All:
Ah yes...the typical "incompetant interviewer interview."
The interviewer (Mr. Bozo) decides to ask you why was Java created? He is not satisifed with "Platform Independence".
I would delve into a brief 30 seconds discussion of Java history - see if you can shake off Mr. Bozo. But, let's say he is not satisifed with the "history of Java" and Bill Gosling at Sun Microsystems.
Fine, now is your chance to throw one of your stories at him. If you have been following JavaRanch for the past 4 months now - I mentioned that you need to have three or four stories in your aresenal BEFORE you go to the interview.
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You can answer this question in one of two ways:
- Method #1: Do a direct Java to C++ comparision - and pray that you hit the comparison Mr. Bozo was looking for. This should work - but it's not a home run.
You could go to the board and do a comparison - but I want to save that for a later question - and you could get into trouble if he asks for code samples. Save your code samples for stuff you really know about - like Threads / Event Handling / Access Modifiers.
Also, you have probably been thinking (like me) about Java the past 4 months - and haven't looked at a piece of C++ code in all this time. So you don't want to have to write C++ code on the board if you aren't ready.
After all, this is a Java interview.
- Method #2: Tell a story about how you worked with C++ - the problems you encountered - how it delayed the project. Warning!!! Don't turn this into a bitch & complain session.
Now, compare and contrast C++ and Java. Memory leaks are a classic. Readability of code - no pointers (been done before but you need to think fast and this is what you think of first).
No multiple inheritance.
Again, not a grand slam - but it's better than method #1.
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So, why do I call the interviewer Mr.Bozo - Because your original answer should have sufficed. Who the hell cares about the history of Java. What does this tell the interviewer - not a damned thing. It's like telling him that you are the Grand Wizard of Dungeons & Dragons.
BTW/ I think someone sent me a resume' with that listed as one of their hobbies.
It tells him you read a book for all of 30 seconds. Well, I put the seat down after I peed - big freaking deal.
His question doesn't even really "put you on the hot seat". About all he gets to see - is if you "put your foot in your mouth" by going on a 10 minute diatribe.
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The all-time classic "hot-seat" question would play out as:
Question #1: Tell me about a project you have worked on.
Question #2: Tell me about the strenghts / weaknesses you encountered in this project.
Answer #1 / #2: You pull out one of your stories - and go with that. You score a home run as we say.
Question #3: Go to the board and outline the project.
Answer #3: This is the hotseat question that separates the b.s.'s from those who have their act together. And of course, you are a good little boy who would never dream of exagerrating their way through an interview.
First, you need to qualify his question. Meaning, what would he like to see. The worst thing to do is write a beautiful diagram on the board and have the interviewer say "you haven't showed me a damned thing" <--- straight from the Martin Yate text.
So like a good Java programmer - after qualification of the question - you outline the project as best you can to the interviewers specifications.
Not UML - but an outline.
There will be follow up questions to your anwer #3. But if you did your homework - you can really kick some serious rear-end here.
Lot's of times if you can get through Answer #3 - you have made it to Round #2 of the interview game, which is either another tech interview - or an offer.
Note: I have only had the hot seat question come up one time - and that was at an on-campus Java interview. Yes, it through me for a loop - but I wadlled on through it. Nope, did not get asked to a second interview - but I did learn from the experience.
John Coxey
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