How is the IT survey?
The survey topics are posted on our website and have not changed for more than 8 years - this is a common basic knowledge in IT, which guarantees any IT-oriented university to a student. Nevertheless, the statistics of successfully completed interviews still fluctuate around the 5% per year framework. I think it is time to not only tell what topics are being subjected to a meticulous survey, but how it happens.
All questions, regardless of subject, are set at 4 "levels".
This is a level that graduates of technical colleges pass more or less easily, factual knowledge has not yet gotten into their heads, although they are often very abstract. These are questions like “what is A”, “what methods do you know how to solve problem C”, etc. In this case, all that needs to be done is to name or list. Very often, the employer does not want to spend time on this level of questions, it is either skipped or taken out as a separate test, which you can pass immediately when submitting a resume to the company.
This level includes requests to tell the steps of the algorithm step by step, to reproduce a specific method when solving a specific example, to describe in detail exactly how and what data is transmitted in what direction and why.
“Describe in steps how the data is sampled when requested?”
“Tell us how indexing fields containing fractional numbers is made in the database”
“What mechanism and how does a security check start a transaction?”
“How does the compiler know the address of the call to the polymorphic function and write it into the exe-file, if the address is formed only when the program is working directly”
“Prove the algorithm's estimate”
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To successfully complete a survey at this level, the candidate demonstrates not only knowledge of the terms, but also an understanding of the mechanisms and structure of objects that are hidden under these terms. When answering questions of this type, it is better to be collected and very consistent. If it is difficult to answer and there is a fear of getting off, a plan of answer sketched on a piece of paper will help a lot. Sketching it, even if with pictograms and abbreviations, does not take much time. You can use illustrative material, draw diagrams on a piece of paper or a blackboard, if it is difficult to explain with words.
Here questions are usually asked asking them to compare or justify the use of a particular method or mechanism.
“What are the advantages and disadvantages of the algorithm?”
“Under the conditions of such and such a task, which solution will be the most optimal”
“Why do we need the join statement, if possible without it?”
Questions imply maximum openness of the answer, different candidates answering the same question notice and justify diametrically opposed things. And both answers can be considered true if they are justified.
Often, after listening to the candidate's reasoning, the employer gives preference to the candidate more adequately substantiating and “correctly” thinking, even if the questions of the 1st level were not answered brilliantly.
If knowledge on levels 1 and 2 can be acquired at the university, then the ability to analyze and make decisions is taught much less frequently. How to get this skill? Is it possible to bring it up, or is it talent like drawing? There is no guarantee, but you can still try to develop such a skill. Try first to think and justify for yourself the answer to the questions about the pros and cons of the technology or approach, and then read the official information. Of course, the better you know the details - the more accurate the analysis will be.
Perhaps, any sophomore can write a standard (recursive) QSort, suggest optimization options - this is already more difficult. How to speed up the work of the algorithm, how to optimize the code, to protect yourself from stack overflow?
Asking such questions, we expect the interlocutors to think and offer answers. Yes, most of the questions for the candidate will probably be unexpected or discouraging, but the answer is not required right now. You can think, reflect, make a number of assumptions, clarify something. Perhaps even a sensible idea, without implementation details, would be a good answer to a question.
Questions 3 and 4 levels - the most interesting and indicative, inofrmativnim their only problem solving. The task may be proposed to be solved on a blackboard or on a piece of paper, and as a rule, this is not a very difficult task, however, in the process of solving a candidate may not notice quite obvious things. Hurry up and not checking the problem on a couple of examples can be much worse than spending extra time.
Here is a simple check-list:
- the condition of the problem is precisely understandable, and you are sure that you know what exactly they want from you. A quick “head-on” solution in a second or a thought-out optimal, easy-scalable solution?
- Do you precisely observe the conditions of the problem, use an array, if an array is said, write the function, if the conditions are formulated in this way? If the set of input parameters is listed in the condition, does your function exactly accept them, and not some others?
- You checked your decision with a simple example, it works, does not get hung up, and returns exactly what they said?
- in your decision there are branches that provide for failure? Is there an error behavior?
- Your decision just needs recursion?
