The Daily WTF: Curious Perversions in Information Technology

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Lisa needs braces.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Dental Plan

(thank you Akismet for being awful)

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

SomeGuy:
You're not too smart, are you?

YHBT. YHL. HAND.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Sixth Guy just sounds like a bog standard stress interview.

I would have asked the relevance of the first question, which is probably what the guy was expecting.

Either way, simply asking the relevance would have either prevented you from wasting your time, or got you through the interview.

A WTF, but not on behalf of the interviewer.

Matt Westwood · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

dkf:
csrster:
Wouldn't it be easier just to reverse the polarity of the neutron flow?
Not without a good neutrino coupler, and they don't exactly grow on trees.

Fail. Any engineer worth his salt would have a sonic screwdriver about his person.

taylonr · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Re: The sixth interview Maybe the interviewee came across as super cocky in some of the other interviews. I've seen that first hand (on a team of interviewers) where on guy decided he'd had enough and just kept asking questions he knew the candidate couldn't answer. He wanted to show the guy he wasn't as good as he thought he was.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

taylonr:
Re: The sixth interview Maybe the interviewee came across as super cocky in some of the other interviews. I've seen that first hand (on a team of interviewers) where on guy decided he'd had enough and just kept asking questions he knew the candidate couldn't answer. He wanted to show the guy that he was an overbearing, bullying dick.

FTFY ;)

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

But the built-in AS/400 database was not rebranded as DB/2 back then.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

dkf:
csrster:
Wouldn't it be easier just to reverse the polarity of the neutron flow?
Not without a good neutrino coupler, and they don't exactly grow on trees.

You must be looking in the wrong sort of orchard.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Matt Westwood:
Yeah, now you mention it. Procrastinating. Supposed to be documenting (and proving) the fact that separability and compactness are continuous invariants but I'm too tired (been a stressful day in a client's impossibly hot office (now there's the WTF: spanking brand new business park, no air conditioning) and I can't think straight). Perhaps I ought to read another chapter of that Iain M. Banks novel instead.

Wow! Double nested brackets (as in an onion (any kind, white, yellow or sweet (or Vidalia in Georgia)))!

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Gobby:
Wow! Double nested brackets (as in an onion (any kind, white, yellow or sweet (or Vidalia in Georgia)))!

For this comment (inspired me (feeling this author words into my heart)).

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

I once conducted interviews for a whole week. At the last day, I wasn't even listening. I was thinking about how good a nice cold beer would be right now. Next time I'm the one being interviewed, if it's like 4:30 on a Friday, then after pleasantries, I'll offer to buy him a beer. Not the canned or bottled shit, but on tap, fresh keg. Pretty sure I'll get the job -- probably any job: nuclear technician, weapons designer, submarine pilot, King of Spain.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Gobby:
I once conducted interviews for a whole week. At the last day, I wasn't even listening. I was thinking about how good a nice cold beer would be right now. Next time I'm the one being interviewed, if it's like 4:30 on a Friday, then after pleasantries, I'll offer to buy him a beer. Not the canned or bottled shit, but on tap, fresh keg. Pretty sure I'll get the job -- probably any job: nuclear technician, weapons designer, submarine pilot, King of Spain.

That's probably how Nagesh got his job at a CMMi5 company...

Seriously though, that is a great idea. Although I usually go to interviews during the day, so after spending 2-5 hours with the interviewer(s), I would like to be on my way, whether to go home or go back to work.

SQLDave · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Dazed:
The last one is a mirror image of one of my experiences. We were looking for a programmer in a boom period when programmers were hard to find. I did the general interview for one young lady who came over pretty well, and then passed her on to a couple of the technical guys (who I didn't know very well) for the technical interview. Their report was negative, but they were a bit vague on just why they rejected her. This put me in a quandary - were they just being sexist?
Eventually I decided to go with their judgement, and rang her to let her know that we weren't interested. The response was a torrent of abuse which at least let me know that I'd made the right decision ...

So SHE is the person responsible for companies no longer letting interviewees know when a decision has been made. Bitch.

boog · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Gobby:
Pretty sure I'll get the job -- probably any job: nuclear technician, weapons designer, submarine pilot, King of Spain.

I once applied to be King of Spain. I even managed to get an interview, but I had to excuse myself after the first few questions because I just couldn't understand a word they were saying.

