Hirin' Up

Several years ago, I heard about a Google challenge. The first part of it was posted on a billboard... You can find information about that one by searching "Google interview tests" or looking here. At the time, and even to this day, I think that is an ingenious way to find the right talent (assuming you pick tests that are relevant to your field...).

Recently, I stumbled across Dot Spots (found a job posting on Craig's List). There's mission is something completely obscure...

Our mission is to increase awareness of people by allowing the wisdom of crowds to be applied to every piece of information in the world. Cryptic? Yes, but then again, we're still in stealth mode.... ;)

What the hell does that mean?

Anyway, they've got some interesting challenges that you have to solve to get an interview...

• You've got to code up a crossword puzzle in Java (in the public domain already)
• You've got to code up a app which can describe some switch logic in plain English (logic is in the public domain so a decent Java programmer (i.e., not me) could probably code it up in an evening
• Finally, you have to send your resume to Y2hhbGxlbmdlQGRvdHNwb3RzLmNvbQo=

Now, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I found examples of both the problems and the answer to the e-mail address in under 2 hours but yet there are people out there who have coded up the two problems, but can't figure out the e-mail address (Google it here)..

I find that kind of comical. I just knew I'd seen that kind of encoding before some where and within about 20 minutes of hacking at it, it dawned on me... Once I figured out what it was, I reversed it in under 5 minutes with one line of PERL code.

Think I'm going to spill the beans? Hell no. Figure it out yourself or come groveling!!! :)

Anyway, I really think tests like these are great. They test competence, but they also test initiative. You have to want a job there (or be insanely challenge driven like me) to even bother.

Good employees who are passionate about the work and motivated. Hmm. Sounds like a good combo to me!

Let me know your thoughts and experiences. Have you ever had an employeer ask you to do anything more than pass a personality test (to make sure you're not an ax murder), a whizz quiz (to make sure your not a doper) and ask you to add 2+2 (to make sure your not a complete idiot)?

I have, sorta, but I want to hear your experiences.

Make some great experiences and enjoy the ride!

- Ray