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Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

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  • Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

    I agree that only the first question has some importance (I know the answer to the second (SETLL) but not to the third). We at our shop have a questionaire for the tech part of an interview. It is use as a guide to help us evaluate the tehcnicalm knowledge, we do not necessrely hire the candidate with the best grade. And it has more than 3 question. But, we hire mostly young candidate with little experience and then grow them, so we are more interested in potential that on already known technique.

  • #2
    Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

    Just in case someone else is wondering, the answer to question 3 is WRKSBSJOB QINTER.

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    • #3
      Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

      If you have multiple interactive sub systems, this command will not work. Try... WRKUSRJOB USER(*ALL) JOBTYPE(*INTERACT) instead. Nit picking, I know. Just goes to show there more than one right answer to even the most ridicules questions! :-)

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      • #4
        Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

        I tend to think that unless you know some subfile programming, knowing a system command (which operators are suppose to know) is of little use. I have interviewed many candidates in my years as a manager/programmer peer. I like to see if they can do multi-occurring data structures, arrays and subfile programming, not to mention structure in their code. Also, to see if they have kept up with technology. All too often a so-called great programmer is still coding tags and goto's in their RPG code. If they needed for you to know the 3rd questiong, then I would say you didn't want to work there anyway.

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        • #5
          Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

          Our shop also has a standard set of questions (about 10) to ask candidates but they aren't expected to get them all right. It's just to gauge where they are technically. Also, you could use the INFDS to see how many records are in a file too (I'm the only candidate to date who got all 10 questions right ;-)

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          • #6
            Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

            I can describe a worse encounter at a large Atlanta based beverage company. How about a 4 hour interview in front of a panel of people who not only asked you questions specific to your possible job, but asked you some "What If" questions. The only person that was missing was a "Shrink.."

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            • #7
              Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

              What's the answer to the the first question? I thought you could only declare files in RPG? (besides the screen file, but then that one don't count does it?)

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              • #8
                Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

                You can declare one file in CL using DCLF. Its either DSPF or PF. Sky

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                • #9
                  Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

                  I am with bedens on the types of questions I liked to ask candidates. "I like to see if they can do multi-occurring data structures, arrays and subfile programming, not to mention structure in their code." But what I found in my own interviews is that if the interviewer knows some esoteric trick or fact (granted, probably hard won knowledge) then that is what they ask you. It is a way of finding out if you are as smart as they believe themselves to be. Cheers

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                  • #10
                    Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

                    As long as you are talking about interviewing: Absolutely do not shoot the breeze with these stupid hiring people. I made the mistake of mentioning that I had a grandchild, after a hot week of phone calls from this moron, Immediately he lost my phone No. So if you are talking to RW Inc, do not mention age if you are over 40.

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                    • #11
                      Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

                      As a Candidate for an RPG Programmer-Analyst Position, preferring 5 years experience, I recently took a preliminary phone interview with a Cutting-Edge AS/400 Shop. I spoke with FOUR people separately, two of them were techies, and each had maybe one question a piece. The two techs wanted to know only these things: 1. How many files can you declare in a CL Program? 2. How do you Check the Existence of Records in a file from an RPG program without performing a READ? 3. What other way can you display all interactive jobs on the AS/400 without using WRKACTJOB QINTER? Granted, the first question seemed reasonable to me and I answered it just fine. But the two others, well, I'll just say that these were never taught in my extensive formal RPG and AS/400 schooling, and seemed a little too abstract to me. I would have to argue that even a seasoned RPG programmer wouldn't necessarily know the answer to the last question. And not necessarily the second question either. Some very decent RPG programmers remain in the same shop for many years, code well, but don't necessarily know all of the latest techniques. But these questions were put to me in a way that if I didn't get 3 questions totally correct, I'm out of the running, in spite of my good qualifications. So why use such horrendous questions to eliminate good Programmers? I don't think decisions on job candidates should be based on two or three questions. After all, it is possible to eliminate a lot of good staff by doing so. Please tell me what you think. Also, if anyone knows of any published "IBM Way" of conducting an interview specifically for RPG Programming Candidates, I'd be much interested in learning the methods and types of questions that should be asked.

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                      • #12
                        Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

                        laharrison wrote: "I am with bedens on the types of questions I liked to ask candidates. "I like to see if they can do multi-occurring data structures, arrays and subfile programming, not to mention structure in their code." But what I found in my own interviews is that if the interviewer knows some esoteric trick or fact (granted, probably hard won knowledge) then that is what they ask you. It is a way of finding out if you are as smart as they believe themselves to be. Cheers" All the responses in this thread to this situation were right on. It's really pathetic how many years I have heard the SETLL *IN EQ opcode used as some sort of litmus test of RPG competency even though 1) checking to see if a key exists without actually wanting to use any other data in the record is rare, and 2) there has been at least one thread here at MC in which it was argued that it was a fallacy that there is less I/O overhead for this technique than a CHAIN. Can you imagine, with all these variations of RPG kicking around now, someone still asking such a trivial question as a test of RPG competency? rd

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                        • #13
                          Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

                          Ralph, I agree with you. When I interview a candidate I'm much more interested in their personality than their skills. As a manager I can't change their personality and I want to know what I'm getting into before I hire them. As to their skills, if they have the right personality then I can always improve their skills with classes, mentoring, etc. chuck Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer. "Ralph Daugherty" wrote in message news:1e9508e1.10@WebX.WawyahGHajS... | laharrison wrote: | "I am with bedens on the types of questions I liked to ask candidates. "I like to see if they can do multi-occurring data structures, arrays and subfile programming, not to mention structure in their code." But what I found in my own interviews is that if the interviewer knows some esoteric trick or fact (granted, probably hard won knowledge) then that is what they ask you. It is a way of finding out if you are as smart as they believe themselves to be. Cheers" | | All the responses in this thread to this situation were right on. It's really pathetic how many years I have heard the SETLL *IN EQ opcode used as some sort of litmus test of RPG competency even though | | 1) checking to see if a key exists without actually wanting to use any other data in the record is rare, and | | 2) there has been at least one thread here at MC in which it was argued that it was a fallacy that there is less I/O overhead for this technique than a CHAIN. | | Can you imagine, with all these variations of RPG kicking around now, someone still asking such a trivial question as a test of RPG competency? | | rd

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                          • #14
                            Interviewing AS/400 Candidates the way the NAZI's did

                            Steve, You hit the nail right on the head. The goal of an interview is to find out as much as you can about the other side first. Then you can find out their needs, wants and desires and give them information about yourself that satiates those needs, wants and desires. This works for both the interviewer or the interviewee. Give only information that will help to consummate the deal. I've interviewed dozens of candidates and I've seen people say many amazing things in an interview, most of which I would never approach in an interview. chuck Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer. "steved103" wrote in message news:1e9508e1.9@WebX.WawyahGHajS... | As long as you are talking about interviewing: Absolutely do not shoot the breeze with these stupid hiring people. I made the mistake of mentioning that I had a grandchild, after a hot week of phone calls | from this moron, Immediately he lost my phone No. So if you are talking to RW Inc, do not mention age if you are over 40.

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