Something about transistors or relative motion of conductors or some shit. Not my strong suit...

operagost · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

cappeca:
"Moving on, why would one choose a power generation using the relative motion of conductors and fluxes instead of the modial interaction of magneto reluctance and capacitive duractance?"

You just do it.

... in COBOL. Because it's stable.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

boog:
Gobby:
Pretty sure I'll get the job -- probably any job: nuclear technician, weapons designer, submarine pilot, King of Spain.
I once applied to be King of Spain. I even managed to get an interview, but I had to excuse myself after the first few questions because I just couldn't understand a word they were saying.
Something about transistors or relative motion of conductors or some shit. Not my strong suit...

I held that job for awhile. Some say it was nepotism, but I say I was elected fair and square.

Off topic FYI - My wedding reception killed.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

i once went to an interview and spent 2 days doing their stupid programming tests. i had to write code on a piece of paper, with a pen, on plain paper (no lines) and was barred internet access. i got called a week later to tell me that my IT knowledge wasn't strong enough. 10 minutes later i got a call from the leading social networking company in my country and got a job at double the salary the other company was offering for the position... interviewers are idiots in general.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Obviously, I correct answer is this:

Mwa-hey, bwa-hai. The compression and expansion of the longitudinal waves cause the erratic oscillation, you can see it there, of the neighbouring particles.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

C-Octothorpe:
Obviously, I correct answer is this:
Mwa-hey, bwa-hai. The compression and expansion of the longitudinal waves cause the erratic oscillation, you can see it there, of the neighbouring particles.

Wow, proof reading isn't my strong suit...

boog · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Yanni Depp:
We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell 'em stories that don't go anywhere.
The single best Simpsons episode ever. 4:17 'Last Exit to Springfield'

They just don't make them like they used to. I loved the McBain opening.

"Ice to see you." "McBain!"

hoodaticus · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

SQLDave:
Dazed:
The last one is a mirror image of one of my experiences. We were looking for a programmer in a boom period when programmers were hard to find. I did the general interview for one young lady who came over pretty well, and then passed her on to a couple of the technical guys (who I didn't know very well) for the technical interview. Their report was negative, but they were a bit vague on just why they rejected her. This put me in a quandary - were they just being sexist?
Eventually I decided to go with their judgement, and rang her to let her know that we weren't interested. The response was a torrent of abuse which at least let me know that I'd made the right decision ...

So SHE is the person responsible for companies no longer letting interviewees know when a decision has been made. Bitch.

I idealistically started letting my candidates know when they didn't make the cut. Three candidates later, I gave up.

Fucking Indian dude started arguing with me about my decision. Not wanting a lawsuit, I added him to my spam filter, and that was that.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

hoodaticus:
SQLDave:
Dazed:
The last one is a mirror image of one of my experiences. We were looking for a programmer in a boom period when programmers were hard to find. I did the general interview for one young lady who came over pretty well, and then passed her on to a couple of the technical guys (who I didn't know very well) for the technical interview. Their report was negative, but they were a bit vague on just why they rejected her. This put me in a quandary - were they just being sexist?
Eventually I decided to go with their judgement, and rang her to let her know that we weren't interested. The response was a torrent of abuse which at least let me know that I'd made the right decision ...

So SHE is the person responsible for companies no longer letting interviewees know when a decision has been made. Bitch.
I idealistically started letting my candidates know when they didn't make the cut. Three candidates later, I gave up.

Fucking Indian dude started arguing with me about my decision. Not wanting a lawsuit, I added him to my spam filter, and that was that.

Yeah, I would think it's better to implement a "don't call us, we'll call you" policy.

Except when it comes to contracts and recruiters. I hate the never ending "you're a perfect fit, they need someone to start asap, fill out this matrix at work because the submission cutoff is in 2 hours, blah blah blah", then 3 months later they call you and regurgitate the same garbage about another role having completely forgotten about the previous role.

... but I'm not cynical...

SQLDave · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

PRMan:
neminem:
Hasteur:
Wow... I'm not going to begin to consider how messed up it is to

Bring your kids to a job interview

Leave them in the car during the day

parent them in the fact that it's perfectly ok to get naked in public and swim in strange pools.
While I would agree entirely with the first two, depending on the age of the children (or possibly not), it's entirely possible to imagine that they were certainly not being brought up to think that that was perfectly ok... but decided that they were going to do it anyway. Possibly even specifically for that reason. Did you never do anything your parents didn't want you to as a small child?

