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  3. Fun With Job Interviews

Fun With Job Interviews

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  • M Marc Clifton

    A phone interview and a face-to-face or Skype interview. After that, they're paying me for my time.

    Latest Article - Class-less Coding - Minimalist C# and Why F# and Function Programming Has Some Advantages Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

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    Kevin Marois
    wrote on last edited by
    #4

    I certainly wouldn't let it get to six interviews. 2 or 3 Maybe. After that I'd tell them to decide or cancel me.

    If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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    • R RickZeeland

      If it don't work, just give them a good bash :-\

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      Kevin Marois
      wrote on last edited by
      #5

      Yup

      If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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      • K Kevin Marois

        I've had this happen to me more than once [They Interviewed Me Six Times -- Then Hired An Internal Candidate](https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/09/10/they-interviewed-me-six-times-then-hired-an-internal-candidate/#11dbf99be966)

        If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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        R Offline
        RickZeeland
        wrote on last edited by
        #6

        If it don't work, just give them a good bash :-\

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        • K Kevin Marois

          I've had this happen to me more than once [They Interviewed Me Six Times -- Then Hired An Internal Candidate](https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/09/10/they-interviewed-me-six-times-then-hired-an-internal-candidate/#11dbf99be966)

          If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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          GuyThiebaut
          wrote on last edited by
          #7

          Yep, I had four interviews and a test with one place - two phone interviews, two meetings and a psychometric test. I didn't even have a technical test. I picked up off the grapevine that the place had pissed off a few recruiters doing the same thing to other candidates. Incidentally I remember back in the 80's and 90's, when in the UK a company would actually pay your travel costs to get you to the interview. Times have certainly changed.

          “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

          ― Christopher Hitchens

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          • K Kevin Marois

            I've had this happen to me more than once [They Interviewed Me Six Times -- Then Hired An Internal Candidate](https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/09/10/they-interviewed-me-six-times-then-hired-an-internal-candidate/#11dbf99be966)

            If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #8

            Kevin Marois wrote:

            I've had this happen to me more than once

            Most people learn after the first time, others take a bit longer. If a company needs more than a single interview, they did not prepare and are wasting time and money. The answer for a second interview is always "no" :thumbsup:

            Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^][](X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett)

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            • K Kevin Marois

              I've had this happen to me more than once [They Interviewed Me Six Times -- Then Hired An Internal Candidate](https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/09/10/they-interviewed-me-six-times-then-hired-an-internal-candidate/#11dbf99be966)

              If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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              Erik Burd
              wrote on last edited by
              #9

              I've gone through this before, although not after 6 interviews. The most I've had is 3, including phone screen. In any case it's a bad reflection on the company. I just add them to my shitlist of employers and never apply there again.

              "Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." -- Marcus Brigstocke, British Comedian

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              • L Lost User

                Kevin Marois wrote:

                I've had this happen to me more than once

                Most people learn after the first time, others take a bit longer. If a company needs more than a single interview, they did not prepare and are wasting time and money. The answer for a second interview is always "no" :thumbsup:

                Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^][](X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett)

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                K Offline
                Kevin Marois
                wrote on last edited by
                #10

                Totally disagree. Many times they have multiple candidates that they like, so they're reinterviewing to narrow down the list. Also, many companies do a first phone interview with the manager, then of you pass that they do a face to face. Nothing wrong with that. Also, many times you start with the totally useless interview with the equally useless recruiter - then on to the company itself. You really have to play along, especially if you want the gig. Now if it was like the article, 6 interviews, then yes, they're jerking you around

                If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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                • G GuyThiebaut

                  Yep, I had four interviews and a test with one place - two phone interviews, two meetings and a psychometric test. I didn't even have a technical test. I picked up off the grapevine that the place had pissed off a few recruiters doing the same thing to other candidates. Incidentally I remember back in the 80's and 90's, when in the UK a company would actually pay your travel costs to get you to the interview. Times have certainly changed.

                  “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                  ― Christopher Hitchens

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                  K Offline
                  Kevin Marois
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #11

                  I actually walked out of an interview. They never even discussed programming or my resume. It was all "What's your favorite color" and "How would you handle someone who farts in the office" nonsense. After an hour of sitting in a room with 3 women who were not developers listening to this crap I just said "You know, I don't think this is for me" - and I left.

                  If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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                  • K Kevin Marois

                    Totally disagree. Many times they have multiple candidates that they like, so they're reinterviewing to narrow down the list. Also, many companies do a first phone interview with the manager, then of you pass that they do a face to face. Nothing wrong with that. Also, many times you start with the totally useless interview with the equally useless recruiter - then on to the company itself. You really have to play along, especially if you want the gig. Now if it was like the article, 6 interviews, then yes, they're jerking you around

                    If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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                    L Offline
                    Lost User
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #12

                    Kevin Marois wrote:

                    Many times they have multiple candidates that they like, so they're reinterviewing to narrow down the list.

