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Admin
I was told, someone said at the interview being asked about his greatest weakness: "My Handwriting" I wish I had the same quick-wittedness
Admin
A lot of recruiters are seemingly not aware that they represent the company with their interview process. In the past I have often refused to work with companies simply because the job interview seemed off, just to find out later how horrible the work culture in that place actually was. On the other hand I never ever had a single regret that I didn't took an offer. I think that says a lot about the state of work culture in IT in general.
Admin
My greatest weakness: "I'm afraid I have limited tolerance for wilful incompetence."
(If someone can't do the job that's one thing. If they can do the job but simply can't be arsed that's another thing.)
Admin
I actually liked the "weird" questions re. the eraser and the coffee mug; they test the ability of the person to think in an abstract manner, which is very valuable. Also, a polite question WRT "can you commit to this position for the long term" is perfectly acceptable.
Having said that, I wasn't on the call, so I have no idea what their demeanor actually was, and it's entirely possible it was borderline unprofessional/rude, and that is a perfectly valid reason to avoid working there. It could have been an indicator of a toxic work culture (which is likely, because multiple interviewers spoke that way), but it also could have been the accumulated stress of the recent week or 2, and humans are not perfect (granted, this is a weak excuse).
In conclusion, not a strong WTF, if you ask me.
Addendum 2023-03-08 08:11: PS. I do think Gennifer answered the MI question with the eraser well; I'm not sure what else they were looking for there.
Admin
Shouldn't this be in Tales From The Interview?
Admin
Gennifer should be thankful she was told about the retention problem. That's the single red flag that says "walk away now" in this story.
Admin
""Oh, so you're wasting my time, then?" the recruiter said, angrily."
'No, they are.'
Admin
It's a double red flag, because not only do they have retention problems, but they're blaming the employees (and everyone else they have shoehorned into a group with them) rather than looking at what the company might be doing wrong.
Admin
It's a double red flag, because not only do they have retention problems, but they're blaming the employees (and everyone else they have shoehorned into a group with them) rather than looking at what the company might be doing wrong.
Admin
And I should have added, if the recruiter isn't prepared to listen and then feed back to the company as to the reasons candidates are walking away, they're not providing the service they say they are. It's obvious from blaming it on "millenials" that the company are in a state of denial.
Admin
Yes, I agree and that's really what I meant. My second comment (now "held for moderation", as I guess this one will be) was partly to further explain that.
Admin
"We have a problem with retention, we think it's millennials" is the biggest red flag. Blaming an age group for the companies toxic culture is just a big no. People definitely want to work, they just don't want to work for free or a for a company that thinks giving people a job is doing them a favour.
Admin
"they just don't want to work for free"
Talking of things that make me walk out of interviews, anyone who says 'for free' is not someone I can work with. 'Free' is short for 'free of charge'. You can say 'for nothing' or 'free'. 'For free' is always wrong, and incredibly irritating.
Ah, there's nothing like spreading the pain. Once you've noticed it once, it will never stop bothering you :)
Admin
I do certain interviews in a style that makes B,B&B look super pleasant. HOWEVER, I let the candidate know that I am looking to see where peoples limits are. That honesty is ALWAYS the best answer, and that "I don't know", or even "not something I care about" could even be the desired response...
Admin
Both Bryan Garner (cited at https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/38161/is-the-phrase-for-free-correct#answer-317614) and Merriam-Webster (at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free#little-gems) would disagree.
Admin
I don't know if I'd agree about "can you commit for the long term" being a fair question - if they were truly serious about "we need a person who won't leave for the next two years", that's what contracts are for if you want to guarantee I'm going to stay put. Otherwise you're really asking "do you pay attention to the market, because we know we're not the best offer and hope we can keep underpaying you for the long term while you stay out of a misplaced sense of loyalty... until we need layoffs, of course."
Admin
To say it's rude not to accept the offer betrays entitled thinking. The company and the recruiter should be making a sales pitch, not trying to guilt her into action.
With that little peek under the hood, imagine what working there is like.
Admin
"we think it's millennials" - I wonder if such a statement in a job interview would already qualify for age discrimination under EU laws. Definitely disqualifies the interviewers completely.
Admin
I wonder what the recruiters commission was if he was that upset about missing out.
Admin
I think that's taking the 'nothing in common usage can be wrong' nature of English and using it to excuse something that is plainly wrong :)
Admin
I'm with Tim. I'd add being aggressively ignorant.
My last job, the contractors who had been around for years whined about MVC being "too hard". Not, "hey, I don't have much experience with that, can you teach me?", but "I'm not willing to learn the 'new' stuff."
This was in 2020. I was first introduced to MVC circa 2007. But it was still too new for these schmucks.
Admin
The other thing is recruiter's attitude. I get an ear full from one once because I declined a job offer. I get they want their commission, but its not reasonable for them to expect every candidate is going to take every offer they get.
Imagine if a realtor got all pissy because they took you to house met the basic creteria you initially provided, $$, sq ft, # bed rooms, age.. but didnt make on offer on the first showing. Sure they are going to get tired of you being looky-loo if they show you 15 places and you never make an offer but these head-hunters get a stick up their arse after one interview.