My younger daughter as a 2 year old would always answer the front door naked. 5 seconds ago she had clothes on but then the doorbell would ring and she was naked! I had no idea how she did that. But I can tell you that at certain ages, parenting has little to do with it. (She came to work with me recently and everyone remarked at how mature and well-behaved she was as a 10-year-old.)

Tasers are remarkable behavior modification tools.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

SQLDave:
PRMan:
neminem:
Hasteur:
Wow... I'm not going to begin to consider how messed up it is to

Bring your kids to a job interview

Leave them in the car during the day

parent them in the fact that it's perfectly ok to get naked in public and swim in strange pools.
While I would agree entirely with the first two, depending on the age of the children (or possibly not), it's entirely possible to imagine that they were certainly not being brought up to think that that was perfectly ok... but decided that they were going to do it anyway. Possibly even specifically for that reason. Did you never do anything your parents didn't want you to as a small child?

My younger daughter as a 2 year old would always answer the front door naked. 5 seconds ago she had clothes on but then the doorbell would ring and she was naked! I had no idea how she did that. But I can tell you that at certain ages, parenting has little to do with it. (She came to work with me recently and everyone remarked at how mature and well-behaved she was as a 10-year-old.)

Tasers are remarkable behavior modification tools.

Especially with invincible ninjas: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/19/modern_day_ninja/

I hate akismet... Piece of garbage... blah blah blah

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

cheezburger:
i once went to an interview and spent 2 days doing their stupid programming tests. i had to write code on a piece of paper, with a pen, on plain paper (no lines) and was barred internet access. i got called a week later to tell me that my IT knowledge wasn't strong enough. 10 minutes later i got a call from the leading social networking company in my country and got a job at double the salary the other company was offering for the position... interviewers are idiots in general.

Which ones where the idiots? The ones who passed on you or the ones that hired you?

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

cheezburger:
... i had to write code on a piece of paper, with a pen, on plain paper (no lines) ...

You had paper? They made me mash up some reeds and roll it flat with a AriZona bottle before I could begin the test. And I had to cut my own quill pen -- the hardest part was chasing that goose around the decorative pond.

-Harrow.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Harrow:
cheezburger:
... i had to write code on a piece of paper, with a pen, on plain paper (no lines) ...
You had paper? They made me mash up some reeds and roll it flat with a AriZona bottle before I could begin the test. And I had to cut my own quill pen -- the hardest part was chasing that goose around the decorative pond.
-Harrow.

That's nothing...

At one of my interviews, they made me write pseudo code on my skin with a piece of broken glass. Then they asked me to architect a solution for an automated taxi notification system with the blood I just bled. And then it got wierd: they asked me do something called a fizz-buzz test. It was then that I walked out of there...

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

boog:
I once applied to be King of Spain. I even managed to get an interview, but I had to excuse myself after the first few questions because I just couldn't understand a word they were saying.

Once I was the King of Spain. Now I eat humble pie.

Nagesh · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

In interview process in India, top companies will often give puzzles to aspiring candidates. Once candidate has solved 50 puzzle in less than 1 hour, he can go for next level of interview. If you fail, you go home.

This is for programmer candidate only. For other candidate, test are different. Political aspiration given task like how to bribe, how to cheat, how to kill without remorse.

frits · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

C-Octothorpe:
At one of my interviews, they made me write pseudo code on my skin with a piece of broken glass.

The only text I ever carved into my skin was "Slayer".

One a side note, is 4/20 a holiday at TDWTF?

hoodaticus · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Nagesh:
In interview process in India, top companies will often give puzzles to aspiring candidates. Once candidate has solved 50 puzzle in less than 1 hour, he can go for next level of interview. If you fail, you go home.
This is for programmer candidate only. For other candidate, test are different. Political aspiration given task like how to bribe, how to cheat, how to kill without remorse.

It's official: no one can deny now that Nagesh is both fake and a troll.

hoodaticus · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

frits:
C-Octothorpe:
At one of my interviews, they made me write pseudo code on my skin with a piece of broken glass.

The only text I ever carved into my skin was "Slayer".

One a side note, is 4/20 a holiday at TDWTF?

I'm getting high right now.

