Got laughed at for being a VB Programmer.

[yrwyddfa]

Nah. I wasn't being like that. I think we agree on most areas. The vast majority of CV's are inflated well beyond 10%. I think they're worthless.

At least if someone's managed to look at the job description, and then copy it's requirements on a CV then I'll get em in for the first interview.

That's when the "fun" starts.

Actually it's not fun at all. I find it the most distressing experience. I hate every aspect of it.

[szlamany]

Are we all saying the same thing? I'm having a hard time reading between the lines on this one...

I whole heartedly agree that a skill-set is a meaningless attribute - when compared to the ability itself - learning new skills is what it's all about. In the past 5 years my shop has become a T-SQL STORED PROCEDURE shop - the VB coding has nearly ceased! When I hired for this large project, I wanted SQL ability - but certainly didn't expect the huge swing into the T-SQL world that we are in now...

All programmers are not born equal - I can not agree to that point, though. Thinking outside the box - seeing logic in your mind - that's a talent that is rare in my opinion.

[yrwyddfa]

Are we all saying the same thing? I'm having a hard time reading between the lines on this one...

I whole heartedly agree that a skill-set is a meaningless attribute - when compared to the ability itself - learning new skills is what it's all about. In the past 5 years my shop has become a T-SQL STORED PROCEDURE shop - the VB coding has nearly ceased! When I hired for this large project, I wanted SQL ability - but certainly didn't expect the huge swing into the T-SQL world that we are in now...

All programmers are not born equal - I can not agree to that point, though. Thinking outside the box - seeing logic in your mind - that's a talent that is rare in my opinion.

Yeah. But I can't help but think about boxes . . .

[techgnome]

I think we are.... it's what we would call around here "Six of one, half-dozen of another".

I've come to the following conclusions:
1) You have to look at the total package as a whole. Parts is parts, but sometimes the sum of the parts still doesn't equal the whole.
2) Every shop is different. Our style of hiring here would sink most IT depts at Fortune 500 companies. While their style would sink ours.
3) Thinking outside the box, but it depends on a couple of factors: a) How big was that box? b) Whose box is it? and c) How far outside the box was it?
4) yrwyddfa likes boxes
5) yrwyddfa needs a new username, one that's more nemonic, easier to type and remember.



Tg

[yrwyddfa]

a) How big was that box? b) Whose box is it? and c) How far outside the box was it?

A box, in England, is sometimes slang for female genitalia. I thought I should mention it before we go too far down that line.

Not that I'm against going down (that line) but the mods might not like it.

[yrwyddfa]

5) yrwyddfa needs a new username, one that's more nemonic, easier to type and remember.

How can you ever forget me?

[capsulecorpjx]

The problem with lateral thinking questions is you have to be sure the candidate has not heard the question before otherwise it reveals nothing. A better style are questions that don't have a single simple solution. Microsofts "how would you move mount Fuji?" is a classic.

So what is the real answer? I posted my answer (more of a joke) in one of my replies.

[techgnome]

A box, in England, is sometimes slang for female genitalia. I thought I should mention it before we go too far down that line.

Not that I'm against going down (that line) but the mods might not like it.

Same here in the US.... and I was even thinking about it as I was typing it in.... just didn't care.

How can you ever forget me?

It's not that I forget you.... I forget the spelling.

So what is the real answer? I posted my answer (more of a joke) in one of my replies.

As far as I know, there isn't a"real" answer. It's purely a mechanism for testing one's ability to rationalize an answer. It's also a test of creativity. Setting aside reality for a moment, there are a number of ways you can move Mt. Fuji. It could be one teaspoon at a time. While it will get the job done (eventualy) it will take quite some time. You could try pushing or pulling it. Or you reject all reality and sustitute your own. There were a couple of those in this thread, including yours and mine.

Which is better? Shrug. Yours sounds more like an engineer's response, while I think mine sounds more like a developer's response. You questions though in responce to the problem sound more like something an Analyst would ask (gather requirements and all that).

I think it's a creativity test rather than an ability or personality test.

Tg