Its like dude how long did you spend on this anyway, 25min talking to me, 10min in front of your access database 5 of which overlapped with our conversation, and 15min with your client. If you are working efficently you had less than an hour in this, f'off.
Admin
Good point, but that's a point the candidate would bring up - "you want me to stay for the long term? Sure - but I expect professional growth and salary raises to go together with that". It's a negotiation and if the employer wants a long term employee, it's valid for them to raise that question (politely), and for the candidate to bring up their expectations (politely, as well).
I think the crux of the problem is the demeanor and rude behavior, which can certainly justify Gennifer not entertaining their offers.
Admin
Yeah, that's definitely unprofessional to bring up their gripes with age groups during an interview. It's the kind of topic you discuss with friends at a bar after a few drinks :)
Admin
I asked ChatGPT:
"Take an ordinary eraser like the kind you might find sitting on an office desk. Okay, now explain multiple inheritance in C++ using that object."
This was it's response:
Multiple inheritance in C++ is a feature that allows a class to inherit properties and behaviors from more than one base class. To explain this using an ordinary eraser, let's consider that the eraser is a class in C++.
Now, imagine that the eraser has multiple properties and behaviors that it can inherit from different base classes. For instance, one base class might be "Rubber" which defines the eraser's ability to erase pencil marks, while another base class might be "Sponge" which defines the eraser's ability to clean up liquid spills.
In C++, we can create a derived class that inherits from both the "Rubber" and "Sponge" base classes, allowing the eraser object to have all of the properties and behaviors of both base classes. This is similar to how an eraser can have both the ability to erase pencil marks and clean up liquid spills.
To create a multiple inheritance hierarchy for our eraser class in C++, we can use the following syntax:
ruby Copy code class Eraser : public Rubber, public Sponge { // class definition }; Here, the "Eraser" class is derived from both the "Rubber" and "Sponge" classes, allowing it to inherit all of their properties and behaviors.
In summary, multiple inheritance in C++ allows a derived class to inherit properties and behaviors from multiple base classes. In the case of our eraser example, this means that the eraser can inherit both its ability to erase pencil marks and clean up liquid spills, giving it more functionality and versatility.
I though Gennifer's answer was fine but ChatGPT's is kinda better (and maybe more like what the interviewers were expecting).
Admin
I had a recruiter get very upset once when I turned down a job because it was odd hours - e.g. late shifts, etc. The thing was, though, I'd asked him several times for details of the job and he hadn't provided them. If I'd known beforehand I wouldn't have gone for the interview.
Admin
I was asked at an interview what my greatness weak was. I replied that i didn't think I had any real weaknesses, but to make sure, i had checked with my wife and she had given me a handy list of them...
Admin
To be fair once you reach a certain age it's nice finding a workplace where you won't be surrounded by children. Especially in this day and age what with how badly the new generations have turned out. Personally I'd consider a "nobody under 30" sign on the door to be a minor bonus.
This said, if you have retention issues and you are blaming it on anyone other than your self that is the red flag right there.
Admin
While such a sign might seem attractive on the face of it, do you think a company that is willing to openly flout discrimination and employment law is going to turn out to be a good place to work?
Admin
I am not going to debate your logic because you are obviously right. But that does not change the fact that youth these days need to learn their place and that it is most definitively not on my lawn.
Admin
"how badly the new generations have turned out." is a complaint dating back to Socrates and certainly beyond. The generation before yours thought the same of you.
Admin
Hoo boy, do I not have any time for ageist nonsense. I'm old for my level (started my professional software eng career in my mid-30s) so I'm often the old guy in the room, even including my managers -- I'm more director/architect aged at this point ;)
Suffice it to say that I am humbled by the intelligence, work ethic, adaptability, and professionalism of people younger than myself on the daily.
Admin
Years ago, I briefly interviewed with a company that rather gloriously announced that they had an online C programming test. At that point in my career I had been teaching C to professionals for a few years. I started going through the test and quickly realized that the test's creator wasn't even remotely a C programmer or it wouldn't have been loaded down with so many errors. I did NOT want to work for that company. It was then I struck out on my own as a contractor.
Admin
I think you'll find that "free" means "free" and is not short for "free of charge". If that was the case, it would be a recusirvely self-expanding phrase "free of charge of charge of charge of charge of charge ......"
Admin
I read awhile ago that some companies pay PER LEAD, not PER HIRE. The absolute dunces. A recruiter that brings in Abigail and sets the company up right, earns one blob of cash and that's it until they're a head short again. A recruiter that brings in Bryen, Cule, Duglas, Eddy, Fredddie, Griffyn, Hedge and Idiot (pronounced "Eddie") earns that 'per lead' bonus again and again, as fast as they can dredge them up.
Admin
Which is exactly why I enjoy making it.
The day when I can't make light of life through self referential humor is the day I no longer want to keep living.
Admin
It's my opinion that the young people of today are a bunch of know nothing incompetent wastrels.
As you can imagine, my work life is a source of constant amazement because the young people I work with frequently defy my assessment of them. In fact, sometimes they seem to know more than I do.
Admin
It's my opinion that the young people of today are a bunch of know nothing incompetent wastrels.
As you can imagine, my work life is a source of constant amazement because the young people I work with frequently defy my assessment of them. In fact, sometimes they seem to know more than I do.