Ironically Ian's pre-screen test is more likely, I think, to pique people's attention than to weed them out. Hackers are compulsive problem solvers. I was tempted to solve the problems - and I've worked for Ian.
-B On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 8:53 AM, Michael Weisman <[email protected]> wrote: > My employer (Safe Software) grills people during job interviews with > quite difficult technical questions in an attempt to weed people out. > It seems to work quite well. > > I was actually impressed with the quiz and have been thinking about > potential solutions to them in my head (in Python, sh and Objective-C > for #1) just for fun! > > Michael > > On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 8:42 AM, Landon Blake <[email protected]> wrote: > > I believe, if properly constructed and administered, the tests could be a > > great way to weed out the candidate that knows how to shoot a good line > of > > bull, but who can’t really deliver the goods. > > > > > > > > Of course, depending on your business, you might only be interested in > the > > employee that can shoot a good line of bull. > > > > > > > > Landon > > > > Office Phone Number: (209) 946-0268 > > > > Cell Phone Number: (209) 992-0658 > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ian White > > Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 8:34 AM > > To: '[email protected]' > > Subject: Re: [Geowanking] Urban Mapping seeking Data Wrangler > > > > > > > > Fully agreed and no criticism detected! > > > > I think that pre-screening tests are probably less common in the > traditional > > geosphere--enterprise/government GIS tends to move at a different pace > and > > might shy on the more traditional side. For web-based geo it's > mainstream. > > If/when 'traditional' GIS gets whacked by the web this might change, but > > otherwise momentum is a very hard thing to change > > > > Ian White :: Urban Mapping Inc > > 690 Fifth Street Suite 200 :: San Francisco CA 94107 > > T.415.946.8170 :: F.866.385.8266 :: urbanmapping.com/blog > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: Landon Blake <[email protected]> > > To: Ian White; [email protected] <[email protected]> > > Sent: Thu Sep 10 10:21:20 2009 > > Subject: RE: [Geowanking] Urban Mapping seeking Data Wrangler > > > > I didn’t mean to come off as critical. I was just musing. > > > > > > > > I know Ian runs a company that does work I consider cutting edge and very > > interesting. We have discussed similar types of tests for practical > > knowledge for prospective employees at my own work place. We haven’t > > implemented them, but we have talked about them. > > > > > > > > I wonder how typical this type of test is becoming in the geospatial job > > market. Me thinks it wouldn’t have been extremely common two or three > years > > ago. > > > > > > > > Landon > > > > Office Phone Number: (209) 946-0268 > > > > Cell Phone Number: (209) 992-0658 > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ian White > > Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 8:14 AM > > To: '[email protected]' > > Subject: Re: [Geowanking] Urban Mapping seeking Data Wrangler > > > > > > > > It's a function of the job market--some candidates will find such tests > > arrogant and dismiss those employers out of hand while others find them > > attractive ("oh, this company 'gets' it") . All employers want to > identify > > and cultivate talent that likes a challenge. Also, nobody wants to waste > > time on a bad employee/employer match. I've heard some ad agencies make > > candidates develop an entire campaign in preparation for a job interview, > > something that clearly takes a significant of time. > > > > > > Ian White :: Urban Mapping Inc > > 690 Fifth Street Suite 200 :: San Francisco CA 94107 > > T.415.946.8170 :: F.866.385.8266 :: urbanmapping.com/blog > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: [email protected] < > [email protected]> > > To: [email protected] <[email protected]> > > Sent: Thu Sep 10 09:46:35 2009 > > Subject: Re: [Geowanking] Urban Mapping seeking Data Wrangler > > > > Reminds me of a job I applied for at a cabinet shop quite a few years > ago. > > They made me go to the back and measure pieces of wood. It was a good > thing > > my dad taught me how to use a tape measure. (I didn’t get the job at the > > cabinet shop. It was a good thing Safeway was hiring at the same time.) > > > > > > > > I wonder if this type of practical testing is more common now that the > job > > market is in the