My big one is that they need to stop asking why I applied for their company. The real answer is I want a new job, and I blasted out a hundred applications. I didn’t choose your company specifically.
My big one is that they need to stop asking why I applied for their company. The real answer is I want a new job, and I blasted out a hundred applications. I didn’t choose your company specifically.
This one is for screening before the interview rather than the interview itself but it really bugs me: multiple-choice “How knowledgeable are you about X?” Do I have expert knowledge of C++? No, because I have just 20 years of experience. Bjarne Stroustrup has expert knowledge of C++. I’m not sure what these questions are intended to do. Are they just an HR hoop to jump through and I need to say that I am an expert? Or is everyone deliberately trying to be deceptive always claiming to be an expert in everything, so I am supposed to say that I’m not?
The level of knowledge considered “expert” is variable, and is relative to the knowledge possessed by the people they already employ or at least have access to.
20 years of experience in C++ is very much expert if they don’t have anyone with more than 5 years on staff.
I have 20+ years in the primary language I program and I damn well tell an interviewer I’m an expert.
That is true, but how the hell could I know what kind of people they already employ, while I’m applying?
I worked with some great specialists in some companies and with guys who didn’t understand basic concepts in other companies that were supposed to be on the same level.
You are also interviewing them, part of the process is finding out if they are a good fit for you.
For your particular case you are an expert. If they follow up with Bjorne will be working under you then you say oh, I’ve got 20 yoe.