4 ms·

Sounds like their application process works. If someone is unwilling to fill out a basic questionnaire they are probably aren't a good candidate. The questions

Sounds like their application process works. If someone is unwilling to fill out a basic questionnaire they are probably aren't a good candidate. The questions seem reasonable and they aren't asking for you to write a book for each one.

pc86 4y ago
25 questions, some of which would require a paragraph or more to adequately answer, is not "a basic questionnaire," is completely inappropriate to ask someone to do before even an initial phone screen, and is artisanal small batch bullshit of the highest (lowest?) quality. Whoever put this together should be fired, and the people defending it should be ashamed of themselves.
nieksand 4y ago
The questionnaire looks pretty reasonable, but I'd be concerned about the sketchy looking "Psychometric assessments" that's next in the list. Also, at what point will the candidate be able to vet whether Canonical is a suitable match? Is that only after this questionnaire, psych test, and take-home assignment?
throwanem 4y ago
Yeah, I'm sure their application process works great, for keeping their pipeline nice and empty of potentially worthwhile candidates. These questions are anything but "reasonable", either in their quantity or in the depth of demanded response. I'm sure that the team at Canonical feels this process works for them, and maybe it does, but I'd love to see what metrics they have to show that it does. (Or maybe they for some reason have to practice "hire slow, fire never"...)
- cogman10 4y ago
  Honestly looks like an attempt to get H1Bs. "We can't find any qualified candidates! Please give us cheap slave labor!"
corrral 4y ago
I ain't writing a fairly-long essay that includes a ton about what I did in high school(?!), for a chance at a job, unless the comp is insane.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
nescioquid 4y ago
Pretty entitled freshly-minted BS degree, no doubt. Goes from wanting to work for Canonical to wanting to "punish" them by telling them to stuff it and then posting a screed to reddit -- all from just seeing the application questionnaire. Doesn't seem a good indication for conscientiousness, integrity, and tact, frankly.
- corrral 4y ago
  > Doesn't seem a good indication for conscientiousness, integrity, and tact, frankly. Those things are for people. Companies can get fucked. They're a tool, and that's it. I don't practice tact toward a screwdriver. This application process is a joke, and warning other humans that this particular tool likes to waste their time is conscientiousness and integrity. Being kind to the people employed by them is commendable, of course.
  - bhhaskin 4y ago
    I am sure that is the exact attitude they are looking to filter out. And to be honest I can't think of any employer that is going to want hire an applicant that thinks they can get fucked, or think that what they do is nothing more that work for a "tool".
    - markshuttle 4y ago
      Exactly. Also, a craftsman would treat their screwdriver with respect and care, too.
  - nescioquid 4y ago
    Yeah, those things are for people, one of whom is the applicant in question. If you want something, you will have to jump through hoops. I'm not saying the hoops are legitimate, but you will have to jump through them anyway. My comment was about the person, not the hoops. If he really didn't want the job that much, then don't bother. If you do, jump through the fucking hoop. It honestly just seems like the person didn't want the job enough to invest in actually applying, but enough to bother publicly attacking a potential employer. What does this really say about the person's character?
detaro 4y ago
According to their CEO last month, their biggest challenge as a company is that they can't hire enough.
- markshuttle 4y ago
  To be clear, we are hiring lots of people every month now. We have 10,000-20,000 applications per month, it's just that we have a very high bar, and we are rigorous about it which takes time and effort. Also, our process doesn't work as well for some roles and some locations, so we continue to evolve it. But on balance, I am very happy with the growth of our teams and the calibre of our new colleagues.
- bhhaskin 4y ago
  That is just about every company right now.

pc86 4y ago

25 questions, some of which would require a paragraph or more to adequately answer, is not "a basic questionnaire," is completely inappropriate to ask someone to do before even an initial phone screen, and is artisanal small batch bullshit of the highest (lowest?) quality. Whoever put this together should be fired, and the people defending it should be ashamed of themselves.

nieksand 4y ago

The questionnaire looks pretty reasonable, but I'd be concerned about the sketchy looking "Psychometric assessments" that's next in the list. Also, at what point will the candidate be able to vet whether Canonical is a suitable match? Is that only after this questionnaire, psych test, and take-home assignment?

throwanem 4y ago

Yeah, I'm sure their application process works great, for keeping their pipeline nice and empty of potentially worthwhile candidates. These questions are anything but "reasonable", either in their quantity or in the depth of demanded response. I'm sure that the team at Canonical feels this process works for them, and maybe it does, but I'd love to see what metrics they have to show that it does. (Or maybe they for some reason have to practice "hire slow, fire never"...)

cogman10 4y ago
Honestly looks like an attempt to get H1Bs. "We can't find any qualified candidates! Please give us cheap slave labor!"

corrral 4y ago

I ain't writing a fairly-long essay that includes a ton about what I did in high school(?!), for a chance at a job, unless the comp is insane.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

nescioquid 4y ago

Pretty entitled freshly-minted BS degree, no doubt. Goes from wanting to work for Canonical to wanting to "punish" them by telling them to stuff it and then posting a screed to reddit -- all from just seeing the application questionnaire. Doesn't seem a good indication for conscientiousness, integrity, and tact, frankly.

corrral 4y ago
> Doesn't seem a good indication for conscientiousness, integrity, and tact, frankly. Those things are for people. Companies can get fucked. They're a tool, and that's it. I don't practice tact toward a screwdriver. This application process is a joke, and warning other humans that this particular tool likes to waste their time is conscientiousness and integrity. Being kind to the people employed by them is commendable, of course.
- bhhaskin 4y ago
  I am sure that is the exact attitude they are looking to filter out. And to be honest I can't think of any employer that is going to want hire an applicant that thinks they can get fucked, or think that what they do is nothing more that work for a "tool".
  - markshuttle 4y ago
    Exactly. Also, a craftsman would treat their screwdriver with respect and care, too.
- nescioquid 4y ago
  Yeah, those things are for people, one of whom is the applicant in question. If you want something, you will have to jump through hoops. I'm not saying the hoops are legitimate, but you will have to jump through them anyway. My comment was about the person, not the hoops. If he really didn't want the job that much, then don't bother. If you do, jump through the fucking hoop. It honestly just seems like the person didn't want the job enough to invest in actually applying, but enough to bother publicly attacking a potential employer. What does this really say about the person's character?

detaro 4y ago

According to their CEO last month, their biggest challenge as a company is that they can't hire enough.

markshuttle 4y ago
To be clear, we are hiring lots of people every month now. We have 10,000-20,000 applications per month, it's just that we have a very high bar, and we are rigorous about it which takes time and effort. Also, our process doesn't work as well for some roles and some locations, so we continue to evolve it. But on balance, I am very happy with the growth of our teams and the calibre of our new colleagues.
bhhaskin 4y ago
That is just about every company right now.