                    They'll always have multiple candidates, otherwise they're doing something terribly wrong.

                    Kevin Marois wrote:

                    Also, many companies do a first phone interview with the manager, then of you pass that they do a face to face. Nothing wrong with that.

                    That's a policy-choice; I don't do phone-interviews. In that case, I'd simply have to pass.

                    Kevin Marois wrote:

                    Also, many times you start with the totally useless interview with the equally useless recruiter - then on to the company itself. You really have to play along, especially if you want the gig.

                    Recruiters are expensive, and usually not worth the premium for the level of service provided. Mail the company directly, include a resume for pre-filtering and wait for the invitation. No, wouldn't want to do seventeen useless phone-interviews on a day while working, just because some recruiter wants to look busy and interested. You have the details, come with an offer or don't.

                    Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^][](X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett)

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                    • K Kevin Marois

                      I certainly wouldn't let it get to six interviews. 2 or 3 Maybe. After that I'd tell them to decide or cancel me.

                      If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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                      W Balboos GHB
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #13

                      That might depend upon how hungry you are or plan to be.

                      Ravings en masse^

                      "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                      "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

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                      • L Lost User

                        Kevin Marois wrote:

                        Many times they have multiple candidates that they like, so they're reinterviewing to narrow down the list.

                        They'll always have multiple candidates, otherwise they're doing something terribly wrong.

                        Kevin Marois wrote:

                        Also, many companies do a first phone interview with the manager, then of you pass that they do a face to face. Nothing wrong with that.

                        That's a policy-choice; I don't do phone-interviews. In that case, I'd simply have to pass.

                        Kevin Marois wrote:

                        Also, many times you start with the totally useless interview with the equally useless recruiter - then on to the company itself. You really have to play along, especially if you want the gig.

                        Recruiters are expensive, and usually not worth the premium for the level of service provided. Mail the company directly, include a resume for pre-filtering and wait for the invitation. No, wouldn't want to do seventeen useless phone-interviews on a day while working, just because some recruiter wants to look busy and interested. You have the details, come with an offer or don't.

                        Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^][](X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett)

                        K Offline
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                        Kevin Marois
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #14

                        Would you get in the car and drive an hour or so only to find out you're not qualified? Or That there's something about the company that you don't like? I had a phone interview with the Manager of Developers and a recruiter. I don't remember the subject but he asked me about some skill I needed, and when I asked him a question back he said "I'm asking the questions here!" I promptly hung up. Would you get into your interview clothes and drive to their office only to have something like that happen? To say I don't do phone interviews is silly and arrogant. Neither you nor they can make a solid decision without more than one talk. Both parties need time to think it over and follow up.

                        If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

                        L 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • K Kevin Marois

                          I actually walked out of an interview. They never even discussed programming or my resume. It was all "What's your favorite color" and "How would you handle someone who farts in the office" nonsense. After an hour of sitting in a room with 3 women who were not developers listening to this crap I just said "You know, I don't think this is for me" - and I left.

                          If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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                          G Offline
                          GuyThiebaut
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #15

                          :thumbsup: good on you! In one interview I was asked some 'quick fire'(that's how she put it) questions by the HR representative. The one which really did it for me was - "Which is more important - getting it done right or getting it done quickly?" I didn't know whether to ask if she was being serious in her questioning. As for "how would you handle someone who farts?", at that stage I would have been tempted to say that I would turn it into a competition and see if I could fart more loudly than them.

                          “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                          ― Christopher Hitchens

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                          • W W Balboos GHB

                            That might depend upon how hungry you are or plan to be.

                            Ravings en masse^

                            "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                            "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

                            K Offline
                            K Offline
                            Kevin Marois
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #16

                            I've got 32 years experience. I don't need multiple interviews. When I'm looking for work I always have 2 or 3 companies I'm interviewing with. If it takes more than 2 then I assume something's wrong.

                            If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

                            W S 2 Replies Last reply
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                            • K Kevin Marois

                              I've got 32 years experience. I don't need multiple interviews. When I'm looking for work I always have 2 or 3 companies I'm interviewing with. If it takes more than 2 then I assume something's wrong.

                              If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

                              W Offline
                              W Offline
                              W Balboos GHB
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #17

                              Kevin Marois wrote:

                              I've got 32 years experience. I don't need multiple interviews.

                              I'm forced to rely upon my divine inspiration.

                              Ravings en masse^

                              "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                              "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • K Kevin Marois

                                I actually walked out of an interview. They never even discussed programming or my resume. It was all "What's your favorite color" and "How would you handle someone who farts in the office" nonsense. After an hour of sitting in a room with 3 women who were not developers listening to this crap I just said "You know, I don't think this is for me" - and I left.

