Vague interview take-home project assignment

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I am looking for a job abroad. There are companies that hire from abroad, and have a practice of assigning homeworks.



The problem is that the assignment is extremely vague. There are just 3 to 5 sentences about the requirements, expected quality level and such. And these are as vague as:



​> Whilst​ ​ we​ ​ encourage​ ​ you​ ​ to use​ ​ the​ ​ new​ ​ Java​ ​ 8 ​ ​ Stream​ ​ APIs​ ​ and​ ​ lambdas​ ​ try​ ​ to​ ​ avoid​ ​ code​ ​ that​ ​ is​ ​ more​ ​ functional​ ​ than object​ ​ oriented.​



Or




​ Make​ ​ things​ ​ as​ ​ simple​ ​ as​ ​ possible​ ​ and​ ​ as​ ​ complicated​ ​ as​ ​ needed




Or




​ The​ ​ goal is​ ​ not​ ​ to​ ​ cover​ ​ every​ ​ potential​ ​ level​ ​ of​ ​ abstraction​ ​ you​ ​ may​ ​ need​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ next​ ​ 5 ​ ​ years​ ​ but​ ​ the levels​ ​ you​ ​ think​ ​ make​ ​ sense​ ​ today​ ​ given​ ​ the​ ​ current​ ​ scope​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ application.




When I asked for the scope, they told me (towards the end of a good and friendly Skype interview) that "It should be under 8 hours, 4 hours if you're experienced".



No mentions of whether, how and to what extent the code should be tested; no coding style, no formatting. Some companies don't even tell target language/platform version preference. When you ask, the person from (I assume) HR tells you that would be "telling you the solution".



When I'm done with the projects, the response is, for some companies, "You're a rock star, we want you", and for others, "we expected more" and end of communication. And I followed roughly the same standards. Once when I asked for some more explanation, I only get an email with bullets:



  • the project is not well structured

  • code is not clean

  • Spring usage

  • API design

When I asked again what they mean, since other companies take my code style as good one, I get:




In my opinion it always makes sense to write proper code.
You were asked to provide a decent project to show you coding skills which we then can review. This is about style, structure, data structures, api design. This was all taken into account when reviewing your project assuming you did your best.




Again, just general terms, no explanation. I gave up.
(Let's put aside the fact that they wanted quality level matching "current​ ​ scope​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ application", which is - a 4 hour project to be trashed right after the hiring process - and now, they want "my best".)



I assume this site is visited by some recruiters, too.



How can I make these people to give me more specific assignments, where they would actually write what they want?



When I try to ask for them, they resist, and asking repeatedly feels like I am complicating things even at the start. But not asking puts me to a wheel of fortune that I will use the style that the reviewer likes. Such like:



  • What version of Java should it be coded for?

  • Should I use functional style?

  • Should I use immutable style?

  • Should I optimize rather for performance or for readability?

  • Should I prefer classes for all domain models or are Java collections enough where practical?

  • Should I use Optional<...> or is it okay to stick with null's?

  • Should I write getters/setters explicitely or is it ok to use Lombok?

  • Should I have an interface for each service if I write services?

Additionally:
Should I write unit tests and integration tests? (Not mentioned in the PDF.)






interviewing






share







New contributor




Ondra Žižka is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

























    up vote
    0
    down vote

    favorite












    I am looking for a job abroad. There are companies that hire from abroad, and have a practice of assigning homeworks.



    The problem is that the assignment is extremely vague. There are just 3 to 5 sentences about the requirements, expected quality level and such. And these are as vague as:



    ​> Whilst​ ​ we​ ​ encourage​ ​ you​ ​ to use​ ​ the​ ​ new​ ​ Java​ ​ 8 ​ ​ Stream​ ​ APIs​ ​ and​ ​ lambdas​ ​ try​ ​ to​ ​ avoid​ ​ code​ ​ that​ ​ is​ ​ more​ ​ functional​ ​ than object​ ​ oriented.​



    Or




    ​ Make​ ​ things​ ​ as​ ​ simple​ ​ as​ ​ possible​ ​ and​ ​ as​ ​ complicated​ ​ as​ ​ needed




    Or




    ​ The​ ​ goal is​ ​ not​ ​ to​ ​ cover​ ​ every​ ​ potential​ ​ level​ ​ of​ ​ abstraction​ ​ you​ ​ may​ ​ need​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ next​ ​ 5 ​ ​ years​ ​ but​ ​ the levels​ ​ you​ ​ think​ ​ make​ ​ sense​ ​ today​ ​ given​ ​ the​ ​ current​ ​ scope​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ application.




