Reply to: Programming Contracting Jobs: What is the interview/hiring process like?

[Unix]

I guess you don't often get asked to start after your 10 min interviews?

I'm an IT contractor, not an English Teacher.

[cosmic]

This is a common thing for people to say in these circumstances, and for most cases I would agree, but as a contractor I will do literally anything they want for my day rate and putting up with dire companies and incompetent managers etc. is par for the course. Also I would say the interview quality doesn't always line up with the job, I've had amazing interviews and terrible jobs, and vica versa. Total crapshoot!

Tech tests can be pretty good, if they're like 15-20 minutes and are straightforward.

Honestly I prefer just talking to someone who asks questions or shows a bit of code and says what's wrong with it etc. because software engineering is about coming up with solutions and explaining how you'd solve a problem takes 30 seconds and shows more skill than remembering the exact syntax of a bunch of commands that you'd normally just grab off stackoverflow.

Agree 100% my mind goes blank in interview tests and when i go on stackoverflow to look for answers its mainly mine that popup lol but proof is in the pudding when you work for the client where they keep on extending contract. Companies are not only looking for someone who is competent but also who fits in. I've worked with contractors who pee off perm employees and they don't last long. I have given interviews and never ask to write code but I do give simple code with a problem I put in to see if they can solve it.

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

if they give you such treatment during the interview, its actually good you didn't get the job

This is a common thing for people to say in these circumstances, and for most cases I would agree, but as a contractor I will do literally anything they want for my day rate and putting up with dire companies and incompetent managers etc. is par for the course. Also I would say the interview quality doesn't always line up with the job, I've had amazing interviews and terrible jobs, and vica versa. Total crapshoot!

Tech tests can be pretty good, if they're like 15-20 minutes and are straightforward.

Honestly I prefer just talking to someone who asks questions or shows a bit of code and says what's wrong with it etc. because software engineering is about coming up with solutions and explaining how you'd solve a problem takes 30 seconds and shows more skill than remembering the exact syntax of a bunch of commands that you'd normally just grab off stackoverflow.

[hungrybear]

Have learned my lesson now, I won't do any stupid coding tests that take several hours. I did that and turned it in and they said 'we couldn't get it to run, so we gave it to a dev and he said it sucked'.

I literally did about 2 weeks of work in 2 hours, to write an entire website with all kinds of fancy functionality.

if they give you such treatment during the interview, its actually good you didn't get the job

[jmo21]

I'm on the fence about coding tests.

Been burnt by one "in your own time" test I spent a bit of time on that was entirely fabricated for the interview (eg not a real world freebie consultancy thing), but was so ivory tower it was ridiculous. I did not get that role.

Another was a 1hr 30min in person, with first 45 mins as a coding test.

That couldn't have been more perfectly set up.
It was a 3/4 finished website (a set of a few data driven pages really) with a service layer, and database.

There were 3 built in errors I had to resolve, which were common issues in the framework, and 2 or 3 small features to complete.

It was short, concise, and plenty enough to practically prove that I knew the technology, and I got the role.

[LondonManc]

Total crapshoot.

Have learned my lesson now, I won't do any stupid coding tests that take several hours. I did that and turned it in and they said 'we couldn't get it to run, so we gave it to a dev and he said it sucked'.

I literally did about 2 weeks of work in 2 hours, to write an entire website with all kinds of fancy functionality. It was very stressful trying to work so fast but the result worked perfectly as I put it onto my own webserver to test it. The recruiter obviously removed me as a potential candidate the second he didn't get his payday and wouldn't give me any feedback.

Figures, I often end up working for companies that have the worst devs, assuming they haven't walked out already.

Next day, had another call, an interview 2 days later, and were so keen they apologised for not playing it cool and going through the recruiter but offered me the job on the spot. Just a quick grilling on all things technical in the interview which was a total breeze for someone with 15+ years relevant experience.

Was super miffed (still am) though at the time I sunk into that first one just for them to hurt my pride like that. Yeah, my CV of 15+ companies of job history is bollocks and I can't write a website that runs

Probably meant that it wasn't ready to be lifted into their website to fix their problem area. Welcome to the world of unpaid consultancy interviews.

[perplexed]

Total crapshoot.

Have learned my lesson now, I won't do any stupid coding tests that take several hours. I did that and turned it in and they said 'we couldn't get it to run, so we gave it to a dev and he said it sucked'.

I literally did about 2 weeks of work in 2 hours, to write an entire website with all kinds of fancy functionality. It was very stressful trying to work so fast but the result worked perfectly as I put it onto my own webserver to test it. The recruiter obviously removed me as a potential candidate the second he didn't get his payday and wouldn't give me any feedback.

Figures, I often end up working for companies that have the worst devs, assuming they haven't walked out already.

Next day, had another call, an interview 2 days later, and were so keen they apologised for not playing it cool and going through the recruiter but offered me the job on the spot. Just a quick grilling on all things technical in the interview which was a total breeze for someone with 15+ years relevant experience.

Was super miffed (still am) though at the time I sunk into that first one just for them to hurt my pride like that. Yeah, my CV of 15+ companies of job history is bollocks and I can't write a website that runs

I don't tend to do tests for the reason of your experience. If it's 2 weeks compressed into a few hours, that's not a test it's more like unpaid work - and you obviously take short cuts to get it done. Asking a dev to review it? Contractors are engaged for the skills they can offer so asking someone potentially not as good to review is just silly.

At the other end you get "do Fizzbuzz". Why? It's a test that's so well documented it's impossible to not do a good job - plus it's noddy and unrepresentative.

