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Discussion on: Don’t say negative things in an interview

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mortoray profile image
edA‑qa mort‑ora‑y

What if you happen to be stuck in a room with somebody that knows language design extremely well? What if that's because you've proved your worth so far, and were advanced to a valuable employee at a place you want to work.

What if their only question is, "Why do you hate JavaScript?"

Do you think you can answer sufficiently to convince a language designer that your position is reasonable?

Perhaps you can, but this is the point about not likely being an expert. Many people express opinions on things which are based in nonsense. By opening yourself up to questioning you risk making a bad impression -- the chance to make a good impression is somewhat thin.

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codemouse92 profile image
Jason C. McDonald

Well, like I said, I wouldn't state it unless I have reasonable confidence I can make a clear, objective case for my opinion. I agree discernment is needed, but I wouldn't want to disingenuously pretend I liked Javascript when I would rather mow the lawn than work in it.

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mortoray profile image
edA‑qa mort‑ora‑y

No, an I'm not recommending people lie, or hide their opinions. I hope it did not come across that way. The intent is to stay positive, and steer towards better topics. Even negative opinions can be expressed, but they shouldn't be framed aggressively.

As with Remi, I'm sure you manage well in an interview. Unfortunately, many people I've intereviewed do not. They make silly, easy to avoid mistakes. This experience is where my advice is coming from.

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mercier_remi profile image
Rémi Mercier

they shouldn't be framed aggressively

True that.

My point of view is exactly what it is, something I say from where I stand in terms of social skills, years of being on both sides of the interview process. And it should not be seen as a panacea for everyone.