    When I asked for the scope, they told me (towards the end of a good and friendly Skype interview) that "It should be under 8 hours, 4 hours if you're experienced".



    No mentions of whether, how and to what extent the code should be tested; no coding style, no formatting. Some companies don't even tell target language/platform version preference. When you ask, the person from (I assume) HR tells you that would be "telling you the solution".



    When I'm done with the projects, the response is, for some companies, "You're a rock star, we want you", and for others, "we expected more" and end of communication. And I followed roughly the same standards. Once when I asked for some more explanation, I only get an email with bullets:



    • the project is not well structured

    • code is not clean

    • Spring usage

    • API design

    When I asked again what they mean, since other companies take my code style as good one, I get:




    In my opinion it always makes sense to write proper code.
    You were asked to provide a decent project to show you coding skills which we then can review. This is about style, structure, data structures, api design. This was all taken into account when reviewing your project assuming you did your best.




    Again, just general terms, no explanation. I gave up.
    (Let's put aside the fact that they wanted quality level matching "current​ ​ scope​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ application", which is - a 4 hour project to be trashed right after the hiring process - and now, they want "my best".)



    I assume this site is visited by some recruiters, too.



    How can I make these people to give me more specific assignments, where they would actually write what they want?



    When I try to ask for them, they resist, and asking repeatedly feels like I am complicating things even at the start. But not asking puts me to a wheel of fortune that I will use the style that the reviewer likes. Such like:



    • What version of Java should it be coded for?

    • Should I use functional style?

    • Should I use immutable style?

    • Should I optimize rather for performance or for readability?

    • Should I prefer classes for all domain models or are Java collections enough where practical?

    • Should I use Optional<...> or is it okay to stick with null's?

    • Should I write getters/setters explicitely or is it ok to use Lombok?

    • Should I have an interface for each service if I write services?

    Additionally:
    Should I write unit tests and integration tests? (Not mentioned in the PDF.)






    interviewing






    share







    New contributor




    Ondra Žižka is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.





















      up vote
      0
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      0
      down vote

      favorite











      I am looking for a job abroad. There are companies that hire from abroad, and have a practice of assigning homeworks.



      The problem is that the assignment is extremely vague. There are just 3 to 5 sentences about the requirements, expected quality level and such. And these are as vague as:



      ​> Whilst​ ​ we​ ​ encourage​ ​ you​ ​ to use​ ​ the​ ​ new​ ​ Java​ ​ 8 ​ ​ Stream​ ​ APIs​ ​ and​ ​ lambdas​ ​ try​ ​ to​ ​ avoid​ ​ code​ ​ that​ ​ is​ ​ more​ ​ functional​ ​ than object​ ​ oriented.​



      Or




      ​ Make​ ​ things​ ​ as​ ​ simple​ ​ as​ ​ possible​ ​ and​ ​ as​ ​ complicated​ ​ as​ ​ needed




      Or




      ​ The​ ​ goal is​ ​ not​ ​ to​ ​ cover​ ​ every​ ​ potential​ ​ level​ ​ of​ ​ abstraction​ ​ you​ ​ may​ ​ need​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ next​ ​ 5 ​ ​ years​ ​ but​ ​ the levels​ ​ you​ ​ think​ ​ make​ ​ sense​ ​ today​ ​ given​ ​ the​ ​ current​ ​ scope​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ application.




      When I asked for the scope, they told me (towards the end of a good and friendly Skype interview) that "It should be under 8 hours, 4 hours if you're experienced".



      No mentions of whether, how and to what extent the code should be tested; no coding style, no formatting. Some companies don't even tell target language/platform version preference. When you ask, the person from (I assume) HR tells you that would be "telling you the solution".



      When I'm done with the projects, the response is, for some companies, "You're a rock star, we want you", and for others, "we expected more" and end of communication. And I followed roughly the same standards. Once when I asked for some more explanation, I only get an email with bullets:



      • the project is not well structured

      • code is not clean

      • Spring usage

      • API design

      When I asked again what they mean, since other companies take my code style as good one, I get:




      In my opinion it always makes sense to write proper code.
      You were asked to provide a decent project to show you coding skills which we then can review. This is about style, structure, data structures, api design. This was all taken into account when reviewing your project assuming you did your best.




