Reply to: Interview for contract requires a Presentation on a fictional project!?

[yeahyeahwhatever]

desperate times . . . and all that

1.5 days lol

J

I was asked to perform an online test for my present contract. The test was to gauge my proficiency in C programming. It didn't take much effort at all and I'm glad I did it because this has turned out to be a very cosy contract to have!

So I'm happy to do some small test if that's what they want. But I'd never go into the trouble of doing some presentation. Sod that.

[Trev16v]

In more normal times, I would say that any single contract is not worth jumping though particular hoops to get. If one contract wants me "to do an online test", or "answer a few multiple choice questions over the phone" I would tell them to swivel, plenty more contracts out there.

I was asked to perform an online test for my present contract. The test was to gauge my proficiency in C programming. It didn't take much effort at all and I'm glad I did it because this has turned out to be a very cosy contract to have!

So I'm happy to do some small test if that's what they want. But I'd never go into the trouble of doing some presentation. Sod that.

[NotAllThere]

... Spent about 1 1/2's on it...

Wow, you devoted 1.5 seconds to it and still got the gig. Well done.

[yeahyeahwhatever]

Hey ya all

just thought i would let ya know what the outcome was in the end.


Well, i up the presentation together, put in alot of effort to really show my approach and my concerns about the lack of infomation, stating what info i would need and why i would need it etc really went to town on it. Spent about 1 1/2's on it.

Went for the interview, and. . .got the contract. Ive been there a week now and so far so good, just getting to know how the network and the clients departments hang together. .its V big.

blacjac was right about the public sector , they wanted the candidate to really demostrate to them what they would do, was definelty abit weird though, and judging by some request for tenders i have read since being there that they have written for other companies to reply to. . .theres a fair amount of pessimism in them and they could me misconstruded with being arrogant . . . seems ot be the way they operate. . .


Best of luck for all that are looking, explore everything you are offered even if you dont take it


rgds

[seebol_star]

knock something up within 2 hours max - if you cant you arent no where as good as you should be.

What are you on mate?? 2 hours?? smoking the good stuff ?
"if you cant you arent no where as good as you should be"...powerful statement??

Mate... Looks like they want implementation ideas that they haven't got!!!

[yeahyeahwhatever]

QUOTE=ratewhore;653527]Each to their own I say!!

Personally, I'd tell em to poke it up their respective hoops. My take on a contractor interview is fairly straightforward; here's my skills and experience, there's your requirements, is there a match? Yes - cool, no - move on!

Job done, home for tea and crumpets...

[/QUOTE]

LOL, personally i prefer scones.

Well ibe had a think about this and got some clarification from the agency, yes, left vaugue for a purpose so 2 points to you!

I wish it was a straightforward thing, quick in/out, but i think given the lack of tugs on the line at the moment in the contracting market im gonna give it a bloody good shot, if they nick the ideas and dont hire then im sure karma will bite them in the arse somehow anyway. . .project would fall apart etc (of course it would, i wouldnt be there [)

[tim123]

Decline gracefully and find the next one, your not a permie! Or do it and charge them for a day's consultancy.

Sounds like they want a load of ideas from candidates and will then just try it themselves anyway.

A certain Chocolate manufacturer that has a side interest in vending machines used to solve their business problems this way - so I am told.

[ratewhore]

Each to their own I say!!

Personally, I'd tell em to poke it up their respective hoops. My take on a contractor interview is fairly straightforward; here's my skills and experience, there's your requirements, is there a match? Yes - cool, no - move on!

Job done, home for tea and crumpets...

[DS23]

how long is the presentation for?

[AlfredJPruffock]

I agree - I had a bank try it on this summer - luckily it was just an hour interview. I gave little away.

I did a similar thing for a Euro- Investment bank.

Got the gig - altough perhaps I did screw up a wee bit as Investment Banking
has never been the same.

Somebody didnt like the way I had synched the FTSE to the Grey Slate Index.

But thats Investment Banking for you.

Not a lot of laughs.

[Turion]

I think I may use that quote as my signature

No way!....that priceless snippet is intellectual property, you'll have to pay to use it. Could become a Liability if you're not careful

[DiscoStu]

I think I may use that quote as my signature

[blacjac]

if you cant you arent no where as good as you should be.

[TheGoat]

Not sure about this one, I actually will do techincal tests but I would never for example at the interview stage say 'attend an interview where you have 6 hours to write a peice of code using their machines'.

But this is different ... a presentation for a 'fictional system' ... it does sound to me like they probably are being lazy with their own thoughts and ideas and are just picking other peoples' brains out there. I mean if you have nothing else on and its either that or Richard And Judy on the TV you have to weigh up whether its really worth spending the time and effort pursuing it.

I had the same thing with people in interviews during the last 2001 recession, lots of candidates out there and lots of managers with few ideas and no real jobs... they got bored and decided to get ideas from candidates in rival companies that were on the bench in real need of work. I even heard one manager interviewing me say to his young "familiar" who was just about to enter the interviewing room "Get out of him the way that they are making money" (heard it through the door) ... I even heard the same thing in a completely different end client site during the same rough time.

Its not personal .. its just business and business is about survival even at your expense and inconvinience.

[Liability]

Even if you do have to do a presentation big deal? I mean as a contractor you should know your stuff and be able to knock something up within 2 hours max - if you cant you arent no where as good as you should be.

As others have said - if you dont like it - dont take it