Perils of technical interviews (was RE: Better way to code a maintenence program ILERPG)

[david.kahn@xxxxxxxxxx]

I wrote:

>Colin Williams <Williamsc@technocrats.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>You mean you failed a technical interview because you were honest!
>
>Why? Is there an easier way?  :-)

Seriously, I once failed a technical interview after a conversation that went
something like this.

Interviewer:   Do you know about logical files? Because there are no sorts on
the AS/400, you know.

Me:       Well, actually, sorting is still supported on the 400, in the
Conversion Reformat Utility.

Interviewer:   But logical files are obviously more efficient, otherwise why
does everybody use them?

Me:       Surpisingly, perhaps, if processing speed is your only consideration
it may actually be more efficient to run a sort and process the output file
sequentially than to create an access path and process the data through a
logical file.

Needless to say I failed the interview because the interviewer felt I didn't
understand the concept of logical files. The correct answer to the first
question should have been "Oh yes, absolutely, logical files are definitely the
only way of ordering and selecting data on the AS/400." Having got the first
answer wrong and admitted the existence of sorting I could possibly have saved
the situation by making the second answer, "Quite so. Logical files are
definitely the most efficient way of ordering and selecting data on the AS/400."

The interviewer wants to be in control. The golden rule is never to take him too
far out of his own depth or he gets panicky. Joel's problem was admitting that
some programs are more complicated than others.The interviewer was thinking
"enquire, add, change, delete". Joel was thinking about multiple subfiles,
optional positioning, second level help text, command line interface etc. etc.
etc. For interview purposes a single file update program takes 2 hours maximum.
:-)

Dave Kahn, ABB Steward Ltd.


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