After an in-person technical interview, we decided to advance a candidate to the next step in our hiring process, which is a brief, one-page written test with some relatively easy (or, easy to look-up) technical questions. It's designed mostly to gauge written communication, since our developers often interface directly with clients.
Mea culpa, I forgot to attach the test. Turns out I didn't need to, this guy already aced the written communication test.
Mea culpa, I forgot to attach the test. Turns out I didn't need to, this guy already aced the written communication test.
From: Thomas B-------
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 10:37 AM
To: James S------
Subject: RE: Written Test
When a big picture thinker with nearly 20 years of experience in
IT sends you a resume and cover letter like mine and says that he
can help you win a client that is pulling in 1.3 Billion per year,
here's what you don't do:
1. Set up an interview with a couple of in-the-box thinking
Microsoft drones with questions on minutia.
2. Hand him a test to see what his "style", attention to
detail, and problem solving approach is.
Here's my style: I am certain that I can run circles around your
best developers with my own, original, incredibly efficient model;
but more importantly, I am a director that can help them run
circles around their own current misguided misconceptions. But I
am thankful for this lesson, as I have learned that I need to add
a cover to my cover letter that reads: If you are an in-the-box
thinking Microsoft house, and you find yourself regurgitating
terms like OOP, MVC, TDD, BDD, Cucumber, etc..., without really
understanding what it all means and how much it is actually
costing your company to have bought into that industry pushed
bulltulip, then DO NOT contact me. I'd save you too much money,
and you obviously do not want that.
So the question now is: Did I pass the test?
The answer is: **** yes I did.
Thomas B-------
PS. You forgot to attach the quiz.
Do this: Print out a copy of it, ball it up, and throw it at
your own forehead, because that's what I would do if I were
there.
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 10:37 AM
To: James S------
Subject: RE: Written Test
When a big picture thinker with nearly 20 years of experience in
IT sends you a resume and cover letter like mine and says that he
can help you win a client that is pulling in 1.3 Billion per year,
here's what you don't do:
1. Set up an interview with a couple of in-the-box thinking
Microsoft drones with questions on minutia.
2. Hand him a test to see what his "style", attention to
detail, and problem solving approach is.
Here's my style: I am certain that I can run circles around your
best developers with my own, original, incredibly efficient model;
but more importantly, I am a director that can help them run
circles around their own current misguided misconceptions. But I
am thankful for this lesson, as I have learned that I need to add
a cover to my cover letter that reads: If you are an in-the-box
thinking Microsoft house, and you find yourself regurgitating
terms like OOP, MVC, TDD, BDD, Cucumber, etc..., without really
understanding what it all means and how much it is actually
costing your company to have bought into that industry pushed
bulltulip, then DO NOT contact me. I'd save you too much money,
and you obviously do not want that.
So the question now is: Did I pass the test?
The answer is: **** yes I did.
Thomas B-------
PS. You forgot to attach the quiz.
Do this: Print out a copy of it, ball it up, and throw it at
your own forehead, because that's what I would do if I were
there.
The Big Picture Thinker, A JavaScript-like Job, and The Job Opportunity - The Daily WTF
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