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It technical tests

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    It technical tests

    So i'm on the market and pretty much bombarded with tests that i need to complete to prove my worth.
    The problem is i'm still on gig and every test takes 4h+ . the last project i completed took me good 12h and completely nailed but didn't win the gig. So pretty annoying especially I want to have some free time for myself too
    When you are on the market , do you do these tests or just interview with clients directly ?

    #2
    Are these sort of Medical tests or summat?

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      #3
      Originally posted by FatLazyContractor View Post
      Are these sort of Medical tests or summat?
      IKM assesments, do project X involving 4-5 technologies, do project Y involving facebook api and what not

      The best was : 3 months gig, lowest rate possible, do us project Z (5h of work)
      Last edited by diseasex; 16 February 2016, 14:15.

      Comment


        #4
        12hrs on the phone pitching for business or 12hrs doing a test?

        I know where I would place my bets for ROI.

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          #5
          I assume this is through Evolution Recruitment? They also wanted 3 Assessor Names from me (totally not references...honest!)

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            #6
            It's more common with permie jobs. I started contracting about 18 months ago after being made redundant. While I was on my notice period, I applied for loads of permie positions, had to do code tests for 2 or 3 of them.

            2 in particular stand out. I first had a phone interview, then the code test. These took probably 3-6 hours for me to do (I was doing it in work while on my notice, so could have done it much quicker, probably).

            I then had a fae to face interview, both were fairly relaxe and both looked like great companies to work for. Spend 2-3 hours at one, meeting some of the dev team, manager and being shown around the place. The other I spent a whole morning, including sitting [sic] in on the daily stand up, some time one on one with a dev having a closer look at the product they're working.

            I didn't get either and got my first contract job on the back of a 30min phone call and less than 1 hour face to face (only did the phone call as it was in Newcastle so thought it easier to do this rather than go up there for a full interview. Another contract I didn't even interview and the one I'm at now was just a phone interview.

            This for me is one of the many pros of contracting.

            I wouldn't bother with doing the code test, unless I was on the bench. I was asked to do one recently but landed the gig I'm in before I got round to it.

            Comment


              #7
              I haven't been on the bench for a while, so have noticed that these seem a lot more common than in previous years. I have had 2 "write an application that does X, Y, and Z", and if we like it you will get an interview.

              Personally I timebox these to half a day (say 4 hours). I really don't want to spend any longer than that working on something that may bring me no benefit at all, and I think that should be long enough to demonstrate the kind of code you can write.

              Can't help but think though that they are going to cut out people who are short of time because of kids, etc.
              I might look at writing a generic sample application that I can use as a template if I am benched for too much longer, as you tend to spend ages writing the data access and other infrastructural bits before even tackling the actual problem.

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                #8
                In Cambridge interviewing for a perm job years ago. Written test, question asks me to write a unix shell script to do something, emphasizing "just a quick script". I wrote it no prob. Chap comes back into the room. He looks at the script, says fine. But he also says "you haven't validity checked these arguments" or similar. I smiled and agreed, but I felt like saying "Obviously not FFS. It's an 10 line script to run once, as requested".

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                  #9
                  I did a long test once, written like 10 unit tests and send it over. They came back to me that all 3 unit tests dont pass.
                  I was like WTF? i wrote 10 not 3 and all pass?
                  I was unsuccessful anyway for some reason.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by diseasex View Post
                    I did a long test once, written like 10 unit tests and send it over. They came back to me that all 3 unit tests dont pass.
                    I was like WTF? i wrote 10 not 3 and all pass?
                    I was unsuccessful anyway for some reason.
                    You probably failed the counting test.

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