntax questions tends to be tricky and quite honestly, I often forget it even when I am at ease at my work, let alone during an interview. I have been asked recently about
thisin regards of object inheritance and I went so nervous, I forgot everything, including whatthisis really.Then again, working under stress is an important factor for a developer. Something breaks, a bug is found on a production and it's Friday – you have to react fast. In order to do so, you have to be able to maintain your stress level and think clearly.
Good news, I was offered the position in this case. I was told that it was a toss-up between me and another candidate, but soft skills won over. :)