How to pass and Interview and get java contract?

**SimonMac** · 11 April 2012, 15:31

Originally posted by ahpublicbox View Post

Guys I need bit of motivation and some tips from all those experts who have recently passed an interview.

I am an expert developer/architect as my managers/colleagues rate me for last 5-7 years. If I tell them that I failed an interview they will laugh and won't believe me.. I am not joking.. that is my track record.. Recently delivered a very large project sucessfully.

Even though with sound experience and skills I failed few tech interviews and feeling bit demotivated.

I was asked questions which were purely theoritical. In my 12 years I never needed to open java source and see how equals method is actually implemented in java.lang.Object. Asking me to tell them code on how will I find the common elements between 2 collections and kept on adding twists like having duplicates etc.. Come on ffs.. In last 12 years I never had to do all this in any of my project so can't provide you solution on fly on phone and even if I have one it is going to be different from what you expect.

It looks like if you are lucky interviewer will ask exactly same questions that you have read on google before going for interview. You have to be more lucky and smart to use the words which interviewer wants to hear and not the ones you have made up even if your words are right.

Majority of java apps are suffering in performance because there are always some of the monkeys in the project who wouldn't think before writing code. If some good guy rewrites the code you don't need to do anything special just write efficient code. They again failed me because I did not use buzz words using profiler, tuning garbage collection tuning etc etc.. I realized later on after finishing the interview which reading java interview questions. (hang on a sec my recent project did 3+ million events per/hour with all default settings just solid design and solid code by the team using best practices. there was never a need for using profiler etc).

So all guru contractors.. Is there any tip for me which will help me prepare better and crack the next interview? Even if it is some hidden interview questions website will help.

- A frustrated contractor

I hope when you speak it flows better than when you type

**pmeswani** · 11 April 2012, 15:48

Originally posted by ahpublicbox View Post

Guys I need bit of motivation and some tips from all those experts who have recently passed an interview.

<Massive Snip>

So all guru contractors.. Is there any tip for me which will help me prepare better and crack the next interview? Even if it is some hidden interview questions website will help.

- A frustrated contractor

First Tip. Learn how to post in the right forum.

Second Tip. Learn how to be a bit more concise in your communication.

Third Tip. If you are applying for a Java job, learn how Java works underneath. It doesn't matter if you never intend on using it, if you get asked the question on it, you can say this is what it does, but I would use something like xyz instead.

Fourth Tip. Just because you have 12 years of programming experience, it doesn't mean you are the best in the field and that you can guarantee the first role you get interviewed for. I've been doing IT Security for 11.5 years, and I know there are IT Security Bods who are a lot better than me, and there are some IT Security Bods who are crap, but end up in better roles than me.

Last Tip. I got bored reading your waffle. The chances are the interviewer got bored too.

**Kanye** · 11 April 2012, 16:22

Even if you are a good developer, you have to take it on the chin and get better at the algorithms and data structures.

There are millions of Java code monkeys out there, but if you want to earn 70k+ as a permie developer or 100k+ as a contractor in a predominantly technical role, you have to be able to set yourself apart as an expert. That includes knowing the algos and the internals and the performance stuff.

**northernladuk** · 11 April 2012, 16:47

Have you considered that an interview isn't just about pass or fail in a 'get the questions' right approach. It is also about putting yourself across, appearing confident but not overly so. I don't know about coding interviews but showing some business accumen and understand how what you do fits in to the bigger picture, being a team player etc. Research the company, what they do and all that marlarky.

Are you sure you have cracked this element as well as the techinical questions?

As I say I am not a coder so maybe am shooting way off the mark here but to me I want a good team player not just an expert coder.

That any food for thought?

**doodab** · 11 April 2012, 17:13

Originally posted by ahpublicbox View Post

Guys I need bit of motivation and some tips from all those experts who have recently passed an interview.

I am an expert developer/architect as my managers/colleagues rate me for last 5-7 years. If I tell them that I failed an interview they will laugh and won't believe me.. I am not joking.. that is my track record.. Recently delivered a very large project sucessfully.

Even though with sound experience and skills I failed few tech interviews and feeling bit demotivated.

I was asked questions which were purely theoritical. In my 12 years I never needed to open java source and see how equals method is actually implemented in java.lang.Object. Asking me to tell them code on how will I find the common elements between 2 collections and kept on adding twists like having duplicates etc.. Come on ffs.. In last 12 years I never had to do all this in any of my project so can't provide you solution on fly on phone and even if I have one it is going to be different from what you expect.

It looks like if you are lucky interviewer will ask exactly same questions that you have read on google before going for interview. You have to be more lucky and smart to use the words which interviewer wants to hear and not the ones you have made up even if your words are right.

Majority of java apps are suffering in performance because there are always some of the monkeys in the project who wouldn't think before writing code. If some good guy rewrites the code you don't need to do anything special just write efficient code. They again failed me because I did not use buzz words using profiler, tuning garbage collection tuning etc etc.. I realized later on after finishing the interview which reading java interview questions. (hang on a sec my recent project did 3+ million events per/hour with all default settings just solid design and solid code by the team using best practices. there was never a need for using profiler etc).

So all guru contractors.. Is there any tip for me which will help me prepare better and crack the next interview? Even if it is some hidden interview questions website will help.

- A frustrated contractor

This might sound slightly harsh, but if you are going for expert level roles then you need to be an expert. That means knowing the basics even if you've never used them. If you are failing technical interviews because of questions on stuff that's in the tutorial like the collections API then this is a sign that you need to put a bit of effort in to fill in the gaps in your knowledge. Similarly, whatever your opinion on the value of tuning garbage collection the fact is an expert will know a fair bit about the inner workings of the VM and heap management and the chances are that at some point they will have tried every -XX command line option just for the sake of it. If you haven't then the guys that did have an advantage over you.

**ahpublicbox** · 12 April 2012, 06:51

Thanks to all

Thanks to all for your comments... In summary I need to go back to the books but still there is nothing I can do to override luck..

**administrator** · 12 April 2012, 07:42

Originally posted by ahpublicbox View Post

Thanks to all for your comments... In summary I need to go back to the books but still there is nothing I can do to override luck..

Some say you make your own luck

**pmeswani** · 12 April 2012, 08:43

Originally posted by administrator View Post

Some say you make your own luck

Have you been watching Titanic again?

**amcdonald** · 12 April 2012, 09:24

Wheres Bob Shawadiwadi, surely he's the expert on Java interview questions ?

How to pass and Interview and get java contract?