I tend to find companies doing those tests are those lacking "Interviewer" skills. Best one I ever had was a company showing a very small part of their existing system, some Java classes. Interviewer asked me just to explain what I thought they'd done well, done badly and how it could be improved. A much better way of doing things - you're not blindly and expediently cranking possibly crap code out, you're explaining your thought processes behind decision making.

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

Total crapshoot.

Have learned my lesson now, I won't do any stupid coding tests that take several hours. I did that and turned it in and they said 'we couldn't get it to run, so we gave it to a dev and he said it sucked'.

I literally did about 2 weeks of work in 2 hours, to write an entire website with all kinds of fancy functionality. It was very stressful trying to work so fast but the result worked perfectly as I put it onto my own webserver to test it. The recruiter obviously removed me as a potential candidate the second he didn't get his payday and wouldn't give me any feedback.

Figures, I often end up working for companies that have the worst devs, assuming they haven't walked out already.

Next day, had another call, an interview 2 days later, and were so keen they apologised for not playing it cool and going through the recruiter but offered me the job on the spot. Just a quick grilling on all things technical in the interview which was a total breeze for someone with 15+ years relevant experience.

Was super miffed (still am) though at the time I sunk into that first one just for them to hurt my pride like that. Yeah, my CV of 15+ companies of job history is bollocks and I can't write a website that runs

[TwoWolves]

in my experience, the market is currently quite good for devs.

Gone a bit mental lately really. Agents cold calling all day.

[hungrybear]

Hi,
I've been freelancing for years (mostly php, but other related languages/technologies too), and am thinking of moving to London to get some contracting jobs.

One thing that I can't find much info on is what is the hiring/interview process like?

I can find lots about 'normal' interviews. All I've really found is that when they hire you for a contract job the interview process is much quicker.

Can you post some examples of what you've been through.

Also, what is the market like in London? If you know your stuff, how hard is to to land a contracting job even if you don't have many references? I've read that they like to hire people who have a few years of many contracting jobs (each 3-6 months)

just started my second contracting gig as dev and did quite few interviews to get the second gig. interviews were definitely different from perm interviews.

they are more to the point, usually ~1 hour technical conversation / code review and team culture fit conversation with managers. most clients have specific work they want to be done and specific frameworks they are using. so if you are technically sound at these (do some research during the initial phone call) & can work in a team you should be good.

in my experience, the market is currently quite good for devs.

[LondonManc]

It really can vary. I'm a contract dev, mostly in London finance. Typically you'll have a telephone interview where they'll ask technical questions, tell you about the role, etc. If all goes well you'll be called in for a face-to-face where anything might happen. It may be a discussion of the projects you've worked on, might be some white-boarding, they may give you a technical test and call back in a set period of time or my least favourite, they'll sit there watching you code in order to 'analyse your thought process'. If you get through that you may well receive an offer or for some of the banks, typically the American ones, there'll be further rounds. I think Morgan Stanley used to favour about 5 or 6 rounds! I've also done coding 'assignments' for some roles which I prefer to the pair-programming stuff. You then get to talk about your code in the next stage, which is far less pressure. The issue with the pair programming type thing is the guy you're sat with knows the spec. like the back of his hand having done it a number of times, whereas you are expected to immediately understand it and start coding away. The tendency there is to get stuck in without really understanding the problem you are trying to solve. Each second that passes before your start coding seems like a minute. Horrible. I just don't do those interviews anymore.

I prefer the interviews where you have to describe your approach - knowing the code is generally a given for a contractor with a decent track record (multiple extensions at multiple clients) so it's more how easily you can apply yourself.

[northernladuk]

If your good, it will be a 10 min interview were they ask when you can start. If not it will be like a permie interview.

I guess you don't often get asked to start after your 10 min interviews?

[Unix]

If your good, it will be a 10 min interview were they ask when you can start. If not it will be like a permie interview.

[oliverson]

Hi,
I've been freelancing for years (mostly php, but other related languages/technologies too), and am thinking of moving to London to get some contracting jobs.

One thing that I can't find much info on is what is the hiring/interview process like?

I can find lots about 'normal' interviews. All I've really found is that when they hire you for a contract job the interview process is much quicker.

Can you post some examples of what you've been through.

Also, what is the market like in London? If you know your stuff, how hard is to to land a contracting job even if you don't have many references? I've read that they like to hire people who have a few years of many contracting jobs (each 3-6 months)

It really can vary. I'm a contract dev, mostly in London finance. Typically you'll have a telephone interview where they'll ask technical questions, tell you about the role, etc. If all goes well you'll be called in for a face-to-face where anything might happen. It may be a discussion of the projects you've worked on, might be some white-boarding, they may give you a technical test and call back in a set period of time or my least favourite, they'll sit there watching you code in order to 'analyse your thought process'. If you get through that you may well receive an offer or for some of the banks, typically the American ones, there'll be further rounds. I think Morgan Stanley used to favour about 5 or 6 rounds! I've also done coding 'assignments' for some roles which I prefer to the pair-programming stuff. You then get to talk about your code in the next stage, which is far less pressure. The issue with the pair programming type thing is the guy you're sat with knows the spec. like the back of his hand having done it a number of times, whereas you are expected to immediately understand it and start coding away. The tendency there is to get stuck in without really understanding the problem you are trying to solve. Each second that passes before your start coding seems like a minute. Horrible. I just don't do those interviews anymore.

[jmo21]

I've also seen a contractor ostracised until they were let go because everyone hated the guy (he was obnoxious, I did a little dance when he was walked out).

I've seen a lot of contractors exactly like that.

Be a normal human, not a gaping arseh0le, get along with people.