Role Play

[Andyw]

rent boy more like !

[ChimpMaster]

Longest I had was 3 hours. To be honest, if I was being given that kind of grilling, I'd just leave. It's way over the top for a 3-6 month gig. I like to have a quick interview, get in there, get the job done, get paid and leave.

Call girl by any chance?

[oraclesmith]

One job (permie) I applied for involved a lengthy application form, a logic test, a spatial reasoning test, a Myers-Briggs assessment, an in-tray exercise, a team role play with my competitors, an interview complete with test results plotted on some psycho-chart and another interview on a different day ! I got the job though.

Another one (permie again) I had to spend a whole day with my competitors - chat with directors, lunch, show round, presentation, panel interview etc. Waste of time.

I've always rebelled against this type of thing. If every firm did this for permies, let alone contractors, candidates simply wouldn't have the time available to get themselves a new job - it would need using a whole day to have maybe a one in 10 chance of success. Firms haven't twigged that the best people are the busiest people. Keeps HR in a job though.

One strategy is to arrange other appointments bang in the middle of the assessment centre day, then you can show you're willing but because you're in great demand you simply can't make it ! The great problem for HR is getting everyone together on the same day, so this will really throw them and they'll have to make special arrangements for you. Ha Ha.

[teabag]

I've always found that the longer the "recruitment" process for a contract, the crappier the contract and the company is.

The best contracts I've ever had have involved a 20 min telephone chat with some guys and then start the following day.

Sorted.


There's no need for this long winded crap with contracts. Tip to hiring managers. Read the CV's, talk to the best on the telephone and get them in to start. If you don't like them at the end of that day, tell them not to come back and chose the next one.

Personally I wouldn't even go through all that for a contract. I'd just say no.

Usually thats what I'd do. But I'm getting to the stage that I can't be choosy.
Had three offers that were all revoked due to various reasons (none my fault)..

[Cowboy Bob]

The best contracts I've ever had have involved a 20 min telephone chat with some guys and then start the following day.

Exactly. When I've had just the telephone chat type of introduction, I've found the same too.

The best was when I got phoned up and the conversation went:-

Him: Can you do X?
Me: Yes
Him: Can you do Y?
Me: Yes
Him: Can you come in Monday and start work?
Me: Yes
Him: Great. See you then...

Not once was I asked any technical questions.

[Troll]

I've always found that the longer the "recruitment" process for a contract, the crappier the contract and the company is.

The best contracts I've ever had have involved a 20 min telephone chat with some guys and then start the following day.

Sorted.


There's no need for this long winded crap with contracts. Tip to hiring managers. Read the CV's, talk to the best on the telephone and get them in to start. If you don't like them at the end of that day, tell them not to come back and chose the next one.

Personally I wouldn't even go through all that for a contract. I'd just say no.

Exactly... just say no

[EternalOptimist]

went for a development contract at a jewellers, they were hiring 4 people. After a half hour interview they gave me an MS multi choice exam thingy, it took an hour . Got 90% they asked me to start on monday.

I turned it down. There were no questions about security or modelling or data structures. I told them a noddy test would give them a noddy team. Three months later they were advertising again for 4 devs. Three months after that they advertised again

they just didnt learn

[Andyw]

Imagine interviewing the bloke who comes around to mow your lawn of fix the washing machine.

"Good morning Mr X" my name is Mr y and this is John from the HR lounge,
I see from your CV................"

[Andyw]

Funny isnt it, we're supposed to be contractors but if you ask a company to give support for a day then they dont get interviewed ! nor do builders !

[DimPrawn]

I've always found that the longer the "recruitment" process for a contract, the crappier the contract and the company is.

The best contracts I've ever had have involved a 20 min telephone chat with some guys and then start the following day.

Sorted.


There's no need for this long winded crap with contracts. Tip to hiring managers. Read the CV's, talk to the best on the telephone and get them in to start. If you don't like them at the end of that day, tell them not to come back and chose the next one.

Personally I wouldn't even go through all that for a contract. I'd just say no.

[Cowboy Bob]

Longest I had was 3 hours. To be honest, if I was being given that kind of grilling, I'd just leave. It's way over the top for a 3-6 month gig. I like to have a quick interview, get in there, get the job done, get paid and leave.

[monkeyboy]

Had the same with Cisco. Eventually took up another offer as the Cisco one was taking so long.


This was for permy job though.

[Cliphead]

6 month contract with Cisco in Brussels.

3 telephone interviews over 2 days

2 interviews with outsourcing company in Hampshire

Off to Brussels for the day...

HR interview
Line manager interview
Dept head interview
Teleconference with head guy in Paris
Technical exam
Review of exam
Back to HR
Interview with senior tech

Arrived home to a voice mail telling me I'd got the contract and flew back the next morning.

[mcquiggd]

A full day at Motorola, with 45 people starting off in a hotel lobby chasing one job.

They gave you two technical exams, some questions were impossible, some were irrelevant about obscure routers, both exams were the same questions re-ordered and slightly altered.

Two technical interviews, then a guided tour of the facility while being watched by a manager.

Then lunch, with 5 of your competitors, and a manager making notes.

Then, standing in a hotel corridor, called one by one into one of two rooms, to be told if you were progressing.

Then interview with HR director - who turns out to be that polite lady handing out cups of tea morning, quietly observing us and making notes while we took the technical exams.

Finally, an interview with the boss - having been told to find a hotel room number that didnt actually exist. I went to reception, found out which rooms Motorola had hired for the day and eventually found him through a process of elimination.


Three days later a grotty looking, stapled together piece of brown paper was left propped up outside my flat door. It was the job offer from Motorola.

[teabag]

Now I like the idea of a bit of role play as much as the next man...

Been offered an interview for a 3 month Business Analyst role. The format is to consist of quote:

"The interview will consist of a 45 minute conversation with (Name with-held to protect the guilty 1, Name with-held to protect the guilty 2, Name with-held to protect the guilty 3, followed by a 20 minute role play. Within the role play Teabag will have to take a business requirement and his approach to requirements gathering and how he handles business users will be assessed. Following on from this Teabag will write up his notes."

Its not even a particularly senior role..It's like I've gone ten years back in time and I've been asked to a graduate assessment centre.

FFS Don't they have anything better to do with their time !!

Whats the most arduous recruitment process you have had to go through for a contract role ??

PS - Had to do a telephone interview to be given the chance to meet these people face to face.