Technical Interview Questions and Answers

Puzzles are fun, but really not the way to judge a person.

If I were interviewing for a person and wanted to test for technical know how, I'd just ask them how they think ___ works (where the blank is some popular, semi-related product), and use that as a spring board to talk with them for the next hour about stuff. You get a good sense for the type of knowledge and comfort people have for material that's actually relevant to the job at hand, and on top of that you can suss out things like how well you'd work with them.

So.. Once you know and understand the solution to a problem or a puzzle, what's the point (with respect to the company that is hiring) in candidate getting lucky in the interview and answering that question?

Usually people say that solution is not the important thing for a question but the process of getting to a correct or wrong solution is important. Some times interviewers ignore this fact.

Instead of puzzles or problems which may surprise some candidates, how about American Idol auditions style interviews. For example, you ask a candidate (for programming job) to design/implement/test some small problem giving the full requirements or simulating changing requirements. Will this process help select a right candidate?

counter argument - i loathe people that interview me with $hit puzzle questions and pat 'where do you see yourself in 10 yrs' type questions. that kind on non-thinking and non-personal behaviour will extend right through to your actual working conditions. Thread: what's the best line you've ever whacked back at muppets during an interview? 1. Q your worst habit? A a toss up between on-selling office supplies for profit and my cocaine habit 2. Q where do you see yourself in 5 years? A hard to say for sure but approximately half way through my 10 year plan

I have a question, why does the square piece in tetris make a sound when it rotates? (GameBoy version - if it matters)

it doesn't rotate on the screen. think about it.