Reply to: Coding exercise during interview

[FarmerPalmer]

Lemme guess, this was for a 1 month contract with no renewal?

Sounds like a permie role interview to me

it was for a permie job - which they offered - but it only with a 6 month fixed length contract and then a permanent job after that - because although I passed the interviewing - I only have a HND - not a degree.

... so I took a contract elsewhere instead.

[wendigo100]

Thanks. Er, how do I click a link?

[wendigo100]

I don't expect gurus - as was stated above, a quick Google is a remarkable refresher.

Remind me how to use Google again?

[Troll]

It has proved useful once or twice. To be honest, the thing it tests the most is communication skills and thinking on your feet rather than cutting-edge skillz. If it's a phone interview and they panic with a simple question, it's not good, but if they try some vague shots at it that can be unrolled with a few follow-up questions I'm happy.

Why would "thinking on your feet" be preferable to a considered and weighted answer?
How many of us work this way - do coders go with the first plausible thing that pops into their heads or do some analysis, ponder the possibilities and then come up with the best fit solution - I know which one I'd want to employ.

[Zorba]

On behalf of my clients I have tested new contractors as part of the interview as a matter of course. No comedy l33tness required, I just want a feeling that they know the tools of the trade - don't want to be teaching them simple stuff once they are on the job.

It has proved useful once or twice. To be honest, the thing it tests the most is communication skills and thinking on your feet rather than cutting-edge skillz. If it's a phone interview and they panic with a simple question, it's not good, but if they try some vague shots at it that can be unrolled with a few follow-up questions I'm happy. In my case I'm always selecting for the team that I'm running, so 'hitting it off' is important. Techy knowledge has to be there, but I don't expect gurus - as was stated above, a quick Google is a remarkable refresher.

[chicane]

A guy was interviewed here a couple of weeks back for a contract developer role. It was only after the technical test that he admitted he'd done very little of the required skill (PHP) and he sheepishly admitted that "I don't know much PHP, but I thought I'd try to blag it anyway".

If nobody was required to do technical tests, there'd be a lot of blagging contractors being paid a lot and achieving very little. It's pretty easy to stay under the radar in some of the larger organisations.

[Ivor1]

My current client gives techy tests to applicants for contractors, I think there a good thing.

On a couple of occassions we have taken people on who failed the tests, on both occassions they turned out to be cr*p when we took them on and we had to let them go.

[Churchill]

My response would be "sure, my rate has now doubled to £800/day"

HTH

My response would've been the same whatever the price!

"By the way, you might want to spend the next few weeks while on the bench pulling your own head from up your arse!!!"

I pay the money, you do the job. I throw you a fish, you jump through the hoop.

If you're not happy with me testing you and proving that you've got the skills I need then fine, feck off and find someone more gullible.

[DimPrawn]

I interviewed a contractor last week.

As I handed him a technical test he said "You're not going to test me are you?"

To which I replied "No, no, I'm quite willing to pay someone 400 quid a day on spec!"

FFS, you need to prove you can do the job!!!

My response would be "sure, my rate has now doubled to £800/day"

HTH

[Churchill]

I interviewed a contractor last week.

As I handed him a technical test he said "You're not going to test me are you?"

To which I replied "No, no, I'm quite willing to pay someone 400 quid a day on spec!"

FFS, you need to prove you can do the job!!!

[veekay]

I am increasingly getting the feeling that it looks like I am the only lucky guy to get tangled into this sort of silly technical test routine.

Is it fair to assume that most companies dissect your abilities with a technical discussion and not sit you in front of a slow desktop PC configured for use by a non technical chap and have the senior developer of the company and the HR director and the technical director sit behind you looking at every line of code you hack up ?

Thanks
Veekay

[EternalOptimist]

Technical tests are ok in moderation, but how many interviews test the full developer package ? I have never yet been asked to demontrate my skill at telling jokes, remembering the coffee round, the permies kids names, not to mention my ability to look at the HR girlies boobies without staring

[BlasterBates]

I think technical tests are a good idea. Before I agree to a consultation with a Doctor, I always set him a test, to check his medical knowledge. The same with lawyers. Recently before buying a loaf of bread I got the baker to do a test, to ensure he had a good understanding of the principles of baking.

[Weltchy]

I recently had a 6 hour interview where I had to write a link-list using a supplied header file, on a laptop with an editer and compiler supplied, and then had to go through it with the interviewers.

Then had a cross-questioning on virtual memory.

Then had to design a cache on a whiteboard.

With interviewing from 2 engineers, 1 director, 1 HR bod, and 1 VP - and after passing all this the VP was still concerned that I only had a HND and not a 1st degree.

Lemme guess, this was for a 1 month contract with no renewal?

Sounds like a permie role interview to me

[wendigo100]

I recently had a 6 hour interview where I had to write a link-list using a supplied header file, on a laptop with an editer and compiler supplied, and then had to go through it with the interviewers.

Then had a cross-questioning on virtual memory.

Then had to design a cache on a whiteboard.

With interviewing from 2 engineers, 1 director, 1 HR bod, and 1 VP - and after passing all this the VP was still concerned that I only had a HND and not a 1st degree.

Crikey, what was the job?

And how did your system connect to the whiteboard cache?