Our is a niche sector and I always ask this question  
 100% of the time gets it wrong 😂 
  
 It is relevant to gauge how much time candidate dedicated in understanding the business he applied for

That basic idea should be there. 
  
 But some interviewers/recruiters expect to remember some not so relevant details about the company. 
  
 That's where my problem is.

Software Test - QA

Consultant

Share other such question(s) which you feel doesn't make sense to be asked or share your thoughts why you think it makes sense to ask such question(s).

Welcome to Software Engineers's Private Community

This interview question has never made sense to me

This interview question has never made sense to me- Grapevine

So i got a call from "vyapaar-apps" HR, she asked me the salary I started my career with and the salary at which I left my last company. 

I understand them asking for the current salary but this is quite weird and it's the first time any HR has asked me this question

According to her, they just need to know my growth. 

Were you ever asked such a question? And please share any other weird questions you were asked during the initial HR call.

Were you ever asked the salary you started your career with during the initial call with HR ?

Senior Software Engineer

I believe most of the questions available on the internet are quite redundant to test someone's system design knowledge.

I'm not looking for typical questions like building YouTube/Instagram/Whatsapp, which are only for beginners.

I'm looking for questions which you are able to answer on the basis of your personal experience, in depth questions. 

e.g how did you use indexing/sharding/query optimisation/rate limiting etc in your project?  what would you do in a so&so situation?

the questions which show me whether a person has actually worked on the systems instead of just having the theoretical knowledge.

I know it depends on how the interviewer asks the question, because it's supposed to be vague but I'm still looking for very specific questions.

So please tell me, what are such questions which you like to ask someone or the questions which you were asked in an interview ?

or just share your interesting system design interview experience, would be helpful to others.

Practical System Design Interview questions to test genuine knowledge

Welcome to Confessions's Private Community

So basically I don't hesitate in challenging the interviewer if I feel like they don't know how to interview a senior candidate

so during many interviews, this is how I have caught them off guard:

1. The interviewer was asking me technical questions and expecting to explain properly throughout. So at the end i asked him about the tech stack they use, he said Azure. I asked him why they use Azure and not AWS, to which he said "it's cheaper", i didn't let it go, i asked him for a proper technical explanation, his red face was worth seeing.

2. The interview asked me a hard DSA question, and I wasn't able to solve it properly, he didn't even give me enough hints, just expected me to solve it. So halfway I asked him, would you like to solve a DSA if I ask you right now, he said no because it's not his interview. To which I asked, are you afraid that you won't be able to solve? If you are going to reject me for not solving this question, would you resign if you aren't able to solve the question. He ended the call.

3. One interviewer was asking me absurd technical detailed questions. I asked him why are you asking such questions, he said he needs to know my thought process because he will work with me. I started asking him similar questions, he said he won't answer because it's not his interview. I said I also need to know your thought process because we'll work together, so you should also answer these questions, he had no reply.

4. The interviewer asked me about a challenging project that I had done recently. I don't like this question at all. So I said there wasn't any challenging project because I'm good at what I do so it's always easy for me. He moved on to the next question.

5. HR asked me why I resigned without an offer? I asked if it's mandatory? No reply.

Having some fun with the interviewers

Not sure whether this is something to tom-tom about. Talks more about the quality of interviewer & the approach taken by the person.   
  
 To be honest, they're well within their right to ask you a tough question and/or to test your thought process, that's their job. If you get so easily offended, you're probably not going to fit in, in the long term.  
  
 I'm sure there are better ways to communicate that the interviewer is asking you a lame question or there's insufficient information.  
  
 Honestly, I take tons of interviews, an hour spent interviewing is an hour spent not doing actual work and drop in productivity. Doubt if senior people would ever do this to waste 'their' time... (Forget yours). Sensible people wouldn't.  
  
 No offense, but with so many interviews going this way, maybe time to point the mirror the other way...

Corporate Strategist

Welcome to Ask Grapeviners's Private Community

The recruiter asked me "whether I believe in work colleagues being like family or close friends."

Though I answered the question from a very gray perspective.

So what's your viewpoint? How should it be answered?

Got an interesting question asked in my interview today!!

Marketing Associate

I am currently software architect with 14yrs exp with 12 yrs in the same org, but got to work on different products,stacks every 2-4 yrs. But not being doing much coding recently, and it's all simple Python anyway with a sprinkling of C++. I have started hands on learning of JS, Django, Kotlin to get a feel of new languages and frameworks.  Don't want to put entire resume here, but those are the key ones.

I enjoy my architecture and specifications role, but I think I might be missing lots of opportunities to learn different tech/stacks. Most importantly I feel up for a change after years of avoid risks to person commitments which are much changed now.

