NYCPHP Meetup

[David Krings]

André Pitanga wrote:
> So, we're hiring a new webmaster here at work and I was tasked with 
> producing a simple technical test. The person is supposed to have two 
> years experience as a web dev. There's three parts: html, css, and 
> webmaster questions. What do you think?
> (bonus: I'll tell you what my manager thought)

I think this test is stupid. Sorry for being so blunt, but I'd pass it and I 
think I'd be the worst webmaster you ever had.

> HTML

I'd rather ask the candidate where they'd look that up in case they don't 
know. I'd expect that they mention one of the leading XHTML references. The 
answers to these questions can be answered by someone who is often broed and 
looks at the source of web pages in notepad.

> CSS
OK, this is a bit more challenging, but I'd rather ask the same question as 
mentioned for XHTML (and make sure they know that they should use XHTML and 
not just HTML). Sometimes crafting a CSS by hand is useful, but anyone who 
seriously wants to design pages is likely to use a design tool that comes with 
a decent CSS editor. I'd rather ask them which settings to change to get a 
desired effect rather than rattling down what the correct format is. That is 
something I'd trust a piece of software to do it correctly.

> PROGRAMMING
> 
> 7) a and b are variables.

That depends, in PHP you'd get a syntax error right in the first line and both 
a and b remain undefined. Some months ago we had a very lively discussion 
about how to hire a PHP developer. You may want to look through the list 
archives. I think we agreed in the end that this question is pointless. I also 
wonder if you are looking for a web master who runs and configures your 
servers or if you are looking for a web developer who creates content and 
writes scripts or if you are looking for both.


> 
> WEBMASTER
> 
> 8) What factors determine your recommended maximum home page size (in
> kilobytes)? How are the factors related?

That depends. Are you serving mainly corporate clients with big fat pipes 
coming in or the rural farmer with a 9600 baud dial-up modem?

> 
> 9) Why use Flash in web development? Why not?

Because there is now Silverlight? Now that Microsoft copied Flash everyone 
goes out of their way to diss Flash. I must say that this is one of the better 
questons for a web developer / web designer. The web master can care less.

> 
> 10) Why is "separation of style and content" recommended in web
> development?

Even better to ask, why would one want to not separate it. I'd rather hire 
someone who can come up with a plausible answer to that.


I think test like this one don't prove anything. And if it is for a web 
master, you forgot to add some hardware questions as well as questions about 
how to configure Apache, backup strategies, etc.

If I'd take this test during an interview I'd be wondering quite a bit if you 
even know for which position you are hiring.

Sorry for being so harsh.

	David