      Again, just general terms, no explanation. I gave up.
      (Let's put aside the fact that they wanted quality level matching "current​ ​ scope​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ application", which is - a 4 hour project to be trashed right after the hiring process - and now, they want "my best".)



      I assume this site is visited by some recruiters, too.



      How can I make these people to give me more specific assignments, where they would actually write what they want?



      When I try to ask for them, they resist, and asking repeatedly feels like I am complicating things even at the start. But not asking puts me to a wheel of fortune that I will use the style that the reviewer likes. Such like:



      • What version of Java should it be coded for?

      • Should I use functional style?

      • Should I use immutable style?

      • Should I optimize rather for performance or for readability?

      • Should I prefer classes for all domain models or are Java collections enough where practical?

      • Should I use Optional<...> or is it okay to stick with null's?

      • Should I write getters/setters explicitely or is it ok to use Lombok?

      • Should I have an interface for each service if I write services?

      Additionally:
      Should I write unit tests and integration tests? (Not mentioned in the PDF.)






      interviewing






      share







      New contributor




      Ondra Žižka is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      I am looking for a job abroad. There are companies that hire from abroad, and have a practice of assigning homeworks.



      The problem is that the assignment is extremely vague. There are just 3 to 5 sentences about the requirements, expected quality level and such. And these are as vague as:



      ​> Whilst​ ​ we​ ​ encourage​ ​ you​ ​ to use​ ​ the​ ​ new​ ​ Java​ ​ 8 ​ ​ Stream​ ​ APIs​ ​ and​ ​ lambdas​ ​ try​ ​ to​ ​ avoid​ ​ code​ ​ that​ ​ is​ ​ more​ ​ functional​ ​ than object​ ​ oriented.​



      Or




      ​ Make​ ​ things​ ​ as​ ​ simple​ ​ as​ ​ possible​ ​ and​ ​ as​ ​ complicated​ ​ as​ ​ needed




      Or




      ​ The​ ​ goal is​ ​ not​ ​ to​ ​ cover​ ​ every​ ​ potential​ ​ level​ ​ of​ ​ abstraction​ ​ you​ ​ may​ ​ need​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ next​ ​ 5 ​ ​ years​ ​ but​ ​ the levels​ ​ you​ ​ think​ ​ make​ ​ sense​ ​ today​ ​ given​ ​ the​ ​ current​ ​ scope​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ application.




      When I asked for the scope, they told me (towards the end of a good and friendly Skype interview) that "It should be under 8 hours, 4 hours if you're experienced".



      No mentions of whether, how and to what extent the code should be tested; no coding style, no formatting. Some companies don't even tell target language/platform version preference. When you ask, the person from (I assume) HR tells you that would be "telling you the solution".



      When I'm done with the projects, the response is, for some companies, "You're a rock star, we want you", and for others, "we expected more" and end of communication. And I followed roughly the same standards. Once when I asked for some more explanation, I only get an email with bullets:



      • the project is not well structured

      • code is not clean

      • Spring usage

      • API design

      When I asked again what they mean, since other companies take my code style as good one, I get:




      In my opinion it always makes sense to write proper code.
      You were asked to provide a decent project to show you coding skills which we then can review. This is about style, structure, data structures, api design. This was all taken into account when reviewing your project assuming you did your best.




      Again, just general terms, no explanation. I gave up.
      (Let's put aside the fact that they wanted quality level matching "current​ ​ scope​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ application", which is - a 4 hour project to be trashed right after the hiring process - and now, they want "my best".)



      I assume this site is visited by some recruiters, too.



      How can I make these people to give me more specific assignments, where they would actually write what they want?



      When I try to ask for them, they resist, and asking repeatedly feels like I am complicating things even at the start. But not asking puts me to a wheel of fortune that I will use the style that the reviewer likes. Such like:



      • What version of Java should it be coded for?

      • Should I use functional style?

      • Should I use immutable style?

      • Should I optimize rather for performance or for readability?

      • Should I prefer classes for all domain models or are Java collections enough where practical?

      • Should I use Optional<...> or is it okay to stick with null's?

      • Should I write getters/setters explicitely or is it ok to use Lombok?

      • Should I have an interface for each service if I write services?

      Additionally:
      Should I write unit tests and integration tests? (Not mentioned in the PDF.)






      interviewing




      interviewing





      share







      New contributor




      Ondra Žižka is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.










      share







      New contributor




      Ondra Žižka is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.








      share



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      New contributor




      Ondra Žižka is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









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      Ondra Žižka is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.






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      Check out our Code of Conduct.

























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