                                If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

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                                P Offline
                                Pualee
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #18

                                You know, if you had made it through that interview, those were going to be the people managing your projects and giving you requirements :wtf: "The UI isn't my favorite color" "I want the logo to be bigger" "I feel like it should do something else" "This program doesn't validate that our internal DBA isn't maliciously altering our data"

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                                0
                                • G GuyThiebaut

                                  :thumbsup: good on you! In one interview I was asked some 'quick fire'(that's how she put it) questions by the HR representative. The one which really did it for me was - "Which is more important - getting it done right or getting it done quickly?" I didn't know whether to ask if she was being serious in her questioning. As for "how would you handle someone who farts?", at that stage I would have been tempted to say that I would turn it into a competition and see if I could fart more loudly than them.

                                  “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                                  ― Christopher Hitchens

                                  P Offline
                                  P Offline
                                  Pualee
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #19

                                  GuyThiebaut wrote:

                                  "Which is more important - getting it done right or getting it done quickly?"

                                  I'm sorry, I was applying for a developer role, not a managerial one... go ask the manager.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • K Kevin Marois

                                    I've got 32 years experience. I don't need multiple interviews. When I'm looking for work I always have 2 or 3 companies I'm interviewing with. If it takes more than 2 then I assume something's wrong.

                                    If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

                                    S Offline
                                    S Offline
                                    Slacker007
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #20

                                    Kevin Marois wrote:

                                    If it takes more than 2 then I assume something's wrong.

                                    I feel the same way about that topic. :thumbsup:

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • G GuyThiebaut

                                      :thumbsup: good on you! In one interview I was asked some 'quick fire'(that's how she put it) questions by the HR representative. The one which really did it for me was - "Which is more important - getting it done right or getting it done quickly?" I didn't know whether to ask if she was being serious in her questioning. As for "how would you handle someone who farts?", at that stage I would have been tempted to say that I would turn it into a competition and see if I could fart more loudly than them.

                                      “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                                      ― Christopher Hitchens

                                      K Offline
                                      K Offline
                                      Kevin Marois
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #21

                                      I had a recruiter (woman, young, 23ish, california flower child "like wow man") ask me how much WPF experience I had. I said something like "5-6 years. She then asked how much XAML experience I had, to which I said "That's WPF. Same thing" She said "No, they're not the same". After 10 more minutes of explaining it to her she said "The client sent me these questions. Could you help me understand them so I can do a better job interviewing" When I finally got the client on the phone I told him about it and he just laughed. I didn't take the job.

                                      If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • G GuyThiebaut

                                        Yep, I had four interviews and a test with one place - two phone interviews, two meetings and a psychometric test. I didn't even have a technical test. I picked up off the grapevine that the place had pissed off a few recruiters doing the same thing to other candidates. Incidentally I remember back in the 80's and 90's, when in the UK a company would actually pay your travel costs to get you to the interview. Times have certainly changed.

                                        “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                                        ― Christopher Hitchens

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                                        R Offline
                                        RickZeeland
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #22

                                        The color of the database Dilbert Comic Strip on 1995-11-17 | Dilbert by Scott Adams[^] :cool:

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                                        • K Kevin Marois

                                          Would you get in the car and drive an hour or so only to find out you're not qualified? Or That there's something about the company that you don't like? I had a phone interview with the Manager of Developers and a recruiter. I don't remember the subject but he asked me about some skill I needed, and when I asked him a question back he said "I'm asking the questions here!" I promptly hung up. Would you get into your interview clothes and drive to their office only to have something like that happen? To say I don't do phone interviews is silly and arrogant. Neither you nor they can make a solid decision without more than one talk. Both parties need time to think it over and follow up.

                                          If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.

                                          L Offline
                                          L Offline
                                          Lost User
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #23

                                          Kevin Marois wrote:

                                          Would you get in the car and drive an hour or so only to find out you're not qualified?

                                          There is a vacancy and a description thereof. There is a resume. Compare both and you can find out without starting the car.

                                          Kevin Marois wrote:

                                          Or That there's something about the company that you don't like?

                                          Aw, yes, very important. If there is a theoretical match, then I will be wanting to see the IT-department, and talk to some of the people there.

                                          Kevin Marois wrote:

                                          I had a phone interview with the Manager of Developers and a recruiter. I don't remember the subject but he asked me about some skill I needed, and when I asked him a question back he said "I'm asking the questions here!" I promptly hung up.

                                          Like I said, a phone interview is a waste of time.

                                          Kevin Marois wrote:

                                          Would you get into your interview clothes and drive to their office only to have something like that happen?

                                          Having a phone-interview does not protect you much from that happening in the interview that would follow. I've had some strange interviews, and a share of strange employers.

                                          Kevin Marois wrote:

                                          To say I don't do phone interviews is silly and arrogant.

                                          Yes, that was what one of the recruiters said.

                                          Kevin Marois wrote:

                                          Neither you nor they can make a solid decision without more than one talk. Both parties need time to think it over and follow up.

                                          I've had five or six different employers, none of them needed more than one single talk. Sorry, but you make it sound like a woman who is shopping for shoes. It's not like dating where you need to make up your mind who you like more; we're in it for the money, not the general likeableness.

                                          Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^][](X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett)

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