It was good to read your job search story. It mirrors my current one in a lot of ways.
I have also been turned down by "cool" companies because of Trivial Pursuit phone interviews, ill-conceived and job irrelevant snap coding tests and the "you must have a degree in computer science" requirement. I also have my age working against me although they have to cloak this objection in HR legal friendly terms like "not fitting with team dynamics".
I also like how you had a great, friendly, interview at the company you went to work for eventually. Too many companies still take the aggressive "We will break you" type interview.
As for the side project getting you jobs, that has worked for me in the past but it seems more, if not most, companies today are less interested in that now. I've even had a few take it as a negative. Maybe it's different in a more tech oriented company than it is with your average corporate developer position that I've been primarily interviewing with.
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It was good to read your job search story. It mirrors my current one in a lot of ways.
I have also been turned down by "cool" companies because of Trivial Pursuit phone interviews, ill-conceived and job irrelevant snap coding tests and the "you must have a degree in computer science" requirement. I also have my age working against me although they have to cloak this objection in HR legal friendly terms like "not fitting with team dynamics".
I also like how you had a great, friendly, interview at the company you went to work for eventually. Too many companies still take the aggressive "We will break you" type interview.
As for the side project getting you jobs, that has worked for me in the past but it seems more, if not most, companies today are less interested in that now. I've even had a few take it as a negative. Maybe it's different in a more tech oriented company than it is with your average corporate developer position that I've been primarily interviewing with.