employer’s favor. It makes me glad I still have a job. > :] > > > > > > > > Landon > > > > Office Phone Number: (209) 946-0268 > > > > Cell Phone Number: (209) 992-0658 > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ian White > > Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 6:27 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [Geowanking] Urban Mapping seeking Data Wrangler > > > > > > > > Apologies for the crass commercial intent behind this note, but the only > > place worth fishing is where the fish are… > > > > > > > > Despite challenging economic times, we’re on the hunt for somebody new. > If > > this sounds like you, please consider yourself a candidate! Urban Mapping > is > > looking for a recent CS/EECS/CogSci/SymSys graduate with 1-2 years > > professional experience, solid academic background and experience working > > with large-scale datasets, databases, geodata and maps. You understand > good > > software design, can build robust tools and know how get things done with > > magic on the UNIX command line or scripts. You are confident in your > skills > > and potential, know when to RTFM, and aren’t afraid to ask questions. > > > > > > > > Urban Mapping is an established startup (read: we have paying customers) > in > > San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood. Our innovative work with geospatial > data > > and technology is always presenting new challenges. Currently, we need > help > > to create and manage a massive datastore of geo- and related data. You > will > > work in engineering as the de facto Data Wrangler but enjoy the > > entrepreneurial challenge and will find many areas to shine and learn. > > > > > > > > > > > > Essential knowledge: > > > > - Linux, shell scripting > > > > - Intermediate to advanced SQL > > > > - Very confident in one of: Python, Ruby, C, Perl, Java > > > > - Exposure to GIS and geospatial tools > > > > - Attention to detail > > > > > > > > The ideal candidate will: > > > > - Have FOSSG experience: PostgreSQL/PostGIS, GeoDjango, OSM > > > > - Know rendering and tiling tools (TileCache, Mapnik) > > > > - Understand cartography, projections, etc. > > > > - Server-side web development experience > > > > - Python/Django guru > > > > - WhereCamper! > > > > > > > > If this sounds of interest, please visit our blog to learn a bit more > about > > us: urbanmapping.com/blog. This is a full time position with salary, > health > > insurance, other benefits (Fri lunch on the company, occasional > > outings/retreats) and equity compensation. To apply, send your solutions > the > > following two problems, resume and a cover letter to > > [email protected]. Credit given for effort, and incomplete > > submissions will be ignored. > > > > > > > > Problem #1 – Show code to extract a list of unique IPs/apikey pairs from > a > > log with following format: > > > > > > > > napi.urbanmapping.com 208.13.194.18 - - [09/Sep/2009:10:43:11 -0700] > "GET > > > /neighborhoods/rest/getNeighborhoodsByLatLng?lat=43.6366595&lng=-79.4250212&format=xml&apikey=8k3pent5qzztwn > > HTTP/1.0" 200 1105 "-" "Drupal (+http://drupal.org/)" "Basic" > > getNeighborhoodsByLatLng 1 > > > > > > > > tapi.urbanmapping.com 83.40.19.38 - - [09/Sep/2009:10:44:44 -0700] "GET > > > /find/stations/near_point.json?lat=40.756945&lng=-73.978243&searchrange=1000&transit_system_id=&apikey=a2de289b1a93a8541f998 > > HTTP/1.0" 200 2434 "-" > > "Pingdom.com_bot_version_1.4_(http://www.pingdom.com/)" "Proximity" > > prox_stations_near_point 1 > > > > … > > > > > > > > Problem #2 – You have a dataset of geographic boundaries (Census Blocks) > > which aggregate demographic statistics. You want to estimate the same > > statistics for an arbitrary polygonal region. Describe a process for > > calculating these stats and discuss any problems with your solution. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Warning: > > Information provided via electronic media is not guaranteed against > defects > > including translation and transmission errors. If the reader is not the > > intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, > > distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If > you > > have received this information in error, please notify the sender > > immediately. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Geowanking mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Geowanking mailing list > [email protected] > http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org >
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