Web Design Forums

finbarr · 27-11-2006, 10:11

I'm trying to put together a few questions to test some interviewees on their knowledge of CSS. They need to be of a fairly good standard and below is what Ive thought of so far. I'd appreciate it if you could tell me if they are too simple or too difficult and other q's that you might ask...

1. Name some standard hacks and what theyre used for?
2. What is a conditional comment, why are they used and how is one implemented?
3. Why would you assign an id to a pages body tag?
4. What is specifity?
5. What is Sfir?

Any help appreciated as always

funkyprem · 27-11-2006, 10:16

ask then to give an example value for font-decoration or some other similar made up attribute as a red herring.

emil · 27-11-2006, 10:17

Why would you want someone who's using hacks?

finbarr · 27-11-2006, 10:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by emilpaun

Why would you want someone who's using hacks?

I dont but I think their knowledge of them will indicate what they know

Limbo · 27-11-2006, 10:20

A tip before you launch into all of the above - start with simpler questions then move onto the hard stuff if it seems they know what they are talking about - no need to ask a bullshitter what the tantek hack is unless you are feeling ruthless.

Others:

Do you hand code your CSS?
What is the box model?
Can you Explain inherit?
How do you test your CSS?
How can CSS be applied to more than one media type?

Alexanda · 27-11-2006, 10:20

get them to make you a brew

emil · 27-11-2006, 10:21

I know a couple of uys who always complain their hacks don't work... I'd expect them to get their code to work, not the hacks... Oh well.
Ask them what azimuth is used for.

finbarr · 27-11-2006, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by cantona

get them to make you a brew

haha... helpful

smallbeer · 27-11-2006, 10:29

A relatively easy one that can lead on to more complex questions is "how would you style a three column layout".

You can then ask how they'd handle the footer, and how they'd manage reordering the columns if needed.

I'm not sure about the hacks question. I honestly don't think I could name many of them.

finbarr · 27-11-2006, 10:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallbeer

A relatively easy one that can lead on to more complex questions is "how would you style a three column layout".

You can then ask how they'd handle the footer, and how they'd manage reordering the columns if needed.

I'm not sure about the hacks question. I honestly don't think I could name many of them.

cheers S... good point

stickmus · 28-11-2006, 05:54

On a personal note, I hate these type of test for interviews. It's like being back at school. It'll also make the person who gets the job a bit paranoid.

If you really need to them to prove that they know what they're talking about, get them to bring a css file from a portfolio site (maybe even talk you through it if you're the paranoid ones), much more revealing than if they can write an essay on the box model in an under pressure interview situation.

Was sfir your red herring

if I corrected you to sIFR would that get me the job?

finbarr · 28-11-2006, 06:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by stickmus

Was sfir your red herring

if I corrected you to sIFR would that get me the job?

well done that man! As it happens that was taken out (nothing to do woth css really)

andr3www · 28-11-2006, 08:17

The q's don't sound relevant to me. I'd start with some easy q's. Do not use the school method of "interogation".

More important than putting some questions: put them to work. Give them a task that require a simple or more complex CSS to see how their mind works, how do they manage to handle the creation of the CSS from start to end. Observe the creativity.

finbarr · 28-11-2006, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by andr3www

put them to work. Give them a task that require a simple or more complex CSS to see how their mind works, how do they manage to handle the creation of the CSS from start to end. Observe the creativity.

fuckin hell man they wont be here all day?

weldo · 28-11-2006, 09:23

ditch all the questions ....

i couldn't answer most of them myself ... but i can do the job.
they all seem a bit anal to me ... you don't need to be able to explain all the terminology to get things working .... or to get things looking right ....

you're thinking to much about it - is this a design job or tongue twisting exercise in trickery ??

finbarr · 28-11-2006, 09:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by weldo

ditch all the questions ....

i couldn't answer most of them myself ...

really... fuck me!

The idea is that the applicants are given a sheet to fill in the answers so as not to interrupt the interview process - it highlights how well they cope under this type of pressure (being able to think quickly etc).

FWIW: of the people so far only one has answered all of the q's correctly - most have got 6/7 out of 8 but its not solely about that. Obviously we're checking out their work etc

Heres what I went with:

1. What do you do to keep your CSS files small?
2. Name 2 hacks and what they’re used for?
3. What is a conditional comment, why are they used and how is one implemented?
4. Why are we now advised to use a conditional comment over a hack?
5. Why would you assign an id to a body tag?
6. How do you centre a fixed width page – taking into account both IE and FF?
7. What is the box model and what makes it difficult to implement?
8. How can CSS be applied to more than one media type?

d*d · 28-11-2006, 09:38

will you have access to t'internet ask them to explain how they set up the css for one of their sites and, if you need to, look at the source code.

