Reply to: Strange CV Feedback

[Mephisto]

Lighterlife is real!

This idiot used them for about 6 months in '05 and lost loads of weight, only to put it back on again upon resumption of 'normal' eating.

Can't comment on the gig though...

[Fat Dave]

I would email back to LighterLife.Com. Point out that you were not aware that they had your cv, as the agent had not kept you informed. You are interested in how you can help them, and can you arrange a call to discuss their requirements? It may be a scam, maybe not, but this way your risk is low.

[d000hg]

In proper business, companies often spend tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds preparing a bid.

This doesn't sound like that, but remember some people do advocate testing candidates on real-world work to see if they look capable.

[ratewhore]

To the OP: personally, I would stick that straight in the trashcan...

[Paddy]

Absolute codswallop. How do you think that meeting went then?

"Okay chaps, we need a solution design. What do you think, we get somebody in to analyse our requirements, understand our infrastructure and give us a few options?"

"No, no - let's pretend there's a job here and get some random people who don't know what we do to draw a few block diagrams. That'll be really valuable to our business."

Get real guys, this whole 'getting free consultancy' in the guise of asking technical questions is paranoid lunacy. Maybe - just maybe - they have a whole stack of CVs and want to see that you've actually got some of the basic skills you claim to have before asking you in?

I have been contracting for twenty years and free consultancy by way of interview has happened to me several times. At one time I was even promised a position but the end client co wanted the solution prior to me starting. I solved the problem but then they did not go-ahead with the contract (ie: they did not take on any contractor).

Another time both agent and end client expected free consultancy but in the end I charged them for it. They refused to pay so I took both the end client and agent to court. I won with costs.

These days at interviews if such questions arise I ask the client “Do you have a specific problem that need solving?” If they have; I tell them that I will not give them the solution until I get the contract however, I tell them what steps I would use in solving the problem.

[cojak]

I'm with the cynics on this one, but on the basis that it might be real, I'd give them half of the drawing (enough for them to show their true colours) and then tell th that they'd have to hire you to see the other half.

[deckster]

Or the far more likely scenario is that they have a supplier or mate who "knows IT stuff" or a permie and want some free solution designs to work to.

What this scenario is called is "con the muppet techies into freebies".

Absolute codswallop. How do you think that meeting went then?

"Okay chaps, we need a solution design. What do you think, we get somebody in to analyse our requirements, understand our infrastructure and give us a few options?"

"No, no - let's pretend there's a job here and get some random people who don't know what we do to draw a few block diagrams. That'll be really valuable to our business."

Get real guys, this whole 'getting free consultancy' in the guise of asking technical questions is paranoid lunacy. Maybe - just maybe - they have a whole stack of CVs and want to see that you've actually got some of the basic skills you claim to have before asking you in?

[thunderlizard]

What this scenario is called is "con the muppet techies into freebies".

strictly speaking, maybe. But for the sake of your half hour's sketching they have already invested a couple of days of their time in soliciting and then reading through CVs. And if it only takes minutes to do, how valuable was it to you anyway? Contractors might think that they are being paid for their brilliantly inspired architectural ideas, but really they get paid to set them up. Business system architectures are ten a penny.

("I know...how about you have a website, then a business logic layer under that, then a database under that? And for your regular data feed, how about a messaging service? I bet nobody thought of that before!")

[Babbage]

Use the technolgies with the most expensive licenses you can find.

We have a winner, sounds like a fun way to have a cheap dig at them...

[SueEllen]

I've decided that as a tie-breaker I'd ask you each to send in a short description / block diagram of what you think might be appropriate technologies we might employ in our solution.

.

Use the technolgies with the most expensive licenses you can find.

[TykeMerc]

Yeah, but if you aren't working then what's the problem with doing a bit of work which might win you a contract? What's it called again, ahh. "Pre-sales" I think.

Or the far more likely scenario is that they have a supplier or mate who "knows IT stuff" or a permie and want some free solution designs to work to.

What this scenario is called is "con the muppet techies into freebies".

[Wanderer]

Looks like the want some consultancy for nowt.

Yeah, but if you aren't working then what's the problem with doing a bit of work which might win you a contract? What's it called again, ahh. "Pre-sales" I think.

[TykeMerc]

Looks like the want some consultancy for nowt.

Indeed.

[Clippy]

Try this one.

[thunderlizard]

If you really don't know which application it relates to, you are well within your rights to ask politely "who the hell are you?" and, because you won't be able to advise much otherwise, "what's your problem?!"