Reply to: Code Challenges: is becoming the normal trend nowdays?

[tpsman]

I'm feeling like a total chump for doing one of these. It had been a couple of months since I had done any coding, so I was partially happy to do it, but I should've insisted on a 30 minute telephone interview first, rather than waste a whole day of my time on a role I'm not that interested in.

[Old Greg]

Compared to a code challenge, changing your LinkedIn status for a couple of days is starting to look like a piece of cake.

[Agent]

That is ridiculous, id tell them where to go.

Theyll be doing it because they have a real lack of skill in actually interviewing anyone.

Just plain lazy on their part id say.

[washed up contractor]

They try this because some mugs are actually prepared to do it to get the interview and job..

[original PM]

This problem arises because the people doing the interviewing are being guided by finance.

As finance do not understand IT (as much as they would try and tell you they do) they will insist that someone proves they can do the job before they offer it - however as they do not understand IT or coding talking about it is pointless, these people simple do not have the basic grounding or education to even start the conversation.

The way I see it is like this - I have not spent the last 25 years studying for and going experience and qualifications in finance related things so I will not try and tell the FD how to do his or her job.

In much the same way I have spent the last 25 years studying and gaining experience and qualifications in tech related things and so I would not expect a bean counter to tell me how to do my job...

and yet they seem to think they can.

[MyUserName]

No way would I spend that much time on a code test for the potential of another interview

[northernladyuk]

Or tell 'em to sod off, and look for another gig

I haven't done any coding since Commodore 64 days, but I believe the correct response to such a challenge is:

10 PRINT "Sod off."
20 GOTO 10

[Age quod agis]

Some people have pointed out that such tests are discriminatory as only people with no responsiblies and no life have time to do them.

maybe that is the objective : to filter out people with no life

[Hobosapien]

if you want me to do a tech test on your premisis during an interview process thats fine

Yep, about the only way I'd entertain such bollox.

If they can't fit it into a typical interview window of say 1 hour then they are taking the piss (getting interviewees to do the actual project as part of the recruitment process, so for free), or are giving you an insight of what they would expect (i.e. the moon on a stick) if you actually started a contract/job with them.

If it's for a permie position then they probably think they're judges on Britain's Got Talent so expect multi-stage interviews where the interview process is the hardest you'll ever work at the place.

[BR14]

Or tell 'em to sod off, and look for another gig

Or both

[BR14]

Ask them if, when they hire a plumber to fix a leaking pipe, they get him to re-plumb the loos next to reception for free first so he can prove to the client that he knows what he's doing.

Or tell 'em to sod off, and look for another gig

[billybiro]

I applied for a position in Adidas, after a brief interview they handed this code challenge (attached in quote) which, from my point of view, it seems really too time consuming and relatively massive for a senior position...



I mean ...come on, thats no longer a "code" challenge ...these guys are requiring to design and implement a full architecture

What do you think about this?

Ask them if, when they hire a plumber to fix a leaking pipe, they get him to re-plumb the loos next to reception for free first so he can prove to the client that he knows what he's doing.

[SueEllen]

Some people have pointed out that such tests are discriminatory as only people with no responsiblies and no life have time to do them.

[Snarf]

I applied for a position in Adidas, after a brief interview they handed this code challenge (attached in quote) which, from my point of view, it seems really too time consuming and relatively massive for a senior position...



I mean ...come on, thats no longer a "code" challenge ...these guys are requiring to design and implement a full architecture

What do you think about this?

If I had applied for this role directly with the client I would politely decline.
If I applied for it via an agent I would impolitely decline.

Back when I was a permie I had an interview then a tech test - the tech test was to take away a copy of their test data and build a front end for it over the weekend ready to present back to them in a second tech interview on the monday.

I did it because I wanted the job but that was many years ago, my personal time is much more valuable to me now - if you want me to do a tech test on your premisis during an interview process thats fine - but I'm not doing homework.

[woohoo]

Yeah send an invoice for a weeks work at your day rate.

Remember you are interviewing them as well. Perhaps send them an interview question to design your company website.