Contractor Interviews and Testing?

[malvolio]

Fair point, but how do chancers get weeded out at interview for such roles?

I'd expect if the CV is relatively honest then those asked for interview will have relevant experience and will be able to do the job, so it's down to the agency/recruiter checking the facts accurately to not put inappropriate candidates forward in the first place.

Just need to know one's limits and seek out appropriate opportunities then convince the client/employer you can do what's going to be asked. How the client/employer goes about that task is where the interesting differences in approach lie that I and others are probably interested to hear for future interviews.

As you say, it's all about due diligence by the agency - which is why a lot of good people are sat on the bench...

That's why your CV has to demonstrate a provable history of delivering exactly what it is the client is after. Most good people can deliver programmes almost regardless of the underlying subject matter - I've delivered Service Desks, end-to-end business improvement programmes and technical datacentre migrations, for example - but in these days of tick-box recruitment if you haven't done that job recently then you won't even get to interview.

[man]

That's why your CV has to demonstrate a provable history of delivering exactly what it is the client is after. Most good people can deliver programmes almost regardless of the underlying subject matter - I've delivered Service Desks, end-to-end business improvement programmes and technical datacentre migrations, for example - but in these days of tick-box recruitment if you haven't done that job recently then you won't even get to interview.

This x a million (As an architect currently sat on the bench).

[JoJoGabor]

I once witnessed an insurance client force every technical person from one of the Indian outsourcers before they go ttheir admin credentials so dont think its an IR35 indicator

[NotAllThere]

Oh yes. I only came in to fix the drains... now I'm a SAP specialist on +1K a day.

There was a lovely article in Freelance Informer years ago, about a guy who claimed that he'd moved from COBOL to C, because he assumed the agency was just using an abbreviation. Then to C++, because "it's just a variant". Since reading that article if the client ever ask me "can you do x", I reply. "Yes". Then figure it out later. It's IT, not that much is that difficult.

[malvolio]

Oh yes. I only came in to fix the drains... now I'm a SAP specialist on +1K a day.

There was a lovely article in Freelance Informer years ago, about a guy who claimed that he'd moved from COBOL to C, because he assumed the agency was just using an abbreviation. Then to C++, because "it's just a variant". Since reading that article if the client ever ask me "can you do x", I reply. "Yes". Then figure it out later. It's IT, not that much is that difficult.

A coder is a coder. Regardless of the language you're using your brain works in the way that lets you break down problems to logical components. I got through 13 languages and seven Operating Systems before I was 35.

Management and high level design simply doesn't work like that. For one thing, you have to deal with people...

[Cid]

Cid can you tell me what the 5 FSMO roles are ?

Schema Master
Domain Naming Master
ID Master
PDC
Infrastructure Master

Well done Cid you are the only person to have correctly memorized this.

Indeed but tell me Mr technical interviewer..
I have yet to be in an environment where these 5 roles have been separated onto different servers or in any way changed from just being part of the default AD set up.
Can you tell me how the roles have been dispersed in your AD environment and what the reasoning behind that was ?

No ?
Oh is that because you got the question from a book with no real idea of the real world application ?
i see....

[Hobosapien]

...
Oh is that because you got the question from a book with no real idea of the real world application ?
i see....

Reminds me of a couple of interviews I've been asked to come along to as technical backup after the interviewer (IT Manager) downloaded a load of technical questions from the internet. Fortunately I was never asked the questions up front and I helped the candidates out where I could when they floundered answering some of them.

Maybe we should start a CUK secret handshake so when contractors are interviewing contractors we can shortcut the bollox.

[filthy1980]

Reminds me of a couple of interviews I've been asked to come along to as technical backup after the interviewer (IT Manager) downloaded a load of technical questions from the internet. Fortunately I was never asked the questions up front and I helped the candidates out where I could when they floundered answering some of them.

Maybe we should start a CUK secret handshake so when contractors are interviewing contractors we can shortcut the bollox.

i propose a cupping of your own balls with your right hand followed by spitting on the floor and tapping the nose with your left index finger

[northernladuk]

Maybe we should start a CUK secret handshake so when contractors are interviewing contractors we can shortcut the bollox.

Good idea. So if someone gives you the CUK hand shake you can say thanks but no thanks and terminate the interview to save some time.

[FK1]

Best gigs - ones secured via friendly chat.
Crap gigs - one involving multiple interviews and/or tests.

Exactly my experience.

Words fail me.

1 hour task, a projector to share my screen, 2 non-tech people looking over my shoulder close enough to be pinched and other 2 functional guys maintaining eye contact while watching my typing.
Finally I were accused for non-use of a code editor short-cut keys (nobody uses them in my field due to product specifics) to list classes and types.

It is always irrelevant. Yes best gigs via friendly chat. Best not for relaxing but in opposite a lot of hard work that need to be done yesterday. I tested and certified in all means many times. When I am offered a test I assume there is no work actually. At least for me

You will be tested.

I don't like tests, and I particularly dislike the standard, certification type test that are all the rage. In my opinion they do not so much find out who can pragmatically complete the job as who knows the irrelevant details of a programming language.

IT contractor interviews: Technical tests & tough questions