Re: Perils of technical interviews (was RE: Better way to code a maintenence program ILERPG)

["Dan Bale" <dbale@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dave:
>>Seriously, I once failed a technical interview after a conversation that went
something like this.

Interviewer:   Do you know about logical files? Because there are no sorts on
the AS/400, you know.

Me:       Well, actually, sorting is still supported on the 400, in the
Conversion Reformat Utility.

Interviewer:   But logical files are obviously more efficient, otherwise why
does everybody use them?

Me:       Surpisingly, perhaps, if processing speed is your only consideration
it may actually be more efficient to run a sort and process the output file
sequentially than to create an access path and process the data through a
logical file.<<

Reiterating my last response to this "thread", do you think you would have been
happy in this job?
I realize it all depends on who is doing the interview, but if the interviewer
would have been your boss, sheesh, I'd hate to think how _that_ relationship
would have gone over.

Actually, Dave, I think I would have gotten the hint before I answered the 2nd
question, but then, hindsight is always a wonderful thing, ain't it?  ;-)

- Dan Bale





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