Stepping back from the frugality madness, I want to share with you some of the experiences I’ve had interviewing throughout the past couple months. Needless to say, there have been a lot of questions in both directions. Most of them sound familiar by now and, of course, some are better than others. After a while, many responses start to feel scripted and the art of the response really comes in making it look or sound like an original notion, while still delivering with confidence. But every so often an interviewer throws a curve ball. It could be something that lights up my eyes or, in contrast, makes them visibly roll. These are the ones I’ll be sharing: The best and worst interview questions I’ve been asked throughout this stupidly lengthy process. I’ll cover my fave five here in no particular order.
Exceptional question 1: Describe your favorite video game and why it was your favorite.
- My reply: Hands down, Command and Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour. There’s nothing more satisfying than optimizing build orders, strategically managing the macro and micro aspects of the map, and ultimately beating well-matched opponents in a non-stop effort of building and defending while wreaking havoc. The strong elements of strategy and the twitch-fast dexterity required had me hooked from day one. Aggressive play and relentless attacking was rewarded with wins up the wazoo. Playing in the Clan Wars league was uber challenging and I became a formidable GLA competitor in the 1v1 ladder.
- Why this question rocks: This was early in my interview process and took me completely off guard but it sparked an enthusiasm from the gamer I was in a past life. Basically, this question gets at the core of who I am and what sort of problems I find most compelling; namely, those where I can deploy a tried and true solution, adapting quickly to a new scenario in a sink or swim environment. The pressure has to be high and the pace needs to match.
- Brandon fun fact: I loved this game to an unhealthy degree and almost flunked out of college playing it obsessively. My best account had something like 1,500 wins at an 85% win rate. But while I was busy flaming noobs in forums and pioneering new strategies in a virtual RTS universe, we’ll just say my Calc III grade wasn’t exactly the same 85%.
Damn fine query 2: What happens when I load a web page in a browser?
- A shortened version of my response: On the DNS level, requests are made up the DNS hierarchy until the server with that URL namespace and corresponding IP is identified. Packets will hop from node to node, arrive at the destination server to request data and bounce back with the requested packets.
- Why I like this question: The whole concept of how the internet works is fascinating and I think everyone should know how information gets from A to B on a basic level. It’s hard to find an answer to this question in plain language. This answer comes from parsing through a lot of jargon and finally putting the pieces together on my own.
- Why it’s a good and not great question: There are too many ways to answer it and it’s difficult to know which will sound best to the interviewer or what level of detail they’re wanting. One could discuss the rendering of HTML/CSS/PHP in the browser or the processing that occurs on the destination server’s back end. Alternatively, one could go through logical network layers in any of a handful of network models and summarize what happens step by step. Figure out your audience and tailor your answer accordingly.
- Alternate universe response: The internet is a series of tubes…
Gosh darn good question 3: What’s your favorite layer in the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model?
- My reply: The physical layer. Binary is the new black. In fact, my desktop clock runs on binary UNIX time … and it follows that I never know what hour it is.
- Truth: My desktop clock is on 24-hour format. The more you know…
- Why I like this question: It’s not difficult but gives you some freedom to be silly while showing just a small nugget of knowledge.
- A better answer: The presentation layer is the best layer for three reasons. 1. It’s all about the presentation. 2. Presentation makes things look pretty. 3. There’s no time like the present… ation.
Outstanding question 4: In 60 seconds or less, describe the game of lacrosse.
- Brandon’s high-level description of lacrosse: Played on a rectangular grass field with a net at either end, two teams of even numbers try to score a ball in the opposition’s net using sticks with a small pocket on the end. Goalies for each team have larger pockets on their sticks. Players wear padding and routinely rough each other up. There are various rules to regulate hitting, ball control, where goals can be scored from, ect. Interviewer: How do you know when a team wins? Me: Ahh but of course! There’s a time limit, which spit in halves I assume. The team with more goals when the time expires is the winner. I suppose there must be overtime rules for a tie…
- Why I love this question: It probes your method of thought more than anything else. Though not technical, it’s still logical and straightforward. Most people (myself included) don’t know shit about lacrosse and can still answer the question on some level.
- A better question: The same thing in 20 seconds. 60 seconds just gives you too much room to stammer through unimportant details.
- Epic failure on my part: There was a god damn white board behind me that I only noticed after these interviewers left the room. FML. I promptly pointed out my error to the next interviewer who laughed and agreed that it would have been a clever way to run with the question.
- Lighthearted and just as truthful approach: Lacrosse? A bunch of brutes in plastic armor playing a form of field hockey where high sticking is not only allowed but encouraged. Requirements to play: You must be from a stupidly wealthy family and at least as douchy as hockey players if you aren’t one in the off-season.
- Feminist response: Originally a Native American sport, the modern version of Lacrosse is a grossly misogynistic game where boys assert that women they can’t hit like their XY counterparts. :sock the male interviewer in the nose and promptly exit:
Noteworthy question 5: Tell me about the last book you read.
- I replied: “Actually, the last book I read was titled” :pause, look around, BINGO!: “The Annotated Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. This book is delightful on so many levels…” And I went on for two minutes about how well thought out the 2-d universe and social system was explained in every detail mathematically.
- What I actually read last: The pause and look around was stalling because I’d actually just finished reading The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power, and the Future of the World by Michelle Goldberg. Interesting book, but going on about the global battle over women’s reproductive rights might have been more than the interviewer bargained for.
- Best/worst reply possible: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.
- Why this question is important to me: I read books and like to talk about them. More importantly, I like my potential employer acknowledging that I have a life and interests outside of work. That is, unless he was hoping for…
- The proper kiss ass response: Mastering Windows Exchange Server 2010 i.e. 900 pages of ultimate snooze fest. I’d sooner check out a knot tying book and master the noose.
For the sake of brevity, I’ll cut it short and save the terrible, no good, very bad questions for another post. Definitely share a response to any of the questions above or tell me an awesome question you’ve been asked recently.
Filed under: Uncategorized