Nagesh · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

hoodaticus:
Nagesh:
In interview process in India, top companies will often give puzzles to aspiring candidates. Once candidate has solved 50 puzzle in less than 1 hour, he can go for next level of interview. If you fail, you go home.
This is for programmer candidate only. For other candidate, test are different. Political aspiration given task like how to bribe, how to cheat, how to kill without remorse.
It's official: no one can deny now that Nagesh is both fake and a troll.

hoodarino, Label of troll doesn't bother me (since you make definition, I don't care), but label of fake is too much. you can go look for INFOSYS SELECTION PROCESS! come back after you have googled well. INFOSYS is #1 company in India.

I work with #2.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

hoodaticus:
frits:
C-Octothorpe:
At one of my interviews, they made me write pseudo code on my skin with a piece of broken glass.

The only text I ever carved into my skin was "Slayer".

One a side note, is 4/20 a holiday at TDWTF?
I'm getting high right now.

Damnit, I thought you were driving today!

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Matt Westwood:
Perhaps I ought to read another chapter of that Iain M. Banks novel instead.

Always a correct answer.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Nagesh:
hoodaticus:
Nagesh:
In interview process in India, top companies will often give puzzles to aspiring candidates. Once candidate has solved 50 puzzle in less than 1 hour, he can go for next level of interview. If you fail, you go home.
This is for programmer candidate only. For other candidate, test are different. Political aspiration given task like how to bribe, how to cheat, how to kill without remorse.
It's official: no one can deny now that Nagesh is both fake and a troll.

hoodarino, Label of troll doesn't bother me (since you make definition, I don't care), but label of fake is too much. you can go look for INFOSYS SELECTION PROCESS! come back after you have googled well. INFOSYS is #1 company in India.

I work with #2.

Nagesh is the guy on the right in the jacket... You can see biryani in his hand.

http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/jul/17sd4.htm

PS - Infosys isn't the #1 company in India

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Simple SImon:
The Great Lobachevsky:
"Moving on, why would one choose a power generation using the relative motion of conductors and fluxes instead of the modial interaction of magneto reluctance and capacitive duractance?"
I wonder how many other people here got the Retroencabulator reference :)
damnum - damnum Askismet...

Not me. Please explain.

I can't get to youtube from work, but search for Rockwell Retroencabulator and I'm sure you'll find their brilliant marketing video :)

Nagesh · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

C-Octothorpe:
Nagesh:
hoodaticus:
Nagesh:
In interview process in India, top companies will often give puzzles to aspiring candidates. Once candidate has solved 50 puzzle in less than 1 hour, he can go for next level of interview. If you fail, you go home.
This is for programmer candidate only. For other candidate, test are different. Political aspiration given task like how to bribe, how to cheat, how to kill without remorse.
It's official: no one can deny now that Nagesh is both fake and a troll.

hoodarino, Label of troll doesn't bother me (since you make definition, I don't care), but label of fake is too much. you can go look for INFOSYS SELECTION PROCESS! come back after you have googled well. INFOSYS is #1 company in India.

I work with #2.

Nagesh is the guy on the right in the jacket... You can see biryani in his hand.

http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/jul/17sd4.htm

PS - Infosys isn't the #1 company in India

I should have said software company. My mistake. If you are thinking TCS, then it is company that most programmer want to leave ASAP. So don't go there.

Also don't give me link to old dated article.

hoodaticus · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Nagesh:
hoodaticus:
Nagesh:
In interview process in India, top companies will often give puzzles to aspiring candidates. Once candidate has solved 50 puzzle in less than 1 hour, he can go for next level of interview. If you fail, you go home.
This is for programmer candidate only. For other candidate, test are different. Political aspiration given task like how to bribe, how to cheat, how to kill without remorse.
It's official: no one can deny now that Nagesh is both fake and a troll.

hoodarino, Label of troll doesn't bother me (since you make definition, I don't care), but label of fake is too much. you can go look for INFOSYS SELECTION PROCESS! come back after you have googled well. INFOSYS is #1 company in India.

I work with #2.

I withdraw both the troll comment and the fake comment. I just couldn't fathom having candidates iterate through a collection of puzzles that belong on an IQ or LSAT test. My problem hasn't been the intelligence of my candidates - it's their utter lack of programming potential.

hoodaticus · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

C-Octothorpe:
hoodaticus:
frits:
C-Octothorpe:
At one of my interviews, they made me write pseudo code on my skin with a piece of broken glass.

