[LRUG] My experience of Rails job hunting in London (so far!!)

[Anthony Gardner]

Sept 16th: I sent an initial email to LRUG looking for advice on how to 
go about looking for a job (which agencies etc.) as I am currently 
living in Holland but will be returning to the UK. I had a great 
response and made contact with a few companies that interested me.

First company: after a few emails, I was waiting for a response to an 
email when I finally chased them up as to whether they had received it. 
They eventually got back to me and explained they had already filled the 
position and apologised for not getting back to me and leaving me 
waiting. For leaving me waiting, they said "[they] know it's really 
annoying when companies do that!"

Little did I know what was in store for me in the coming months with 
regard to being left waiting.

Second company: After making contact with them from Holland, we agreed 
to meet when I was over in London. We finally met for a coffee close to 
the City and had an hour long chat but I never heard anything back from 
them.

Third company: After making contact with them from Holland, we agreed to 
meet when I was over in London. We finally met for a coffee close to the 
City and after an hour long chat, he asked me to send them some code 
examples and they would arrange for me to do a remote test where they 
could monitor how I work. I sent them some code examples the next day 
and heard nothing more from them.

Fourth company: After making contact with them from Holland, they asked 
me to do a remote test. Based on the result of that test, we had an 
informal telephone interview and based on that, they asked me to come to 
their offices for a face-to-face.

I arrived on time for the interview and that was a s good as it got. I 
was walked into an office by the guy who finally came to get me from 
reception, and there was a laptop on the table and another guy standing 
next to it.

I was told that I was at the computer and that we were going to add to 
the program I had sent them a month earlier. I was sandwiched between 
these two guys and doing my first ever pair programming, using my first 
ever Mac, and using Text Mate for the first time.

To say it was a complete and utter disaster would be an understatement. 
Not only could I not use the keyboard, the test coverage I sent them 
only covered the bits they were specific about in the test. I deleted 
all other tests which I would now need!! After 30mins of me faffing 
around, and trembling, and a blank mind and a total bag of nerves, we 
decided to call it a day. They offered to reschedule the interview but I 
said to them that if they wanted to email me tomorrow with a thanks but 
no thanks, then I was happy with that. They sent me the Thanks but no 
thanks email and I was okay with that.

Surely putting people at ease is an important aspect of interviews. 
Drinking a coffee, show them around a bit, explain what the next 2 hours 
would have in store, chew the fat, get to know each other. But no, let's 
sandwich this guy on a computer and get him working. I don't want to 
work for a company that does that.

First agency: After talking to this agency that specialises in Ruby 
work, I heard a lot of "cool" and "awesome" but nothing else. He said he 
would send me some jobs through and even after I chased him up, I heard 
nothing back.

Second agency: After talking to this agency that specialises in Ruby 
work, I sent him my CV only to be told it "was corrupt and unreadable" 
and that he couldn't open it. I had to convert my "corrupt" ODT file to 
a MS Doc file.

He did put me forward for a top job which I knew was totally out of my 
league but fortunately it never came off as they had filled the 
position. But I didn't hear anything else from him. And still haven't.

So LRUGers, I have some questions for you. Firstly, is it normal for 
companies not to get back to you. I was severely disappointed with that 
behaviour.

Pair programming: I am totally upfront with my experience with Rails and 
the fact that I haven't used it in industry, so no pair programming 
experience for me. What am I to do if companies insist on a pair 
programming exercise or just looking over my shoulder while I code. That 
really would not bring out the best of me as I would be a bag of nerves. 
Particularly after my first experience of doing that in an interview 
environment.

I think pair programming sounds like a good idea but for a test 
interview, it wouldn't suit me. I would really have to feel comfortable 
and know the people I'm doing it with.

What tips can you give me for finding the right job?

I have since been offered a job here in Holland but I have turned it 
down as I am returning to the UK in December - even though I don't have 
a job. So I am employable and I will renew my efforts in the New Year. 
But if it's more of the same, then I'm not hopeful for the future.

-Anthony