Sometimes it's the interviewer that ends up giving a bad impression. I remember one technical interview I was in:
Interviewer: How would you do this?
Me: Well, that depends. You could do it by doing polymorphism with subclasses, by passing in blocks, or through a Strategy.
Interviewer: Well, actually, I'd do it like this. [proceeds to diagram polymorphic solution using subclasses as if that wasn't the first answer I gave]
A good filter to use as a programmer interviewee: Ask to see their code. Ask to do some pair programming. If they blow you off or hem and haw about it, it's not a good place to work. If the interviewer reveals that they're actually in HR, just walk out.
Interviewer: How would you do this?
Me: Well, that depends. You could do it by doing polymorphism with subclasses, by passing in blocks, or through a Strategy.
Interviewer: Well, actually, I'd do it like this. [proceeds to diagram polymorphic solution using subclasses as if that wasn't the first answer I gave]
A good filter to use as a programmer interviewee: Ask to see their code. Ask to do some pair programming. If they blow you off or hem and haw about it, it's not a good place to work. If the interviewer reveals that they're actually in HR, just walk out.