Well before we split the list :-) I just wanted to through my .02 I actually agree with the ideas set forth with the exception of one. I definitely believe in testing applicants to test their knowledge etc.. But I think the testing should stick to abstract development concepts, like it sounds like most do. The only reason I am opposed to actual, "sit down and write an app..." testing is that, under the pressure of being watched, which doesn't happen in our day to day doings, many choke. Including me. At a recent interview I blanked on silly simple stuff that I write many times each day, but with the hiring manager and senior developer sitting there staring at me, CHOKE. It happens to the best of us. BTW I did get the job despite the test.
Additionally I've met people that could test till the cows came home without a problem but couldn't fit into a team with a shoe horn. Basically (and it sounds like we all see this) as long as no one part of an interview is the be all end all, and we evaluate each other as wholes I think it works for everyone. OK I just wanted to get that in there. J. John Wilker Web Applications Consultant Macromedia Certified ColdFusion Developer President/Founder, Inland Empire CFUG. Writer / Technical Writer www.red-omega.com "more people are killed by donkeys than by airplane crashes each year" -----Original Message----- From: Jeffry Houser [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 8:37 AM To: CF-Jobs Subject: RE: Developer Interview Ideas When I was interviewing, I never asked any specific questions to a language, but interviewed for strong programming concepts. With a strong understanding on the concepts, the person should be able to pick up any language that they need. If I had to do it again, I would also throw in a practical application test like other people have mentioned. My experience has showed that understanding the principles doesn't mean you can apply them. I asked questions like: 1. What is an Abstract Data Types? Tell me the procedures associated with a Stack. (Push, Pop, etc.. ) 2. When developing a database, what are the normal forms? ( I was looking for a general answer, such as "The Normal Forms are a way to be sure that there are no insertion / deletion anomalies in your database", but I had one guy describe each one in detail. I was pretty impressed) 3. What is a primary key / foreign key. 4. Do you know anything about different sorting methods? What do you know. Can you explain X (Bubble, Quick, whatever) sort to me? (I wouldn't be able to answer this question without a book ) 5. What is the difference between Object Oriented programming and procedural/imperative programming? This one is my favorite, people look scared. A general answer might be that in object oriented programming contains objects, methods, and properties. Imperative programming contains procedures and functions. Although, in people's defense, so many hybrid languages exist (C++, Java), the distinction between the two language types is probably pretty blurred. -- Jeffry Houser | mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] AIM: Reboog711 | ICQ: 5246969 | Fax / Phone: 860-223-7946 -- DotComIt: Database Driven Web Data My Book: Instant ColdFusion 5 | http://www.instantcoldfusion.com My New Book: ColdFusion: A Beginner's Guide February 2002 -- Far Cry Fly, Alternative Folk Rock http://www.farcryfly.com | http://www.mp3.com/FarCryFly ______________________________________________________________________ Macromedia ColdFusion 5 Training from the Source Step by Step ColdFusion http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0201758474/houseoffusion ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ To Unsubscribe visit http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists&body=lists/cf_jobs or send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with 'unsubscribe' in the body.
