Chapter 11
I enjoy how this chapter opens with the “Don’t Be a
Smart-Ass Interviewer”. There is nothing more I dislike than someone who thinks
they are better than you and try’s and prove it. If I ever walk into an
interview and that happens I would like to think I would leave. I don’t have
the time or tolerance for such nonsense. I also enjoy some of the questions he
says to avoid in the brain teasers, “How many golf balls can you fit into an
airplane?” Hahaha. All joking aside I think that this chapter is pretty much a
common sense issue and unfortunately I think that some people really need it
beat into them. It is common sense you shouldn’t ask questions you don’t know
the answer to and don’t make the candidate look like a fool. If someone does
not know these basics, they probably shouldn’t be interviewing anyone, or maybe
even be in any position. I also like how he talks about not blocking the
internet during a coding activity and goes on to say, “I wonder how they would
do without it?” I also like his thoughts on not asking the interviewee to write
out code on paper or white boards and feels they should stick to what the
candidate would face on the job. Great tips and I am certain I will run into
interviews where I am asked to do these things.
His take on not asking to wrote algorithms or algorithmic
exercises is awesome. I like his thought pattern here on how they should ask
something closer to the reality of the projects at the company and that how
many problems weren’t related to the algorithms, but the lack of good tests and
the like. Overall good chapter and some great advice.
Chapter 12
I really don’t have much to say in this chapter as I think
it speaks for itself. Lack of morale is a company killer in my opinion. It is
all pretty plain to see that if you lack motivation and hate the job you are
doing than you will not bring anything of use to the company. It is contagious
as well. People moping around complaining about this and that and blaming everything
on so and so, when they really need to take a hard look at themselves.
