This is not how you should interview a contractor!

[perplexed]

One of the main reason contractors are called in is to help sort out distressed projects, particularly in the current market. There isn't much need to bring in outside resources if everything is going to plan.

Exactly and even if it is a tulipstorm, in this economy it's money. Crap project, crap environment? Hope that bench is comfy.

[LondonManc]

Either seeing the project (which I asked if possible on a screen-share) or speaking to a dev about the project or getting some hard facts that I can quantify would have satisfied me.

So you asked a bad question and got a bad answer is the situation.

Exactly and even if it is a tulipstorm, in this economy it's money. Crap project, crap environment? Hope that bench is comfy.

Chance to shine = multiple renewals. I'm sure most of us have had that client at some point.

[BritishLad88]

It's obvious that the only purpose of the interview was to see if I fit their criteria and not vice versa. I really hate this as a contractor.

Isn't that how majority contractor interview should be/are? Normally, companies hire contractors because they need certain piece of work done & that piece of work is specialty/niche hence the need to go out to hunt for a specialist contractor who has those skills required to complete the job. Otherwise, they could easily employ any old joe bloggs as a permie to do the job.

Lack of a strategy, piss poor agile practices (3 month sprint!), team has no experience of the new framework etc...

sounds like you're venting here your frustrations of a bad interview & not thinking rational... bear in mind lots of companies out there are on a very lengthy release cadence (perhaps waterfall like) but yet adopting few agile ceremonies thinking they're doing agile. Is it their fault? could be, or maybe just lack of knowledge from them or such that they're in a transition period from waterfall to modern agile... you just never know.

I was also told I’d be mentoring their very junior developer and was given a firm no, if I wanted to get a contractor on board who I’ve worked with before (on a migration project) if additional help was required (potential IR35 issue here).

What's wrong with that? if you're a senior developer of some sort you're expected to mentor more junior members of your team regardless of whether you're a perm or contractor!
Also, if you wanted to get your buddy contractor on board (who by sounds of things is a specialist in the area the client looking for) then maybe that is a sign this particular position is more suited to him than you!

These guys are putting a huge liability on a single person. What if the project goes wrong?

They're putting a huge liability on one person because they're looking for a specialist contractor who can come in and do the job they need. Sounds like you are afraid to tackle the project on your own and by looks of things you lack experience in what the client is looking for. This is a sign that this particular position is not right for you.

Final note, by the tone of things you said, it sounds like contractor lifestyle perhaps is not suited to you, Maybe a perm job suits you better if you're more comfortable in working in team where you don't want to take some form of responsibilty, hide behind other peoples back, doing generic stuffs etc.

[PlanB]

Had an interview (developer role) for a software migration project which got cut short as soon as I started discovering problems with the project. It's obvious that the only purpose of the interview was to see if I fit their criteria and not vice versa. I really hate this as a contractor.

I asked him questions about the migration approach, but he wasn't able to answer them; he said I will have to speak to the developer for answers (but it’s a one stage interview and the developer is not on the call!) - I asked how complex the product is, and I'm told quite complex. What does quite complex mean without me seeing it? I wanted details but I wasn't really getting much from him.

I asked him more questions and it soon revealed many problems; Lack of a strategy, piss poor agile practices (3 month sprint!), team has no experience of the new framework etc...

I was also told I’d be mentoring their very junior developer and was given a firm no, if I wanted to get a contractor on board who I’ve worked with before (on a migration project) if additional help was required (potential IR35 issue here).

After a bit more talking and questions he came across as a bit "thrown off" and I was getting one worded answers. It was then time for me to do the 30 minute coding challange! But he cut the interview short and tried putting it on me, that I’m getting nervous about the complexity of the project, in a condescending manner.

I couldn't believe he had the nerve to say that. These guys are putting a huge liability on a single person. What if the project goes wrong? They said they're Scrum but the product owner is a grey area!

In the end we agreed that our expectations are not in line with each other and called it quits.

Complete bunch of idiots.

It's their gig, if you want the money you need to fit in with them, by all means give them advice if you feel it warrants it but not all clients will be appreciative. As for scrum and agile, that is not the silver bullet of software development, it has many flaws so I wouldn't die on the cross for that one.

[zonkkk]

in a condescending manner.

Why do I have the feeling he was thinking the same thing about you?

[cyborg1337]

Isn't that how majority contractor interview should be/are? Normally, companies hire contractors because they need certain piece of work done & that piece of work is specialty/niche hence the need to go out to hunt for a specialist contractor who has those skills required to complete the job. Otherwise, they could easily employ any old joe bloggs as a permie to do the job.


sounds like you're venting here your frustrations of a bad interview & not thinking rational... bear in mind lots of companies out there are on a very lengthy release cadence (perhaps waterfall like) but yet adopting few agile ceremonies thinking they're doing agile. Is it their fault? could be, or maybe just lack of knowledge from them or such that they're in a transition period from waterfall to modern agile... you just never know.



What's wrong with that? if you're a senior developer of some sort you're expected to mentor more junior members of your team regardless of whether you're a perm or contractor!
Also, if you wanted to get your buddy contractor on board (who by sounds of things is a specialist in the area the client looking for) then maybe that is a sign this particular position is more suited to him than you!


