6 Hours worth of interview for a humble Test Analyst Job......

[hyperD]

It's always great in those circumstances invoking the expression: "I'll just stop you there..."

[Gentile]

So, basically, what you're saying is, that you weren't skilled enough to find the bug, realised that task was too difficult for you, panicked, legged it, and blamed your own incompetence on the lack of sartorial elegance of the interviewer.

No, NAT, what I'm saying is what I said. How you're treated during the recruitment process is a pretty clear indicator of how you'll be treated on the job. I didn't apply for a role debugging print outs in a freezing cold room without so much as being offered a coffee, whilst a woman dressed like a tramp and clearly not taking the process as seriously as I had sat in a warm room next door eating doughnuts.

I'm confident enough to walk any time I feel an interview process is disrespectful, whether or not I could I just take the easy route and play ball if I were that desperate, safe in the knowledge that I'll find more mutually-respectful and better-remunerated work elsewhere.

[doomage]

Oh indeed, it's been my experience as well, and I've walked out of interviews before. I was just divulging the real reason she walked away.

I thought it was something to do with the cold room and holes in the in the interviewers jumper.

[Gentile]

I thought it was something to do with the cold room and holes in the in the interviewers jumper.

No, don't be silly, doomage. It was just that, despite my having provided plenty of code samples online (including on YouTube where they can actually hear me talk and see me type as I build a solution), maybe I really can't write C# after all? So, a 'debug this ten-page un-numbered print out' test in a freezing cold room set by someone that looked like they'd just walked off a camp site was entirely reasonable for a lead dev position. That's why I hurried along to my next interview for a better-paid position that I won.

[DimPrawn]

No, NAT, what I'm saying is what I said. How you're treated during the recruitment process is a pretty clear indicator of how you'll be treated on the job. I didn't apply for a role debugging print outs in a freezing cold room without so much as being offered a coffee, whilst a woman dressed like a tramp and clearly not taking the process as seriously as I had sat in a warm room next door eating doughnuts.

I'm confident enough to walk any time I feel an interview process is disrespectful, whether or not I could I just take the easy route and play ball if I were that desperate, safe in the knowledge that I'll find more mutually-respectful and better-remunerated work elsewhere.

You've mentioned donghnuts twice now. It was the lack of doughnuts wasn't it? Be honest.

[Gentile]

You've mentioned donghnuts twice now. It was the lack of doughnuts wasn't it? Be honest.

Did I mention they were jam doughnuts?

[doomage]

No, don't be silly, doomage. It was just that, despite my having provided plenty of code samples online (including on YouTube where they can actually hear me talk and see me type as I build a solution), maybe I really can't write C# after all? So, a 'debug this ten-page un-numbered print out' test in a freezing cold room set by someone that looked like they'd just walked off a camp site was entirely reasonable for a lead dev position. That's why I hurried along to my next interview for a better-paid position that I won.

I wasn't being silly, I was being puerile, invoking the age old joke about cold rooms and pointy nipples.

[escapeUK]

Unfortunately, I've found a rule of thumb to be that the pickier a recruitment process is, and the more hoops you're asked to jump through, the less desirable the role on offer will be when the dust settles. I've therefore learned just to walk away at an early stage if things aren't right.

You are so right. I think this applies to all things in life, from selling something online. (The ones that ask the most questions, never ever buy.) To meeting people, the ones that cant send pics because their partner might see are never worth the hassle.

[suityou01]

So, basically, what you're saying is, that you weren't skilled enough to find the bug, realised that task was too difficult for you, panicked, legged it, and blamed your own incompetence on the lack of sartorial elegance of the interviewer.

It does sound like it.

[psychocandy]

I agree with Gentile. It does seem to be that if they take ages and cause loads of hassle in the interview process then the gig will be a nightmare.

Best gigs I've ever had have been phone interviews. Worst have been where they wanted 1 or 2 face to face. Get to gig and they expect miracles/extra hours etc.

Also, worst interviews are ones where some technical bellend is doing his best to prove he knows more than you. Talking obscure Solaris commands etc. Waste of time usually.