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        riddles >> general problem-solving / chatting / whatever >> Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
        
(Message started by: FiBsTeR on Nov 26th, 2007, 2:47pm)
Title: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by FiBsTeR on Nov 26th, 2007, 2:47pm
This is a follow-up of this thread (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=riddles_general;action=display;num=1027998733), though I didn't want to disturb it from its two year slumber. My question is: If you walk into an interview and are asked a riddle you have already heard/read/solved/generalized, should you say so and ask for a new one? Or should you act puzzled and then magically pull out the answer? I think I have an above-par poker face for the latter...
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by amichail on Nov 26th, 2007, 2:51pm

on 11/26/07 at 14:47:15, FiBsTeR wrote:
This is a follow-up of this thread (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=riddles_general;action=display;num=1027998733), though I didn't want to disturb it from its two year slumber. My question is: If you walk into an interview and are asked a riddle you have already heard/read/solved/generalized, should you say so and ask for a new one? Or should you act puzzled and then magically pull out the answer? I think I have an above-par poker face for the latter...

Ask for a new one.  They can tell if you are faking it.
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by Grimbal on Nov 26th, 2007, 2:57pm
I would explain the answer as clearly as I can.

If asked if I knew the riddle, I would answer yes without hesitation.

If the interviewer thinks I should have said so, I would tell him that in my job, if I am facing a problem and I know a solution, I will apply the solution, and not try to find another problem.
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by FiBsTeR on Nov 26th, 2007, 4:24pm

on 11/26/07 at 14:57:00, Grimbal wrote:
If the interviewer thinks I should have said so, I would tell him that in my job, if I am facing a problem and I know a solution, I will apply the solution, and not try to find another problem.


Clever! Mind if I steal that in the future?  ;)
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by amichail on Nov 26th, 2007, 4:54pm

on 11/26/07 at 14:57:00, Grimbal wrote:
I would explain the answer as clearly as I can.

Without any thinking?  If so, then that's similar to saying you have seen it before.
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by FiBsTeR on Nov 26th, 2007, 5:39pm
The assumption is that you've already been familiarized with the problem enough that any "thinking" you would do would be merely putting your answer into words, since you already know the answer. And the intent, as I interpreted Grimbal's response, isn't to hide that you know the answer, but instead to show that you understand it, regardless of when you first heard it.
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by amichail on Nov 26th, 2007, 5:41pm

on 11/26/07 at 17:39:00, FiBsTeR wrote:
The assumption is that you've already been familiarized with the problem enough that any "thinking" you would do would be merely putting your answer into words, since you already know the answer. And the intent, as I interpreted Grimbal's response, isn't to hide that you know the answer, but instead to show that you understand it, regardless of when you first heard it.

The interviewer won't like that at all.

He/she wants to see how you think.  Describing something that you have seen before doesn't help in that regard.  It's just a waste of time and makes you look dishonest.
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by towr on Nov 26th, 2007, 11:57pm

on 11/26/07 at 17:41:44, amichail wrote:
The interviewer won't like that at all.
If the interviewer doesn't want an answer to his question, he shouldn't ask it.


Quote:
He/she wants to see how you think.  Describing something that you have seen before doesn't help in that regard.
Well, it'd show that you knowing the answer isn't a reason for you to go solve another problem instead. If in your job they ask you to design a webpage, you can't go "Oh, but I know how to do that, how about I build you a calculator instead?".
Also, being able to clearly explain a solution is worth something in itself.


Quote:
It's just a waste of time and makes you look dishonest.
Only if you pretend you didn't already know the puzzle and its solution.
Not to mention that it shows you actually do know the answer, rather than that you're just trying to avoid answering the puzzle.
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by Grimbal on Nov 27th, 2007, 1:13am

on 11/26/07 at 17:41:44, amichail wrote:
The interviewer won't like that at all.

Well, depends on the interviewer.  Some interviewer I have seen would just be happy to tick the item in the form and go on with the next question.

And yes, I wouldn't try to hide the fact that I know the answer.
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by JiNbOtAk on Nov 28th, 2007, 9:44pm

on 11/26/07 at 17:41:44, amichail wrote:
Describing something that you have seen before doesn't help in that regard.


Yeah, that's why candidate with little or no experience is preferred..  ::)
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by Grimbal on Nov 29th, 2007, 3:04am
It is true that a candidate with extensive experience in job interviews should raise some suspicion.  ;)
Title: Re: Puzzles in Interviews Follow-Up
Post by rmsgrey on Nov 29th, 2007, 3:19am

on 11/29/07 at 03:04:55, Grimbal wrote:
It is true that a candidate with extensive experience in job interviews should raise some suspicion.  ;)

Depends which side of the desk their experience came from...


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