On code tests / and similar such tests
Hey isn’t it strange that they expect you to do and carry out code tests like homework? when looking for the IT job? I’ve done a variety, like there was this one day they had this Ubuntu machine and I had to figure out what was wrong with it.
It’s the same always when interviewing for Linux sys adm jobs, the task is always without exception to figure out why the disk is full even though it shouldn’t and it’s always either a) there are no inodes left (df -i), or b) a (big) file has been deleted, but the file handle is open cause there’s a process running which is using it still (lsof). Either they’ll want you to recover the file thru /proc/$pid/fd or else typically kill the process and thus free the space it used. Or c) the 5% (or whatever) root user allocation, which I dont remember off the top of my head how to fix. Theres a tune2fs flag or some shit like that.
Also sometimes a complimentary quiz about esoteric commands which you never actually encounter normally or at least I haven’t, like to do chattr -i if a root cannot remove a file, to remove the immutable property, or something.
for dev work its more like an IQ test soduko sudoku mind puzzle that you do on a screen and all around you are some smug looking hipster type guys who look at the screen with a bored expressions on their faces and make you self conscious because indeed they are judging you and watching you type and spiral into a type of soft lockup. Or they just want to see you JOIN two tables which also is hard under those circumstances.
If there are homeworks for dev work, its the knapsack problem or something.
I’ve never done a homework during school and it is fucked up to be doing it now as an adult so by default I would always typically decline such jobs, but alas the times have changed and you cannot feed your family on principles and pride.
This reminds me of a poster I found in an old punk LP which was like a big black white newspaper and which had this text on it: “don’t eat your soul to fill your belly” and I’m thinking about it now that it’s such a snarky remark. Even though I thought it was cool when I was young.
Hey times change isn’t it?