[AnalyticLunatic]

magius96, on 12 December 2012 - 02:10 PM, said:

Hey, you found my Christmas present, now mail that to me so I can unwrap it, eh?

Would if I could magius96 Last time I mailed monetary items, the journey was never completed

magius96, on 12 December 2012 - 02:10 PM, said:

I just finished an interview for a job where I'll be working in Flash to build game based training software. I'm a C# guy, but they're looking to hire me because I've made a few video games.

Hope things play out for you, sounds like an interesting opportunity!

magius96, on 12 December 2012 - 02:10 PM, said:

I'm currently working in my fourth job in computer programming and only two of those jobs used the same programming language. As a programmer, I've come to realize that it's better to learn the theory behind all programming languages first, then learn the required language as needed.

Amen. My first IT job was as a Data Analyst while still finishing courses for my Associates in Computer Programming. I had shown enough drive and personal interest in my field through Class/Freelance/Tutoring that they decided to take me on and train me despite having no analytical experience.

Currently in my first full-time Developer position and loving it!

[darek9576]

It all comes down to Problem Solving.

[magius96]

It's more complicated than that....it all comes down to solving the problem of creating problems to solve with your creative problem solving skills.

[e_i_pi]

BenignDesign, on 13 December 2012 - 12:49 AM, said:

The only one with any coding knowledge at all what so ever was the Network Admin.

So you're telling me the Veteran's Affairs Officer didn't have any experience in Drupal, Assembly, or Server Maintenance?! Sheesh, some people are lucky to have a job.

I think the best ad I've seen is from when I was job-hunting in my teens, this is a couple of decades ago, back when ads were in the newspaper and we had to walk backwards through the snow etc etc. It read something like "Junior Apprentice Chef, must be aged 16-18, minimum 5 years experience". Yes, back then they could stipulate things like age. Oh how times have changed. Now if we don't want someone of a specific age or culture, we just lie and tell them the quality of candidate was too high, and that they were unsuccessful this time. God bless equal opportunity employment.

This post has been edited by e_i_pi: 12 December 2012 - 08:21 PM

[magius96]

e_i_pi, on 12 December 2012 - 10:21 PM, said:

"Junior Apprentice Chef, must be aged 16-18, minimum 5 years experience". Yes, back then they could stipulate things like age.

And child labor wasn't frowned upon at all either apparently. To get that job one would have had to start working between 11 and 13 years old.

"I don't see child labor as a problem, my children work just fine." - Unknown

[Sergio Tapia]

BenignDesign, on 12 December 2012 - 10:49 AM, said:

no2pencil, on 12 December 2012 - 09:21 AM, said:

then once you are passed the HR gate you interview with someone that know what the job requires.

Not necessarily. I interviewed before a panel of 10 people:

1. The marketing director
2. The admissions lady
3. A librarian
4. Adult Basic Education coordinator
5. Network Administrator
6. Summer camps coordinator
7. Accounts receivable clerk
8. Enrollment department secretary
9. Financial aid counselor
10. Vet's Affairs coordinator

The only one with any coding knowledge at all what so ever was the Network Admin. He knew a smidgen of Javascript and knew he wanted someone who could write PHP because he's a big fan of open source.

Of course, I didn't know who any of these people were at my interview and I made an assumption that they all had some knowledge of coding as they were asking really good questions. Turns out the questions were a list they had pulled off the internet and no one had any clue what I was saying, but I used big, technical-sounding words and I was able to decipher the Network Admin's tiny snippets of Javascript.... so I got the job.

Spoiler

The script I was asked to explain was shown to me in three parts:

Part 1: A function called "DisplayPhoto" which literally did nothing more than display a .jpg.
Part 2: A call to a function called "DisplayPhoto" which literally did nothing more than call the function in Part 1.
Part 3: Both parts together.

When I was shown Part 2 and asked what it did, I immediately pointed out that it was calling the function from Part 1. I was shown Part 3 and pointed out that it was the exact same code as the previous parts... just shown together. I was then told that all further questions related to the code were now irrelevant because I caught the connection before they asked about it.

