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Let's go with that then.
You'll never get very far if all you do is follow instructions.
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At one of my interviews, they pounced on the fact I had helped at code reviews and gave me some code to review.
To me, there is a completely different mindset reviewing code and debugging it. They wanted me to catch the code errors when I was trying to figure out if the flow was logical, the intent clear and followed and if there might be a better way to do it.
When I do a code review, I expect it to already have been compiled and at least a first level test of the code has been made. (IE They compiled it, ran through the logic without blowing up using the simplest data combinations.)
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Since I prefer generating code from my UML tool, I'd like to sit in on a design review instead 
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S Houghtelin wrote: Problem is, they might let you look at some of their code, but they won't you the code you're being hired to deal with.
One place I applied to, they wouldn't even give me a hint as to what I'd be working on, for fear of revealing their next product. They would just quiz you about certain programming skills you had and your depth of knowledge.
I did not mind not getting a call back.
Psychosis at 10
Film at 11
Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.
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Besides the typical employment questions, I ask:
What source control system do you use?
Is your database schema normalized?
What's the spec's on the dev's workstations?
Who does your testing?
Do you even do testing?
What's your code coverage? (I love the "well, that's really hard to measure" dance)
How do I work from home?
And then for the real fun question:
I'd like to see an example of some specification / requirements documents.
And one more:
Do you pay for your employees to go to training seminars or to take online courses?
Marc
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Oh Marc, Marc... I wish I had this list a few years ago. I'm in a very nice arrangement now, but I would have loved to see this interviewer prick squirm.
Charlie Gilley
<italic>You're going to tell me what I want to know, or I'm going to beat you to death in your own house.
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
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I've been on the other side of the desk for some years now (I'm not a good interviewer, I think it is pure luck we have a quality team) and have never heard these type of questions. I've even had a few who have no questions at all. I hate interviewing, from either side of the desk.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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Mycroft Holmes wrote: and have never heard these type of questions.
That's because people don't know how to interview the company. And you've never interviewed me. I ALWAYS ask the version control question (and even a couple years ago, I've heard the answer "we haven't gotten around to it." TFS, Git, etc., have helped a lot with that though.
I also always ask the remote work question. It gives me a good read on the management style.
I also always ask the "what are the specs on the dev computers" question. It's amazing how often I will discover that the devs are not happy with their computers, and if there's a QA department, they have even older hand-me-downs. Again, a good read on the priorities of the company (at least from my perspective, hahaha.) It's also interesting to see the managers (who are often in the interview along with a dev or two) raise their eyebrows when the devs answer honestly.
People who have no questions in an interview I would never hire. They most likely also don't ask questions when they're hired, and that can lead to some real big problems and a lot of wasted time. I have some horror stories about that.
There's really two parts of an interview: the technical skills and the personality skills. I am often appalled at the poor technical questions, but good technical questions are hard to come up with. I've done some interviews that have a "homework problem" -- I quite enjoy doing these exercises, and if I were interviewing someone, I think that is absolutely the way to go. It gives the interviewee the time and space to put something together with relaxed constraints, and it gives the interviewer a really good read on their skills. Another more "high pressure" but fun thing is to do a simple pair programming exercise -- sit with the interviewee, give them a problem, see how they communicate, ask them why they're doing things a certain way. Lots of good stuff is revealed that way.
Personal skills (mainly communication) are hard too, but again, the pair programming exercise reveals a lot.
Anyways, that's my 2c!
Marc
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Duncan Edwards Jones wrote: I think next time I'm going to ask to see some code.
If I was asking that question, I don't think I would have accepted any job offer.
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I have done that before, when I was gainfully employed and just looking for alternatives - but when I've 'needed' a job, the only questions are "how much" and "how often" 
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"the aftermath of an explosion in a Scrabble factory"
That's actually a good discription of the stl template library source code and also their error messages... so don't go for an interview with that company, whoeve they are
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I actually ask to take a closer look at the workspace. I'm not interested in the nice office of the boss. One of my last pointy hairs used to sit at a desk right before rows of desks like a teacher before a school class. And guess what, spying on his people was one of his dirty little hobbies.
