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Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

rajk.me

161–170 of 441 posts

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#161

The following information will be collected during the duration of the exam: Your microphone Your webcam Your physical location Your head movements Your eye movements Your mouth movements Creepy as all get-out. By all means, lets have more leaks like this.

Having just reread 1984, it seemed familiar to me. Sure, people cheat all the time to try to get a job (I have no idea why, even a cursory phone call will eliminate the ditch digger). Maybe Amazon should focus on making the jobs more enjoyable so people stick around and they wouldn't need such excess to find live bodies.

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#162

Though I agree these requirements are unacceptable, I'd like to point out that you've refused on grounds of privacy infringement and then leaked Amazon's private information.

Unless he signed an NDA prior to this, I don't see an issue.

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#163

The following information will be collected during the duration of the exam: Your microphone Your webcam Your physical location Your head movements Your eye movements Your mouth movements Creepy as all get-out. By all means, lets have more leaks like this.

I think it's a bit silly to get so worked up about this. The test is simply to gauge programming skill in an online test, and they want to check you are not cheating. Though I think they could have worded it without freaking people out: "You are going to be video monitored during the test".

What the heck is cheating in programming? Do people watch you on a webcam at work to see if you are reading stackoverflow?

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#164
post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Installed their proprietary software on my Mac 1) No 2) What if you don't have a web cam, say a desktop, not a MacBook?

I still have the original e-mail they sent me, below the requirements section to do it online (OS X or Windows PC, Webcam, Microphone, etc), they say: > If you do not have a webcam, your computer doesn’t meet the technical requirements, or for any reason you'd prefer to take the exam at a proctored location near you, please let me know. I’ll need you to provide your full legal name and current address, and I’ll be ab…

I think I would prefer the proctored location in any case.

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a practical sense, it's not much different from a math instructor having you clear the memory on your graphing calculator before an exam; it's an anti-cheating measure and given that this is an online assessment, it almost makes sense. However, from a philosophical point of view, it's Draconian and unnerving. What assurance does the interviewee have that Amazon isn't storing and using all this telemetry? Amazon is…

In the future, could you not use the phrase "bend over"? I don't think it has a place on HN.

The fact that this was downvoted proves the "enlightened" people here are nothing other than homophobic rape-apologists.

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#166
post #94

By all means, this is not unique to Amazon - not that it makes it any better. I did a post-grad interview for Epic (epic.com - healthcare software) in a similar fashion, that was at least as draconian. After passing a 15 minute phone screen, they sent me a link to a service that: * Installed their proprietary software on my Mac * Connected me to a real person who verified my DL against who they were expecting * Had m…

I think you made the right choice. I live in Madison and have some friends and coworkers who work or have worked for Epic. The burnout is epic (pun definitely intended).

I think the only ones who really like their jobs are a barista and a cook.

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#167
post #27

> You will not be able to open any tabs or windows If I had to code purely from memory, without the benefit of language or library docs, I would not be able to write anything of use. Personally when hiring, I'm not interested in a candidate's memory recall, but the ability to use resources when faced with a new challenge.

[deleted]

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#168

Why would anyone want to ever work for Amazon? Their culture is terrible and they are not innovative despite their claims to the contrary. They are simply a technical sweat shop that tries a lot of random things. There's more to life than working for a big tech company. Big tech companies are the worst. If you value your life and you're a creative person and good at what you do, find yourself a (good) medium size com…

Some people don't have the privilege of working anywhere other than big companies. They're completely fine at big companies and can overlook seemingly terrible culture because they can get immigration visas and green cards. Most startups and medium-sized software companies don't even consider applicants that aren't American. I don't have an American last name and the first question many recruiters ask me is about my citizenship.

Re: Software Engineering Internship Amazon Interview Experience

#169

I find this funny, stupid and creepy at the same time. Creepy - recording a dude's facial reactions, eye movements, mouth movements.. All this for a remote interview screening? Stupid - I believe quickly Googling for some documentation, or even better solutions can save loads of a developer time in this day and age with StackOverflow. I would instead consider a person that was smart enough to cheat in a code test lik…

On the other hand, if they were really looking for compliant, obedient, and desperate candidate who are "good enough", then I think this screening is a job well done!
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