Coming to the point, what worries me most is that most JD in different tech/roles expect some prior experience/expertise which I don't have. Requesting comments/guidance on how to make this transition to new role/tech/org. If anyone has done similar experience, request to share approach.

I am apprehensive even of talking to my contacts for a referral as I'd like to try out and get some confidence first. I did a lot of transitions so far, but I wasn't deciding those. It was either customer/boss or chance. I am confident of learning anything, but not about impressing interviewers. Maybe a few interviews with Amazon and similar LEET based ones might be the cause of my low self confidence. I abhor those kind of questions unrelated to work and as a principle never ask them as an interviewer.

Looking for career shift advice

Software Architect

I was recently called for an interview, and the interviewer asked me a puzzle. It goes something like this:

"You have two containers, C1 and C2, both filled with equal volumes of oil and water, respectively (i.e., C1 -> oil volume V and C2 -> water volume V). A spoonful of liquid is taken from C1 and poured into C2, then a spoonful of liquid is taken from C2 and poured into C1. After these two steps take place, which container will have higher purity (concentration of oil for C1 and that of water for C2)?"

I thought for a while and answered C1, citing that since we put pure oil from C1 into C2 but a mix from C2 into C1, certainly some oil from C2 is back in C1, thereby achieving more purity. The interviewer said it was wrong and asked me to try again. This time, I did some actual math and was told C2 would have a greater concentration based on the calculations. The interviewer again tagged me wrong, so I asked the interviewer to explain, and his answer was that both would be equal since you take 1 spoon of oil from C1 to C2, and put 1 spoon of water from C2 to C1. This is obviously flawed, as no oil is getting back on the spoon when you dip it into C2. I wanted to point that out but didn't. Later, I re-did my math thoroughly and found that C2 would have a greater purity of water.

Stupid question asked in interview.

Software Engineer

nobody cares about these questions and nobody has follow-up questions, these are only asked as a formality: 

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Tell me about a challenging project you did.

why ask such questions when your very next statement is "let's do a DSA based question"

Absurd interview questions

Welcome to IT Company Discussion's Private Community

I'm having 1.5 years of experience and want to switch to Data science/ML profile I have relevant data analysis experience which used data base, python and Excel for analysis rest I have build models using machine learning. What interview questions should I expect?

Interview questions

Software Developer

What’s a story you’ve always wanted to share, but no one ever asked the right question?

Welcome to Office Gossip's Private Community

I had interview for a senior engineering role for a remote us company. They went too deep into xss attack prevention in JS. Does companies really ask about think that they follow or just focus on one topic and try to judge candidates based on that?

Does companies really ask relevant questions in interview?

Engineering Manager

To repeat all the info already mentioned in the CV in the portal

It's good that some companies have a good mechanism where most of the fields in the portal get automation filled by fetching the data from cv.

Never made sense to me

Candidates should be allowed to respond like this in interviews 😄

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

I hate assignments. I hated them while applying for jobs, and I hate giving them while trying to hire someone.

It's basically free work with no guarantee of employment. It's unfair to make people work so much, often people assign 2-3 days worth of work for such interviews.

Is there any other practical alternative though? I would love to know everyone's thoughts on this

Is there a way to hire people without multiple assignments?

Product Owner

[Discussion] Thoughts on 🍅 founder's podcast with 🍺💪🏻

Product Manager

I've noticed a pattern where HRs from mediocre companies are extremely arrogant and ask unnecessary questions. Whether it is from their tone of voice, to asking ridiculous questions about a candidate's personal life and things that are already on the resume, why do they act so holier than thou? Now FAANG adjacent companies and their HRs/ first point of contacts are always empathetic and very clear in asking sensible, relevant questions. Why don't companies realise that their first point of contact is what affects their brand and hiring unqualified folks makes it worse. Have you ever noticed this? What do you think can be done to make this/ candidate experience better?

Why are HRs from mediocre companies so arrogant?

HRs in mid places are usually coming from really small / unknown companies and feel like they’ve made it hence the arrogance. Folks in big/decent companies usually have come from wonderful education bgs and workplaces and if not, have worked hard enough to reach where they are. That humbles you, I feel.

Marketing Creative

I have seen hiring manager that they ask for one question always. Why did you switch many jobs and also why do you want to switch now? 

Do we really think managers are unaware to covid, recession and job market?  

What's your take and tell me more these experience...

In this era, Why do you want switch job?

Staff Engineer

What are Unpopular questions to get to know more about a person

Just wanted to know your thoughts as an Interviewer.??

What red flags or signs of 'incompatibility' have you faced in your interview campaigns

I recently saw a case in a product interview where the interviewer said - X is your goal, why are you concerned about Y check metric. That's a nope in my book.

This interview question has never made sense to me

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