I only just looked up what specifity actually meant, so I'm with Weldo on the I can do it, but may not know the technical term bit

finbarr · 28-11-2006, 09:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by d*d

will you have access to t'internet ask them to explain how they set up the css for one of their sites and, if you need to, look at the source code

doing that D*D... the questions are for when I'm not able to attend the interview cos the others dont have knowledge of CSS

d*d · 28-11-2006, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by finbarr

the questions are for when I'm not able to attend the interview

sort your act out and make sure you're there

weldo · 28-11-2006, 09:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by finbarr

1. What do you do to keep your CSS files small?
2. Name 2 hacks and what they’re used for?
3. What is a conditional comment, why are they used and how is one implemented?
4. Why are we now advised to use a conditional comment over a hack?
5. Why would you assign an id to a body tag?
6. How do you centre a fixed width page – taking into account both IE and FF?
7. What is the box model and what makes it difficult to implement?
8. How can CSS be applied to more than one media type?

1. keep them in a cold, dark room.
2. err ... some IE hack thing for getting stuff to 'work proper'
3. ie7 thing. some sort of jiggery pokery.
4. dunno. cos its betta to ?
5. why not ?
6. wiv some text-align: justify thing ...
7. getting it out of the box is the hard part
8. use glue and stick it on.

have i got the job ?

27-11-2006, 10:11	#1 (permalink)
finbarr who the fuck am i? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: london Posts: 2,508	css test I'm trying to put together a few questions to test some interviewees on their knowledge of CSS. They need to be of a fairly good standard and below is what Ive thought of so far. I'd appreciate it if you could tell me if they are too simple or too difficult and other q's that you might ask... 1. Name some standard hacks and what theyre used for? 2. What is a conditional comment, why are they used and how is one implemented? 3. Why would you assign an id to a pages body tag? 4. What is specifity? 5. What is Sfir? Any help appreciated as always __________________ who the fuck r u?

27-11-2006, 10:16	#2 (permalink)
funkyprem For all your goober needs Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Coventry, UK Posts: 1,531	ask then to give an example value for font-decoration or some other similar made up attribute as a red herring. __________________ Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the one thing that he can’t afford to lose. - Thomas Edison prem ghinde

27-11-2006, 10:17	#3 (permalink)
emil dt immigrant Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bucharest - Romania Posts: 6,998	Why would you want someone who's using hacks? __________________ Tourism Q X R

27-11-2006, 10:20	#6 (permalink)
Alexanda European Champions 2008 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 2,399	get them to make you a brew __________________ whats facebook?

27-11-2006, 10:21	#7 (permalink)
emil dt immigrant Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bucharest - Romania Posts: 6,998	I know a couple of uys who always complain their hacks don't work... I'd expect them to get their code to work, not the hacks... Oh well. Ask them what azimuth is used for. __________________ Tourism Q X R

27-11-2006, 10:20	#5 (permalink)
Limbo Baskin' Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 5,619	A tip before you launch into all of the above - start with simpler questions then move onto the hard stuff if it seems they know what they are talking about - no need to ask a bullshitter what the tantek hack is unless you are feeling ruthless. Others: Do you hand code your CSS? What is the box model? Can you Explain inherit? How do you test your CSS? How can CSS be applied to more than one media type?

27-11-2006, 10:29	#9 (permalink)
smallbeer I Ain't Losing Any Sleep™ Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 5,200	A relatively easy one that can lead on to more complex questions is "how would you style a three column layout". You can then ask how they'd handle the footer, and how they'd manage reordering the columns if needed. I'm not sure about the hacks question. I honestly don't think I could name many of them. __________________ That's fuckin' ingenious, if I understand it correctly. It's a Swiss fuckin' watch.

28-11-2006, 05:54	#11 (permalink)
stickmus hmmm... Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Yorkuk Posts: 2,127	On a personal note, I hate these type of test for interviews. It's like being back at school. It'll also make the person who gets the job a bit paranoid. If you really need to them to prove that they know what they're talking about, get them to bring a css file from a portfolio site (maybe even talk you through it if you're the paranoid ones), much more revealing than if they can write an essay on the box model in an under pressure interview situation. Was sfir your red herring if I corrected you to sIFR would that get me the job? __________________ George Smith - a vain attempt to get higher on google for my name

28-11-2006, 08:17	#13 (permalink)
andr3www InMood Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Romania Posts: 29	not relevant The q's don't sound relevant to me. I'd start with some easy q's. Do not use the school method of "interogation". More important than putting some questions: put them to work. Give them a task that require a simple or more complex CSS to see how their mind works, how do they manage to handle the creation of the CSS from start to end. Observe the creativity.

28-11-2006, 09:23	#15 (permalink)
weldo now with added beard Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Liverpool Posts: 5,432	ditch all the questions .... i couldn't answer most of them myself ... but i can do the job. they all seem a bit anal to me ... you don't need to be able to explain all the terminology to get things working .... or to get things looking right .... you're thinking to much about it - is this a design job or tongue twisting exercise in trickery ?? __________________ fuck signatures

28-11-2006, 09:38	#17 (permalink)
d*d Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bristol Posts: 3,299	will you have access to t'internet ask them to explain how they set up the css for one of their sites and, if you need to, look at the source code. I only just looked up what specifity actually meant, so I'm with Weldo on the I can do it, but may not know the technical term bit

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