Dan, that's a GREAT question. Still doesn't dig deep into the technical prowess, but it could definitely expose adaptability, which is a valuable skill in this profession.
As to the last Thursday, it's actually even simpler than you described. Calculate the first day of the next month and then back up day by day until you hit a Thursday. There's an optimization where you could calculate the day of the month for the first of the next month and then calculate the difference to roll back to Thursday, but that's a bonus if they go that far. Of course, now if any of my esteemed colleagues here decide to apply for one of my open positions, I'll have to change the question! (No worries, I have several other questions from which to choose.) This has been a great discussion, and I appreciate everyone's input! -K On Sat, Dec 14, 2013 at 9:48 AM, Dan Fitzgerald <dangf...@hotmail.com>wrote: > First, agreeing with Kevin. I've been amazed over the years at how many > folks represent that they have technical skills that they don't. > But, I got a good non-technical question recently: Describe a situation > where you argued strongly for a position and ended up changing your mind. I > had a wealth of examples to draw upon… > Kevin: I'd take the month (verifying; gigo), then run it through a case > statement to determine the number of days in that month (sounds like a > handy subroutine to have in the toolbox). Then I'd convert to get the day > of the week, another case statement to get the number of days past > Thursday, do the math from the last DOM internal date, oconv the result, > and grab a cup of dark roast. There are probably more efficient ways, but > that's how I'd work it through my head in an interview. > > > Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2013 09:14:36 -0700 > > From: ke...@precisonline.com > > To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org > > Subject: Re: [U2] [OT] Interview Questions > > > > David, I've used many of these questions in the past but where it fell > down > > was that it didn't give any real picture of technical ability. The one > > question I've been using lately to assess technical thinking is "how > would > > you calculate the last Thursday in a month?" The answers have been > > everywhere from accurate to sheer ridiculous. The unexpected takeaway > from > > this question is that it has helped to identify people who simply want to > > answer quickly without thinking - not a good trait unless the answer is > > right and to date that's happened a total of zero times - vs people who > > think first and then give a reasoned response. > > > > I've just found it too easy for people to stretch the truth when > > explaining their > > technical ability, so I'm asking questions intended to give some > evidence. > > > > On Saturday, December 14, 2013, David Sharp wrote: > > > > > Here is something I have used: > > > What single project > > > or task would you consider the most significant accomplishment in your > > > career > > > so far? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > · > > > Can you give me a detailed overview of the > > > accomplishment? > > > > > > · > > > Tell me about the company, your title, your > > > position, your role, and the team involved. > > > > > > · > > > What were the actual results achieved? > > > > > > · > > > When did it take place and how long did the > > > project take. > > > > > > · > > > Why you were chosen? > > > > > > · > > > What were the 3-4 biggest challenges you > > > faced and how did you deal with them? > > > > > > · > > > Where did you go the extra mile or take the > > > initiative? > > > > > > · > > > Walk me through the plan, how you managed > > > to it, and if it was successful. > > > > > > · > > > Describe the environment and resources. > > > > > > · > > > Describe your manager’s style and whether > > > you liked it or not. > > > > > > · > > > Describe the technical skills needed to > > > accomplish the objective and how they were used. > > > > > > · > > > Some of the biggest mistakes you made. > > > > > > · > > > Aspects of the project you truly enjoyed. > > > > > > · > > > Aspects you didn’t especially care about > > > and how you handled them. > > > > > > · > > > How you managed and influenced other, with > > > lots of examples. > > > > > > · > > > How you changed and grew as a person. > > > > > > · > > > What you would do differently if you could > > > do it again. > > > > > > · > > > What type of formal recognition did your > > > receive? > > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > David Sharp > > > > Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2013 12:27:18 -0800 > > > > From: i...@keyway.net <javascript:;> > > > > To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org <javascript:;> > > > > Subject: Re: [U2] [OT] Interview Questions > > > > > > > > Please email me in regards to your ads. I am currently in between > > > > contracts/assignments/projects and looking for my next assignment. > > > > Multivalue languages I have been programming in: > > > > > > > > * CACHE (language: MV BASIC) > > > > * INFORMATION (language: INFO/BASIC) > > > > * jBASE (language: jBC, jBASE BASIC, jBASIC) > > > > * MENTOR System (language: DATA/BASIC, DATABASIC, DATA BASIC) > > > > * MVENTERPRISE (language: MVENTERPRISE BASIC) > > > > * MVON/ONWARE (language: ONWARE BASIC) > > > > * OPENINSIGHT (language: BASIC+) > > > > * OPENQM, QM (language: QMBASIC) > > > > * PICK, Advanced PICK, D3 (language: PICK BASIC) > > > > * Power95 (language: DATA/BASIC, DATABASIC, DATA BASIC) > > > > * REALITY System (language: DATA/BASIC, DATABASIC, DATA BASIC) > > > > * REVELATION, Advanced REVELATION (language: R/BASIC, REVELATION > BASIC) > > > > * UNIDATA (language: UNIBASIC) > > > > * UNIVERSE (language: UNIVERSE BASIC) > > > > * UNIVISION (language: UVBASIC) > > > > * WebSphere DataStage (language: DSBASIC, DataStage BASIC) > > > > > > > > Robert Norman, Multivalue Programmer/Analyst > > > > (951) 541-1668 > > > > > > > > On 10/7/2013 7:35 PM, Kevin King wrote: > > > > > This is not specifically a job posting, but I do have ads up on > > > Monster and > > > > > LinkedIn looking for talent. > > > > > > > > > > At the risk of confessing too much, I have historically been far > too > > > easy > > > > > in the interview process. As a result, I have had some > > > less-than-excellent > > > > > hires and spent far too much time and money trying to rescue > > > > > underperforming and/or recalcitrant staff. Therefore, I'm > planning to > > > be > > > > > much more discriminating this time around, and am building a > series of > > > > > technical questions to help quickly identify those that have the > right > > > > > skills, abilities, and attitude for our team compared to those who > may > > > not. > > > > > > > > > > That being said, I have a question for the group: > > > > > > > > > > Technical questions aside, what are the best interview questions > you've > > > > > asked, been asked, or otherwise heard about that help differentiate > > > between > > > > > the candidates worthy of additional consideration vs. those that > are > > > not? > > > > > > > > > > Each company is different of course, but that aside I'm hoping to > get > > > some > > > > > ideas to cut to the heart of the matter as quickly and efficiently > as > > > > > possible, both for the sake of the interviewer and the interviewee. > > > (My > > > > > technical interview is bordering on 200 questions and growing at an > > > > > alarming pace.) If there were a half dozen questions to open with > that > > > > > could help set the stage for what may be to come, that could be > very > > > > > beneficial for everyone in this mix. > > > > > > > > > > Also, in an effort to keep the OT to a minimum, please don't ask me > > > > > questions about the positions here. If you have questions, email > me > > > > > directly or through LinkedIn. I'd prefer to keep this topic on > point > > > of > > > > > your recommended interview questions. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > U2-Users mailing list > > > > > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org <javascript:;> > > > > > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > U2-Users mailing list > > > > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org <javascript:;> > > > > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > U2-Users mailing list > > > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org <javascript:;> > > > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > U2-Users mailing list > > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > > _______________________________________________ > U2-Users mailing list > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > _______________________________________________ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