They're putting a huge liability on one person because they're looking for a specialist contractor who can come in and do the job they need. Sounds like you are afraid to tackle the project on your own and by looks of things you lack experience in what the client is looking for. This is a sign that this particular position is not right for you.

Final note, by the tone of things you said, it sounds like contractor lifestyle perhaps is not suited to you, Maybe a perm job suits you better if you're more comfortable in working in team where you don't want to take some form of responsibilty, hide behind other peoples back, doing generic stuffs etc.

1. Exactly, they need to hire a specialist; So I am asking specialist questions. I should be getting the answers I need so that I can quanity the size of the project, processes etc...

2. Worked with many consultancies who have spent alot of time and resource trying to transition companies from Waterfall to Agile. Not something that just happens; There needs to be a certain amount of influence from top-down.

3. I've been through this before. I've led another big migration project where I also had mentor a junior. Additional resource will be needed - Also worked on a great project before where the contractor leading the project hired developers, designers he worked with previously / There are benefits of working with people you worked with before / Also getting sub-contractors should be an option available to me, especially if we are dealing with big/complex projects.

4. Like I said I've led a big migration project; These are high risk, alot of problems can crop up which slow down or block progress. I asked them how do we ensure the business requirements in the new application work exactly like in the old application, and tried understanding if the current application has unit tests, end-to-tests etc... The answer I got was it doesn't have these; Well that's a huge risk there; Plus with the lack of a product owner there is nobody to take responsability of these requirements.

BritishLad88 - Have you ever led a migration project before? Have you ever led a company to transition to agile?

[WTFH]

BritishLad88 - Have you ever led a migration project before? Have you ever led a company to transition to agile?

Have you ever noticed how condescending you are?

Have you ever led a SUCCESSFUL migration project - not judged successful by yourself, but by the team you work with and the key stakeholders?

As for "[leading] a company to transition to agile", that phrase is straight out of the MBA people get for winning big 4 buzzword bingo. It is vague and wishy-washy, meaning absolutely nothing to anyone of any genuine significance in the operating of a successful business.

[cyborg1337]

Have you ever led a SUCCESSFUL migration project - not judged successful by yourself, but by the team you work with and the key stakeholders?

Yes I have led a successful migration project, judged by my team and stakeholders and we had many good learnings from it.

[simes]

I asked how complex the product is, and I'm told quite complex. What does quite complex mean without me seeing it? I wanted details but I wasn't really getting much from him.

I think the chap above who said both parties dodged a bullet was fair enough. But really, as a contractor, you're a supplier who should hopefully ask the right questions to elicit the pertinent answers.

Referencing your complexity question, you rather set the scene for just such a closed answer.

Please can you describe the complexities of the project?
Please can you describe the top five issues of the project?
What are the pinch points?

These are open questions that will require substance and subjectivity. Once you have the answers you can decide for yourself just How Complex it really is.

I might be wrong in this case, but interviews are good for seeing how the other's mind works. For both parties. And like it or not, the interviewee is holding all the cards if he doesn't think the right questions are being asked, or the right answers being teased out.

[BritishLad88]

1. Exactly, they need to hire a specialist; So I am asking specialist questions. I should be getting the answers I need so that I can quanity the size of the project, processes etc...

2. Worked with many consultancies who have spent alot of time and resource trying to transition companies from Waterfall to Agile. Not something that just happens; There needs to be a certain amount of influence from top-down.

3. I've been through this before. I've led another big migration project where I also had mentor a junior. Additional resource will be needed - Also worked on a great project before where the contractor leading the project hired developers, designers he worked with previously / There are benefits of working with people you worked with before / Also getting sub-contractors should be an option available to me, especially if we are dealing with big/complex projects.

4. Like I said I've led a big migration project; These are high risk, alot of problems can crop up which slow down or block progress. I asked them how do we ensure the business requirements in the new application work exactly like in the old application, and tried understanding if the current application has unit tests, end-to-tests etc... The answer I got was it doesn't have these; Well that's a huge risk there; Plus with the lack of a product owner there is nobody to take responsability of these requirements.

BritishLad88 - Have you ever led a migration project before? Have you ever led a company to transition to agile?

Regarding your points:
1 - i agree

2 - maybe its me but you're making it sound as if its not agile then its wrong that kinda thing, Waterfall still completely fine just that its no longer the most efficient methodology


3 - I agree also that there are benefits working with past colleagues.
but your statement:
"Also getting sub-contractors should be an option available to me, especially if we are dealing with big/complex projects."
feels a bit naive to me. I wouldn't use the word "should". Have you ever thought that the client simply doesn't have the budget/capacity or whatever other reasons they may have to have another sub-contractor onboard?. The way you said that just sounds like you should be calling the shots & that you should be able to bring your own team in as you wish...

4 - i appreciate your wealth of experience in working in a migration project and know it all. So if that's the case, you could at least try to take on the position, bring yourself on board first to get a better understanding of the project details in hand then slowly try to convince that client to allow you bring additional helpers on board.
But it looks like you've completely rejected the chance outright.

And no, I haven't lead a migration project before neither lead agile transformation. I am just offering my views based on what you've wrote. Feel free to disregard my views if it is not what you want to hear.