After I was hired, I was informed that I was the ONLY candidate who made the connection between the two pieces of code.

We gots winners in these here parts.

You literally described how I got 90% of my jobs in my lifetime.

A ) Be on time.
B ) Be personable.
C ) Use fancy words and don't hesitate - at all.
D ) Make them laugh.

It's really that simple.

This post has been edited by Sergio Tapia: 13 December 2012 - 12:30 PM

[AnalyticLunatic]

Sergio Tapia, on 13 December 2012 - 12:28 PM, said:

You literally described how I got 90% of my jobs in my lifetime.

A ) Be on time.
B ) Be personable.
C ) Use fancy words and don't hesitate - at all.
D ) Make them laugh.

It's really that simple.

That sums it up pretty well. For my current position, all I remember was walking in wearing a three-piece suit, 1 of the 3 on my interview panel commented on it, I made their comment into a joke, and the rest of the time was mostly where you from, yata yata yata.

There were next to no technical questions actually asked to me. However, I was enrolled at the State's top technical college at the time, so the reputation of the school might have greased the rails a little.

[darek9576]

Question is why would you accept a job where interview is easy - they dont ask you technical questions, they dont make you code on the spot, they dont ask for your portfolio.

If the interviewer spends 2 hours bombarding you with hard questions then it should at least tell you that your future colleagues will be good developers and that work will be challenging.

I have not been to many interviews but it's my take on things.

[no2pencil]

darek9576, on 13 December 2012 - 04:49 PM, said:

Question is why would you accept a job where interview is easy

Because it pays a boat load of money.

[BenignDesign]

To reiterate the previously made point:

AnalyticLunatic, on 12 December 2012 - 01:55 PM, said:

All about the Benjamin's!

For the company AND the employees.

[AnalyticLunatic]

darek9576, on 13 December 2012 - 02:49 PM, said:

Question is why would you accept a job where interview is easy - they dont ask you technical questions, they dont make you code on the spot, they dont ask for your portfolio.

Coding test was done prior to ever scheduling interview. I was surprised results were never shared or discussed, but I guess the interview/job attests to that matter.

no2pencil, on 13 December 2012 - 02:59 PM, said:

darek9576, on 13 December 2012 - 04:49 PM, said:

Question is why would you accept a job where interview is easy

Because it pays a boat load of money.

Not yet, but hopefully someday! Think tonight I may have just managed to pull off an 'A' in C++, so for now I'm content with that.

[magius96]

darek9576, on 13 December 2012 - 04:49 PM, said:

Question is why would you accept a job where interview is easy

If the interview is easy then the people you work for don't know anything. That gives you freedom to setup whatever systems you need to get your job done the way you want it and as fast as you can. That also generally means that with a little hard work, you can establish yourself into the company such that you are no longer expendable. This translates to job security.

Sure, the job may not pay the best in the world, but you could easily make it into a lay-back job with a bit of up-front work. In my experience, if they aren't asking technical questions then they don't really know what it takes to build what they are asking for.

[darek9576]

I don't have any commercial programming experience since i am looking for my first job (did only 3-month long internship) but being able to learn from a senior dev would be very important to me at this stage of my career. Job could suck since as you are right, they might want me to use certain technology or do something the way i would not do. But in your next job you could take a look at your past experience and separate the bad from the good and build on it.

What if the team you would join is led by a kick-ass developer who shares the knowledge and appreciates your input and likes being challenged when it comes to design or something else?

Maybe i do not trust my abilities enough but i would be scared knowing that the delivery of a project is on my shoulders entirely or to a large extent. Hope this will change!

And nobody is not expendable.

[AnalyticLunatic]

darek9576, on 14 December 2012 - 02:46 PM, said:

And nobody is not expendable.

*Everybody is expandable.

[Sergio Tapia]

darek9576, on 13 December 2012 - 05:49 PM, said:

If the interviewer spends 2 hours bombarding you with hard questions then it should at least tell you that your future colleagues will be good developers and that work will be challenging.

Literally not on my agenda. I couldn't care less about that. Give me money and I'll do things for you. It's that simple.