The only text I ever carved into my skin was "Slayer".

One a side note, is 4/20 a holiday at TDWTF?
I'm getting high right now.

Damnit, I thought you were driving today!

Whoa dude, I guess I forgot. I wonder how that happened.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Nagesh:
I should have said software company. My mistake. If you are thinking TCS, then it is company that most programmer want to leave ASAP. So don't go there.
Also don't give me link to old dated article.

Didn't realize that the artice was from 2008 until I posted. I'm thinking Wipro, HCL or iGate.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

frits:
C-Octothorpe:
At one of my interviews, they made me write pseudo code on my skin with a piece of broken glass.

The only text I ever carved into my skin was "Slayer".

One a side note, is 4/20 a holiday at TDWTF?

Hitler's birthday - Alex is a well know neo-Nazi

#notintendedtobeafactualstatement

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

The REAL wtf is "sheepishly burst". Those two things do not belong in a sentence together, let alone right next to each other.

CAPTCHA: dolor dolor bills y'all

Nagesh · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Anon:
frits:
C-Octothorpe:
At one of my interviews, they made me write pseudo code on my skin with a piece of broken glass.

The only text I ever carved into my skin was "Slayer".

One a side note, is 4/20 a holiday at TDWTF?

Hitler's birthday - Alex is a well know neo-Nazi

#notintendedtobeafactualstatement

Stop spreding rumours like this. HItler is not liked by anybody I know.

Nagesh · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

C-Octothorpe:
Nagesh:
I should have said software company. My mistake. If you are thinking TCS, then it is company that most programmer want to leave ASAP. So don't go there.
Also don't give me link to old dated article.

Didn't realize that the artice was from 2008 until I posted. I'm thinking Wipro, HCL or iGate.

i impress that you know so much about india companies. iGate is trying to catch up. infy is still #1 place to go to work for. tcs paying peanut to programer and getting monkeys. i think lot of client all over world hire tcs for cheap price.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Nagesh:
Anon:
frits:
C-Octothorpe:
At one of my interviews, they made me write pseudo code on my skin with a piece of broken glass.

The only text I ever carved into my skin was "Slayer".

One a side note, is 4/20 a holiday at TDWTF?

Hitler's birthday - Alex is a well know neo-Nazi

#notintendedtobeafactualstatement

Stop spreding rumours like this. HItler is not liked by anybody I know.

I'm not too sure about the skin-head scene in hyderabad, but everywhere else in the world, unfortunately it still lives on... Usually consists of extremists who are usually ignored by society as a whole, but nonetheless they do exist. You can usually spot the types from a mile away: eyes spaced close together, sloping forehead; almost like there was a little too much chlorine in the very shallow gene pool.

2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Nagesh:
C-Octothorpe:
Nagesh:
I should have said software company. My mistake. If you are thinking TCS, then it is company that most programmer want to leave ASAP. So don't go there.
Also don't give me link to old dated article.

Didn't realize that the artice was from 2008 until I posted. I'm thinking Wipro, HCL or iGate.

i impress that you know so much about india companies. iGate is trying to catch up. infy is still #1 place to go to work for. tcs paying peanut to programer and getting monkeys. i think lot of client all over world hire tcs for cheap price.

I've personally worked with about 4 vendors from India, but I would say I had the best (least worst?) experience with iGate developers.

boog · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

Nagesh:
In interview process in India, top companies will often give puzzles to aspiring candidates. Once candidate has solved 50 puzzle in less than 1 hour, he can go for next level of interview. If you fail, you go home.

So top companies in India prefer to hire people on the basis of whether or not they think puzzles are really neat? Sounds very Job Interview 2.0.

But it explains a lot.

Nagesh · 2011-04-20 Reply Admin

boog:
Nagesh:
In interview process in India, top companies will often give puzzles to aspiring candidates. Once candidate has solved 50 puzzle in less than 1 hour, he can go for next level of interview. If you fail, you go home.
So top companies in India prefer to hire people on the basis of whether or not they think puzzles are really neat? Sounds very Job Interview 2.0.
But it explains a lot.

i am person with bad english, but you're having reading comprehension trouble, madarchod! I said first level of interview. What part of that statement, you are not able to digest?

The Sixth Guy, The Company Pond, and More

Leave a comment on “The Sixth Guy, The Company Pond, and More”