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A post today made me think about this interview I had about a year ago... I shall tell you all about it.

Went to a hiring event for this company everyone was cool but this one guy (who would have been my boss) was a total arrogant, douchey, know it all.

So anyways cue interviewing with him a week later. He says if I give you task A, B, C and they need to be done by the end of the week in which order do you do them. (Note: he literally said abc not actual tasks)

Me: I don't really know how to answer that question without more information.

Him: Well I like to see how people answer it... So think about it for a second.

Me: Ok I guess if doing one task would help me do the next task faster I would do it in that order. Like I can use code or concepts from C to do B faster.

Him: What if A would take 2 days and B and C would take 1 day.

Me: I don't see how that would influence the order I do them in.

Him: Would you complete one task after another or switch between them or do see simultaneously.

Me: It would depend on my previous answer and what would be the fastest way to get them done but without more info I literally cannot give you an answer of like I would do B, C, A.

Him: Would you do the longest task first or the shorter tasks.

Me: I don't know I guess it depends on if it would help you or somebody else move forward with something if I got a particular task or the shorter tasks done first.

So cue more of this kind of back and forth about arbitrary details about undefined theoretical tasks for like 10 minutes.

Suffice is to say I didn't get the job and I'm glad.

Comments
  • 4
    Why did that post end, I was still busy enjoying it... - popcorn stops popping - and my popcorn is only ready now..

    What an... Interesting... question, I suppose he wanted you to say you will finish the 'small' tasks first and then do the big one? So you can be tentive and have enough time to handle it appropriately.... But i agree with your logic and you should be glad you didn't get the job 😛
  • 1
    @GhostDev I seriously have no idea what he was after... Its like asking an open ended question and then wanting somebody to answer it how you want it answered when there is really no right answer.
  • 1
    @Ace71425 the answer is the spoon!! There is no spoon... There is only you....😵
  • 2
    @GhostDev Nooo. Obviously the best solution is to switch between tasks at 15 minute intervals. That way can react much quicker to changes in the tasks.

    /s
  • 0
  • 1
    @korrat yes this could work... It would probably be most efficient to alternate between all combinations of the tasks

    ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, CBA
  • 0
    Maybe he was trying to see if you knew CPU scheduling algos? But what a strange way to ask...
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