Quotes from the tech interview

[cjsmith]

(In a conference room with seven of them and one of me)
Him: Now that we have gone over your implementation, I want to ask: how long has it been since you have written any embedded code like this?
Me: A memory allocator? Yeah I have to admit I have written one before. I didn’t think it would be fair to go back and look at that code, since this was a coding question for an interview, so I didn’t.
Him: Okay, and how long has it been since then? Or since you've written ANY embedded code?
Me: Oh. Um. I guess not counting cell phones, uhhhh... 2005 or so? (Embarrassed look)
Him: *high five gesture* I just wanted the team to know that.

(Interview, mid-day)
Him: Now that we're done with the interview questions, I know you get this a lot but can I ask you veterinary stuff?

(Last interview of the day, videoconference, with a founder)
Him: I admit when I saw your resume I was a little concerned. More than ten years out of the field completely, and you think you can do this? I have trouble remembering things a lot more recent than that. How will you approach this? What makes you think you can do it?
Me: Well, at least this is a field I’ve seen before. Last time I took on a challenge this big I was going into completely unknown territory. But I won’t lie, I know it will be a bumpy road and I will have a lot of work to do.
[some discussion of how to approach it]
Me: I'm somewhat smart, but I'm also pretty stubborn, and sometimes that's what works.
Him: Now that I see you and know your personality a bit, I think I get it.

(Driving down the hill on the way out for the day)
Her: I love living nearby. I used to commute from Mountain View and it just got to be too much. Where are you coming from?
Me: Sunnyvale.
Her: Oh! Where do you work down there?
Me: Uh, Sunnyvale Veterinary Clinic.
[Pause]
Me: I’m a veterinarian.
Her: Oh! I thought you were... [trailing off, confused]
Me: Applying for an embedded systems coding job? Yeah.
[Pause]
Her: Oh WOW. ... Hey, did they tell you about our trial run with bull semen?

I gotta hand it to them, they’re flexible and engaged and they think a wacky unconventional background is intriguing rather than terrifying. I’ll take it. If I can.

Comments

[nosrednayduj]

Sounds like they like you... Good luck!!!

[brooksmoses]

Excellent!

[zahraa]

Good luck! It sounds like a good place.

[hitchhiker]

good luck! i'm excited for you :)

Embedded what, now?

[eichin]

Just catching up in reverse, but it occurs to me that that "trial run" comment must have seemed a bit strange to anyone reading this before knowing what company it was :-)

(It also sounds like they're interviewing well, which is rare...)