I would also like to add that the interview is not an interrogation with passion, but the opportunity to maximize the potential of the candidate, to discuss with him what he was interested in, to listen to his ideas and wishes.
All questions, regardless of subject, are set at 4 "levels".
Basic knowledge
This is a level that graduates of technical colleges pass more or less easily, factual knowledge has not yet gotten into their heads, although they are often very abstract. These are questions like “what is A”, “what methods do you know how to solve problem C”, etc. In this case, all that needs to be done is to name or list. Very often, the employer does not want to spend time on this level of questions, it is either skipped or taken out as a separate test, which you can pass immediately when submitting a resume to the company.
Understanding of terms and mechanisms of work
This level includes requests to tell the steps of the algorithm step by step, to reproduce a specific method when solving a specific example, to describe in detail exactly how and what data is transmitted in what direction and why.
“Describe in steps how the data is sampled when requested?”
“Tell us how indexing fields containing fractional numbers is made in the database”
“What mechanism and how does a security check start a transaction?”
“How does the compiler know the address of the call to the polymorphic function and write it into the exe-file, if the address is formed only when the program is working directly”
“Prove the algorithm's estimate”
')
To successfully complete a survey at this level, the candidate demonstrates not only knowledge of the terms, but also an understanding of the mechanisms and structure of objects that are hidden under these terms. When answering questions of this type, it is better to be collected and very consistent. If it is difficult to answer and there is a fear of getting off, a plan of answer sketched on a piece of paper will help a lot. Sketching it, even if with pictograms and abbreviations, does not take much time. You can use illustrative material, draw diagrams on a piece of paper or a blackboard, if it is difficult to explain with words.
Ability to analyze this subject area
Here questions are usually asked asking them to compare or justify the use of a particular method or mechanism.
“What are the advantages and disadvantages of the algorithm?”
“Under the conditions of such and such a task, which solution will be the most optimal”
“Why do we need the join statement, if possible without it?”
Questions imply maximum openness of the answer, different candidates answering the same question notice and justify diametrically opposed things. And both answers can be considered true if they are justified.
Often, after listening to the candidate's reasoning, the employer gives preference to the candidate more adequately substantiating and “correctly” thinking, even if the questions of the 1st level were not answered brilliantly.
If knowledge on levels 1 and 2 can be acquired at the university, then the ability to analyze and make decisions is taught much less frequently. How to get this skill? Is it possible to bring it up, or is it talent like drawing? There is no guarantee, but you can still try to develop such a skill. Try first to think and justify for yourself the answer to the questions about the pros and cons of the technology or approach, and then read the official information. Of course, the better you know the details - the more accurate the analysis will be.
Ability to correct deficiencies or modify
Perhaps, any sophomore can write a standard (recursive) QSort, suggest optimization options - this is already more difficult. How to speed up the work of the algorithm, how to optimize the code, to protect yourself from stack overflow?
Asking such questions, we expect the interlocutors to think and offer answers. Yes, most of the questions for the candidate will probably be unexpected or discouraging, but the answer is not required right now. You can think, reflect, make a number of assumptions, clarify something. Perhaps even a sensible idea, without implementation details, would be a good answer to a question.
Questions 3 and 4 levels - the most interesting and indicative, inofrmativnim their only problem solving. The task may be proposed to be solved on a blackboard or on a piece of paper, and as a rule, this is not a very difficult task, however, in the process of solving a candidate may not notice quite obvious things. Hurry up and not checking the problem on a couple of examples can be much worse than spending extra time.
Here is a simple check-list:
- the condition of the problem is precisely understandable, and you are sure that you know what exactly they want from you. A quick “head-on” solution in a second or a thought-out optimal, easy-scalable solution?
- Do you precisely observe the conditions of the problem, use an array, if an array is said, write the function, if the conditions are formulated in this way? If the set of input parameters is listed in the condition, does your function exactly accept them, and not some others?
- You checked your decision with a simple example, it works, does not get hung up, and returns exactly what they said?
- in your decision there are branches that provide for failure? Is there an error behavior?
- Your decision just needs recursion?
I would also like to add that the interview is not an interrogation with passion, but the opportunity to maximize the potential of the candidate, to discuss with him what he was interested in, to listen to his ideas and wishes.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/181528/
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