Strange phone interview

[psychocandy]

Had some strange ones but this really was weird.

Phone interview. Did not want to even discuss CV, past work or anything like that. Just had a set of 50 technical questions. All along the lines of 'whats the command for xyz'. Rattled though - thank you very much we'll let you know. And they're making a decision on this, no face to face nothing else.

Completely hate this kind of thing. Big believer that even with a contractor, getting someone who'll fit in, has the right attitude, and more importantly, has the ability to get things done even if they don't know the answer off the top of their head is MUCH better than someone who knows the manual inside out.

I appreciate clients who are paying top dollar want to ensure they're getting someone with the skillsets but I feel this is going a little far. Hey ho - having failed miserably at a 'lot' of the questions I fully expect to be offered the gig :-) (To be fair some of the stuff wasn't even on my CV so quite why they decided I'd know the exact command for xyz I'll never know).

[Dactylion]

They have already got someone for the gig and are just fulfilling their processes.
They have to interview x number etc...

[The Spartan]

It does make me laugh I was talking to one of the permies here who is leaving Friday to become a contractor and he told me in the interview for the role they asked him what polymorphism was. The guy is a Dev-in-Test so basically you use a more limited subset of any language to automate and the thing is if you're self taught you could basically be using something without knowing it's technical name or terminology. Suffice to say he got the role but the fact they even asked that baffles me and makes me wonder if anyone clearly knows what they are on about.

[MyUserName]

Suffice to say he got the role but the fact they even asked that baffles me and makes me wonder if anyone clearly knows what they are on about.

I certainly don't

[The Spartan]

I certainly don't

Me either I'm winging it on a daily basis

[sal]

I have said it before - clients are just realizing how many crap contractors with 10+ years of experience and lacking even fundamental knowledge in the tech they work with. I have personally burned through at least a dozen who looked brilliant on paper but were absolute tulip when it came to actual skills. The clients are not paying top dollar for a contractor just because his Google Fu is strong. I agree that some interviewers are doing it wrong by asking a set list of questions like command syntax etc. Personally i never ask questions i don't know the answer to from the top of my head.

Long story short - get used to it, tech interviews for contractors are getting ever more popular, so get a grip, write down some of the questions that you failed to ask and make sure you know the answers for the next interview. Even if they are written on a piece of paper. Gone are the days that you can secure a contract based only on your CV as the competition heats up.

[Jubber]

I have said it before - clients are just realizing how many crap contractors with 10+ years of experience and lacking even fundamental knowledge in the tech they work with. I have personally burned through at least a dozen who looked brilliant on paper but were absolute tulip when it came to actual skills. The clients are not paying top dollar for a contractor just because his Google Fu is strong. I agree that some interviewers are doing it wrong by asking a set list of questions like command syntax etc. Personally i never ask questions i don't know the answer to from the top of my head.

Long story short - get used to it, tech interviews for contractors are getting ever more popular, so get a grip, write down some of the questions that you failed to ask and make sure you know the answers for the next interview. Even if they are written on a piece of paper. Gone are the days that you can secure a contract based only on your CV as the competition heats up.

I disagree - I look up stuff all the time and EVERY bod I've worked with has - contractor or perm. Not just Google, books too. I'm paid to provide solutions - and quickly. Is Jools Holland crap at the piano because he doesn't know the theory behind every note he plays?

An all rounder will be able to research and provide - much better than some Technical Ted who likes to catch people out.

[sal]

I disagree - I look up stuff all the time and EVERY bod I've worked with has - contractor or perm. Not just Google, books too. I'm paid to provide solutions - and quickly. Is Jools Holland crap at the piano because he doesn't know the theory behind every note he plays?

An all rounder will be able to research and provide - much better than some Technical Ted who likes to catch people out.

I'm not talking about being know-it-all and not ever have to use google or ask colleagues. I'm talking about people with 10+ years of experience lacking fundamental knowledge that can be found on google, but lacking it means they will be ineffective at least and dangerous for the environment at worst. If they don't have the foundation how can you trust them understanding a complex issue or having the more advanced and specialist skills that ClientCo is looking for in a contractor.

Talking about Wintel guys not knowing what a 24 bit subnet mask is or a cluster quorum or how GPOs are applied, or what HP iLO / Dell DRAC is... Anyone claiming 10 years of Wintel experience and not knowing these is either lying on his CV and doesn't have the experience or managed to wing it for so long without learning basics. Not sure which is worse..

[Pondlife]

Guy I used to work with used to ask what the SAP transaction codes were for certain bits of config.

[GazCol]

I get the impression you've just done an A level ICT student's homework, rather than had an interview.