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I once interviewed with Nokia Bell labs for the robotics team and got pretty close to the offer stage. But I ended up withdrawing from the process since the int

I once interviewed with Nokia Bell labs for the robotics team and got pretty close to the offer stage. But I ended up withdrawing from the process since the interview process was ridiculously tedious. I went to an onsite with a couple of whiteboarding sessions (they made me program on the computer for one of them), I had to talk to the CEO (or president, I forget), and it literally took me 9-5 for it but felt worth it cause the hiring manager was impressed. Afterwards, they wanted me to do another remote coding interview with a fellow researcher as a follow up, and after that another interview with some senior researcher for another follow up. When they asked me to set up a time for the senior researcher, I just couldn’t do it anymore. I really hope things has changed since then.

atleastoptimal 3y ago
Has Nokia Bell labs since the acquisition produced anything even within an order of magnitude as significant or impactful as Bell labs did during its heyday? What is it with incumbent old companies far past their prime paradoxically having much more stringent high standards for hiring? Is it a coping mechanism to believe that they are still at the caliber they once were by treating getting a job at their company like some necessarily arduous odyssey?
- pengaru 3y ago
  > What is it with incumbent old companies far past their prime paradoxically having much more stringent high standards for hiring? Is it a coping mechanism to believe that they are still at the caliber they once were by treating getting a job at their company like some necessarily arduous odyssey? I don't think it's some grand mystery; they're past their prime, not in a phase of aggressive growth. Layoffs at these places are far more likely than new hires. If a new hire is made, it's exceptional, and naturally involves a lot of deliberation/friction.

atleastoptimal 3y ago

Has Nokia Bell labs since the acquisition produced anything even within an order of magnitude as significant or impactful as Bell labs did during its heyday? What is it with incumbent old companies far past their prime paradoxically having much more stringent high standards for hiring? Is it a coping mechanism to believe that they are still at the caliber they once were by treating getting a job at their company like some necessarily arduous odyssey?

pengaru 3y ago
> What is it with incumbent old companies far past their prime paradoxically having much more stringent high standards for hiring? Is it a coping mechanism to believe that they are still at the caliber they once were by treating getting a job at their company like some necessarily arduous odyssey? I don't think it's some grand mystery; they're past their prime, not in a phase of aggressive growth. Layoffs at these places are far more likely than new hires. If a new hire is made, it's exceptional, and naturally involves a lot of deliberation/friction.