Thursday 15 May 2014

A Hilarious Review On A ThoughtWorks Interview

Now, every Ex-ThoughtWorks friend of mine warned me to not go the company for discussions. But I really needed to find out why they were all asking me not to go. They also requested me to not make fun of the interviewers on their faces.

The first round of discussion was with two people. One of them seemed ready for some kind of war, while the other sported an expression which would steal all the smiles away from Jim Carrey's face. I was already looking forward to the exciting opportunity of losing an entire form of expression - happiness.

I was there hoping to talk about some of the big data work that ThoughtWorks had proudly displayed on their website: http://www.thoughtworks.com/big-data-analytics
I was immediately told by them that Big Data is all bovine excretion and that there are more solutions available than problems to solve. I was also told that Thought Works was never planning to become a Big Data house. So I tried to ask why they mentioned it on the website but all I got in response is - we're digressing, and that we needed to get back to the interview. I wondered for a short bit if I was at the Times Now studio in one of their interviews.

We began discussing Java. In two minutes, that discussion turned into a one-sided rage against Java and how the frameworks that people-successfully-used-worldwide-across-millions-of-organizations was the biggest crime of the 21st century, second only to Justin Bieber's shirtlessness. In the 5th minute it was evident that neither of them had any depth in the said frameworks yet had an opinion of its evil monstrosity. They prided on it too. It was like watching Yo Yo Honey Singh expressing his pride over being from UK (in spite of being there for only 2 years). Not to mention the pride over his two Yo(s). It also reminded me of his depth of Rap music.

The two of them tag teamed and took down the various elements of java while all I was thinking was - Man! What is stopping these two from joining Oracle and fixing Java so it can become the most widely used programing platform today? (Apart from the fact that a taser would be used and they’d be removed from the building).

The next set of gentlemen were a fine example of how ThoughtWorks can have the exact replica in "pairs" for both looks and thoughts. Here again, one of them was so devoid of happiness that Pharrel Williams would stop singing his Happy Song. Neither of them wanted to hear anything related to my past experience. Again, both of them lacked depth about frameworks and voila, up came the framework bashing. It was amusing to see such hard opinions created over nothingness. It was all like the glory of watching Himesh Reshammiya express his opinions on the errors of film making.

At the end, I learnt what my Ex-ThoughtWorks friends were trying to explain. The culture revolved about how having an opinion was more important that having knowledge and this opinion is not even self-formed. I also understood why Yo Yo Honey Singh has the right to keep that ridiculous name and be proud of it. At this rate he could obtain a 3rd Yo.

On a serious note, the interview experience was nothing but disappointing. Technology is but a means to solve problems that customers face. There is no need for egotistic attacks during an interview. Companies need to start keeping a check on the attitude and arrogance of their employees, especially during interviews. The panel is the face of the company’s culture. The interviewers and the processes are also being judged by candidates to decide if they are going to like working in the company. Companies should ensure to keep out arrogance as they expand.

Interviewing is a skill on its own. It doesn't come to you one fine day like puberty. Most companies lose out on good people because it's done by random employees who are completely clueless about an effective interview process. It's time employees are trained on how to take interviews before they are allowed to. Candidates have to be assessed for skills that are inclined to what the company needs, not what every random interviewer needs.

16 comments:

  1. Thanks for the candid feedback.

    I do wish that you had a better interview experience. This is my ninth year at ThoughtWorks India, and I've had a good time overall, with lots of learning, mostly good intellectual exchanges with smart people.

    Do write to me at my personal email address SriramNRN at gmail

    Best of luck.

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    1. Appreciate your response Ram, clearly there are a few bad apples ruining the entire image. The sooner they are trained/corrected, the better.

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    2. Importantly, I need this discussion to be open and not behind closed doors.

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  2. Post Tortoises..... look for one and you will find dozen!!

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    1. Not sure, but I think you are saying that you are liking this post may be?

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    2. An elderly farmer was in the Emergency Ward having stitches put in his hand, due to an accident with a piece of machinery. The doctor carrying out the procedure struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Politicians and their role as our leaders.

      The old farmer said, "Well, you know, most Politicians are 'Post Tortoises'.''

      Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him, what a 'Post Tortoise' was?

      The old farmer said, "When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a tortoise balanced on top, that's a post tortoise."

      The old farmer, seeing the puzzled look on the doctor's face, continued to explain. "You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, he's elevated beyond his ability to function, and you just wonder what kind of dumb fool put him up there to begin with."

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    3. That is the story of the post tortoise!!

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    4. The tortoise story is most hilarious and extremely apt too!

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  3. It's interesting to see quite a few people go on the defensive saying that they haven't come across this kind of a scenario at ThoughtWorks or their respective companies.

    Well that is the problem isn't it? The hiring folk assume that their employees/interviewers are always right. They assume that because the employee is good at delivering code, he/she must be good at assessment.

    Even if a candidate mentions that he was given a silly assessment as a feedback, no one would do anything with that feedback. In fact, it would simply be put back on to the candidate saying "He/She couldn't make it through our interviews, hence he/she is simply cribbing".

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  4. Hi,

    I am Chirag. I work at the ThoughtWorks office in Pune. I am keen to talk to you to understand better what happened in your interview, hoping that we can learn something from it.

    Please drop me an email and we can start a conversation. I am reachable on chirag dot doshi at gmail dot com.

    Chirag

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    1. Hi Chirag, thanks for reaching out. I have highlighted all the feedback for everyone who got back to me for this:
      http://lovethoughtworks.blogspot.in/2014/07/response-to-people-looking-for-feedback.html

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    2. Importantly, I need this discussion to be open and not behind closed doors.

      Delete
  5. Lolz, that Chirag guy is just trying his hardest to find out who the writer here is. I too have been to one of their interviews. Man you feel like they are really doing you a favor by giving them their time. Respect for an individual needs to be there regardless of if they join your conceited firm or not. But hey, I doubt you guys are going to accept your short comings.

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  6. hmmm, this company used to be a nice place once upon a time. I got out eventually. I'm not sure what caused the ego and false prestige. Some of the people on top where there for no credentials of theirs. While they sucked at their jobs, they made ours painful too! It could have been so awesome had it remained like before. Anyway, all good things come to an end.

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