Being asked P1ss easy technical questions in interviews.

[minestrone]

Never understood why in interviews where they are in a position to offer quite substantial sums of money over a period of time they ask the most basic questions to ascertain your technical ability.

Seems as if about 50% of the time the questions have been grabbed from some "things to ask in an interview" site.

What is the difference between String and StringBuffer? etc. (Question is now pointless these days anyway)

Do people actually fails these questions? Is this a symptom of Bobs on the market?

[Spacecadet]

I think the questions are there to weed out any blatent blaggers (although a quick fire telephone test would also work)

[Mich the Tester]

I think the questions are there to weed out any blatent blaggers (although a quick fire telephone test would also work)

yep, that's best; gives me a chance to google while pretending the line's a bit dodgy

[Spacecadet]

In one interview I was asked the steps needed in defining and using a SQL Server cursor.
I didn't answer, just gave them a list of reasons why they shouldn't use cursors, what they should be doing instead and telling them that I don't plan on breaking a long standing habit

and yes, I did get an offer.

[Spacecadet]

yep, that's best; gives me a chance to google while pretending the line's a bit dodgy

thats why it needs to be quick fire
the trick when composing the questions is to think of something which would require 2 peices of knowledge, thus rendering the google/book blagger as a real disadvantage

[Churchill]

thats why it needs to be quick fire
the trick when composing the questions is to think of something which would require 2 peices of knowledge, thus rendering the google/book blagger as a real disadvantage

Err, Mich is a tester, 'nuff said.

[Mich the Tester]

Err, Mich is a tester, 'nuff said.

I know my place. (and it's quite comfy, thanks)

[TheFaQQer]

I guess the theory that they will get rid of the dross with the easy ones, if they are all easy.

Just because you can answer an easy question (which may not be that relevant to the role) and someone else can't doesn't make you any better suited to the role, if the other person can answer harder questions.

I've had plenty of interview questions where I couldn't answer all the technical bits, but still got the job - presumably because they weren't that relevant, plus I could answer more important ones that others couldn't.

[Mich the Tester]

My CV is so impressive I don't have to answer interview questions.

love, Sasguru.

[TimberWolf]

Perhaps because they're more interested in someone who can integrate and communicate and who doesn't smell too much.