Nemo Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 I'm just curious as to how you got through 2 interviews and they didn't realize that you weren't right for the job. Come on, it's not rocket science! Actually, rocket science is taught in kindergarten these days, so scratch that. Come on, it's not quantum cosmology! It's just a job. She's definitely up to it, but everybody has their limits as to how much energy they're willing to expend on "proving" their worth. I think they're being more than a little cheeky. There's a big difference between a brain teaser or 30 minute assignment during an interview and a weeklong project. The former I have no problem with but the latter is overkill. It's also unreasonable to demand that much time of someone when you're not paying them. Nobody says it better than tanbark. Link to post Share on other sites
tanbark813 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Nobody says it better than tanbark. You are too kind, sir. Link to post Share on other sites
jerbear Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 There's a big difference between a brain teaser or 30 minute assignment during an interview and a weeklong project. The former I have no problem with but the latter is overkill. It's also unreasonable to demand that much time of someone when you're not paying them. You know, come to think of it. It sounds like they, the potential employer, had a problem and they let her try to find a solution. Reject her but keep the code. This makes me want to recheck my site's admins. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Walk Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 If I wrote a couple articles on how to do something in asp.net/vb.net/ajax, how I could get it checked to make sure I have everything correct? I was thinking it might be a good way to prove to employers that I at least have the basics down if I can point to an article I wrote on whatever reputable site. I'm also not sure what sites would be 'reputable'. Do you think there's a chance that it could hurt my chances of getting a job? I've taken 2 tests (in addition to that other project) for entry level programmer positions this week. I seriously hate that apptitude test they give... the one where they ask a bunch of general questions like "if a plane travels 280mph and uses 12 gallons of fuel per minute, how many gallons of fuel did the plane use for a 1480 mile trip?" Then they tack on a half dozen programmer questions at the end of the 2 hour test. When performing a code review, which one of the following should be of most concern? A. Small number of methods per class. B. Many methods per class. C. Small number of levels in the hierarchy. D. What is placed on the server, and what is placed on the client. E. Many global variables. Which one of the following is mistaken as inheritance hierarchy? A. Feline is derived from Animal. B. Binary Sort is derived from Sort. C. Circle is derived from Shape. D. Apple is derived from Fruit. E. Passenger car is derived from Truck. Link to post Share on other sites
jerbear Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 If I wrote a couple articles on how to do something in asp.net/vb.net/ajax, how I could get it checked to make sure I have everything correct? I was thinking it might be a good way to prove to employers that I at least have the basics down if I can point to an article I wrote on whatever reputable site. I'm also not sure what sites would be 'reputable'. Do you think there's a chance that it could hurt my chances of getting a job? I've taken 2 tests (in addition to that other project) for entry level programmer positions this week. I seriously hate that apptitude test they give... the one where they ask a bunch of general questions like "if a plane travels 280mph and uses 12 gallons of fuel per minute, how many gallons of fuel did the plane use for a 1480 mile trip?" Then they tack on a half dozen programmer questions at the end of the 2 hour test. 2 hour test and you've went through the interviews! Wow! I don't know where you are now but those tests seem somewhat excessive. Amazon, Microsoft, Google, IBM, and many others do test their potential hires. It is a good weeding out process to figure out how you think. Some of the questions are just weird. A classic Microsoft question would be "Why are manhole covers round? One question I've bumped that stumped people I know, which one is heavier? One pound of lead or One pound of feathers. My dad kept on saying lead. :rolleyes: One employer gave me a test after I was hired. They used the test to determine where to place me instead of being used in the hiring process. 2 hours plus interviews... I don't know seems excessive but that is where the industry has gone to. Hang in there. Link to post Share on other sites
BoooredGuy Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 It's also unreasonable to demand that much time of someone when you're not paying them. Again, it depends on the job and your career goals. Investment banks routinely do interviews such as these, and it's not uncommon to spend a full day at a firm interviewing with 6-15 people, and being asked brain teasers ad nauseam and to model at a certain point. The experience, exit opportunities and pay (well beyond the six figure mark) allow them to do what they want. Demand trumps supply. If we're talking about a mediocre firm with total compensation around $50k, then that's a different story. Link to post Share on other sites
tanbark813 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Again, it depends on the job and your career goals. Investment banks routinely do interviews such as these, and it's not uncommon to spend a full day at a firm interviewing with 6-15 people, and being asked brain teasers ad nauseam and to model at a certain point. One day is not the same as seven days. If we're talking about a mediocre firm with total compensation around $50k, then that's a different story. And you'll notice that I said it better be a good job to which Walk responded that the pay was in the low 40's. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Walk Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 If we're talking about a mediocre firm with total compensation around $50k, then that's a different story. Mediocre at 50 Grand!!!! Holy Cow. I wish they were offering that much. The absolute Highest that any employer has even ball parked for me is mid 40's. No higher then 46k though. And these firms aren't anywhere close to google, microsft, etc. Not even close. Link to post Share on other sites
tanbark813 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Mediocre at 50 Grand!!!! Holy Cow. I wish they were offering that much. The absolute Highest that any employer has even ball parked for me is mid 40's. No higher then 46k though. What area of the country are you in? That seems unusually low. Link to post Share on other sites
jerbear Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Mediocre at 50 Grand!!!! Holy Cow. I wish they were offering that much. The absolute Highest that any employer has even ball parked for me is mid 40's. No higher then 46k though. What area are you in? Central US? Most of the places I know across the country starts at mid 40's then 50's after 1 year. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Walk Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 I live in the Midwest region. Averages for Programmer 1 Salary for 2 years experience: (From Salary.com) Northeast: $52.3K Middle Atlantic: $51.7K South: $49.1K Midwest: $51.2K West: $53.7K Link to post Share on other sites
jerbear Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Mid 40's. There might be other forms of compensation involved, total cash, 401k, options, etc... OH well... Link to post Share on other sites
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