Exactly why is it that you would making a screening decision based on version control practices? Of the many things you'll need to ramp candidates up on, this seems like one of the very easiest. Not only that, but because most firms do release management a little differently from each other, there's some VC ramp-up effort you'll need even with people who have mastered your VC tool.
I feel like dev interviews are full of questions like this, things that require some expertise and experience to answer, but do virtually nothing to predict on-the-job performance.
When you ask an interview question, you are pricing candidates. That's obvious when you think about it: you're screening, and so your questions alter the supply of candidates that will hit the bottom of your screening processes. Fewer selectees -> poorer employer BATNA -> higher prices.
Do you really want to price candidates based on how they use version control tools? How much are you willing to pay extra for people who have a lot of experience with different VC methodologies? Are you sure the weight of your questions about VC match up with the (hopefully minimal) premium you're hoping to pay for VC expertise?
I feel like dev interviews are full of questions like this, things that require some expertise and experience to answer, but do virtually nothing to predict on-the-job performance.
When you ask an interview question, you are pricing candidates. That's obvious when you think about it: you're screening, and so your questions alter the supply of candidates that will hit the bottom of your screening processes. Fewer selectees -> poorer employer BATNA -> higher prices.
Do you really want to price candidates based on how they use version control tools? How much are you willing to pay extra for people who have a lot of experience with different VC methodologies? Are you sure the weight of your questions about VC match up with the (hopefully minimal) premium you're hoping to pay for VC expertise?