A good look at the way the team works and their little specialties tells me far more than they would ever tell me voluntarily. If I get to see some code, that's also nice and well. I hope for the best, expect the worst and am rarely disappointed.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
I hold an A-7 computer expert classification, Commodore. I'm well acquainted with Dr. Daystrom's theories and discoveries. The basic design of all our ship's computers are JavaScript.
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This is an interesting topic, seeing that I interview a lot of candidates. Obviously asking annoying questions will mark you as being a troublesome characters which most developer teams prefer to avoid.
But beyond being polite, and beyond checking if the candidate took actual interest into our workplace, this question does come up, and I am wondering what I would ask if I was to be interviewed myself.
I think I would ask:
"Can I spend a few minutes with one of the developers who is working now, to see what kind of environment you are working in"?
This would give you a chance to look at the work environment (hardware), and to ask some 'none formal' questions (QA, testing, dev software, procedures, etc), and of course check out the people where you may find yourself spending an incredible amount of time with in the near future.
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Do you really think that your shoes go well with this blouse you are wearing? 
Microsoft ... the only place where VARIANT_TRUE != true
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"Is there chocolate?"
Will Rogers never met me.
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Roger Wright wrote: "Is there free chocolate?"
The only better thing than a chocolate is the free chocolate But thank you i will add this question to my list. It is indeed needed.
Microsoft ... the only place where VARIANT_TRUE != true
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Definitely an improvement, Argonia! 
Will Rogers never met me.
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Back then, I've always used the Joel Test[^].
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Entropy isn't what it used to.
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That's an excellent idea.
Software Zen: delete this;
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Bah! Go for the gusto. Here's my favorite -- from either side of the interview:
"Assume there are Plutonians. Assume there are elves. If the elves attacked Pluto without warning, tomorrow at 9 AM local time, which side would you be on?"
Note that there are three answers to that question, not two -- and perceiving the third is almost as important as choosing it.
Of course, if you think the above question would make you "look silly," the old fallback "Are your stools black and tarry?" is always available.
(This message is programming you in ways you cannot detect. Be afraid.)
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I've gotten very good at this one, through bitter experience of being grilled to within an inch of my life and then asked to write database layer code, or sit around hassling server admins for certificates and fill out forms...
ALWAYS:
1. Ask to meet the team, maybe have lunch or coffee.
2. Ask to see some code, but accept that might not be an option
3. Ask to see the workspace.
4. Ask about the typical workday scenario, bug fixes etc.
5. Ask about how disputes are resolved. Usually your prospective boss is in the room. Use this to find out how he reacts to confrontation.
6. Ask about code standards and who is in charge of what goes into the codebase.
Sometimes:
Ask a curveball... Example; "So, say after this interview, we're both happy, we move forward, and I comne to work for TechCorp LLC. But, fast forward three months down the line, and I'm sitting in this office handing you my resignation letter. What's the most likely reason this has happened?" This is again a challenge to see if they react well. Be careful who you ask this one to though.
If it's an old project, ask questions about how it came about. Get a good sense of the history of it. Old projects have a way of being cash cows, and this makes them cumbersome and unwieldy. Companies romanticize them.
I too dabbled in pacifism once.
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The three question I always ask are:
What's your beverage situation? (Do they provide free soda, or will I have to go to the corner deli for my Diet Coke needs)
What provisions are there for my bicycle? (Is there is inside bike rack? Can I take it up the elevator and put it under my desk? (It folds)).
Why is working here less evil than working at a bank? (Always interesting to see how creative their answers are)
Truth,
James
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James Curran wrote: less evil than working at a bank?
Hey hey hey! None of that! Or are you saying that because you also work for a bank?
You'll never get very far if all you do is follow instructions.
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: are you saying that because you also work for a bank?
I don't work for a bank ... anymore...
Truth,
James
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