7 ms·

I was excited, it was a game company, and I'd wanted to get back into games - or more specifically, game engines - for a few years. The tech of this particular

I was excited, it was a game company, and I'd wanted to get back into games - or more specifically, game engines - for a few years. The tech of this particular company was interesting, an in-house engine developed by wunderkind, of course, and they'd invited me for an interview because I had done a fair bit of low-level work, which would be handy for their rough edges. Apparently. Half way through the interview, I had an epiphany. I really didn't want to work there. It was cultural, it just wasn't going to fit. I didn't waste any more time. Half-way through a white-board challenge, I put down the marker and said, plainly, "okay, I've seen enough, I don't want to work here - thanks and let me not waste any more of your time", picked up my coat and left. It wasn't a bad interview. It wasn't a terrible one. Nor was it because of the whiteboard question, or anything like that. I just didn't like the guys. That's all it was. And I couldn't stand the idea of working for them - just the way the interview proceeded. I don't need to give details. It was really the only time I ever got up mid-interview and left.

jval43 5mo ago
Always trust your gut. Especially when it comes to people. Don't overthink, never rationalize it. Accept your feeling, it's valid. If I learned anything from all my past mistakes in life, it's this.
- AussieWog93 5mo ago
  I had to check your profile after reading that first line. Fortunately 2016 join date, "No AI used in my comments". But holy cow that was uncanny after months of Claude
  - Chris2048 5mo ago
    Maybe this is the guy they trained the LLMs on?
- MiscIdeaMaker99 5mo ago
  Same. I left a really good job for a year, to go work for a company CEO'd by a buddy of mine. I had a bad, sinking feeling in my gut from the very beginning when In interviewed with my new boss (not my buddy). Sure enough, I fucking hated working for him, and quit after a year. When I was leaving my old job, I remember rationalizing it to myself that I would regret not doing it if I didn't try. I have mixed feelings about that job -- not necessarily regret for taking it, but definitely some regrets for how things went down at the end. With that being said, if I had turned down that job, I don't know if I would regret it now or not. Who's to say? Anyway, I got my old job back, and lasted there for several more years. It's still the best place I ever worked.
pan69 5mo ago
I had something similar years ago. I applied for a job at a company, size around 150 people. Did two rounds of interviews which were great. They wanted me to offer the role. However, as a third round, I was going to do a meet and greet with the CEO and he was going to yay or nay me. At point I dropped out. If a CEO can't trust his delegate managers to hire the people they see fit for a role, then thanks but no thanks. That's not a company culture I want to spend most of my waking hours in.
- anyfoo 5mo ago
  I don't know your particular situation, so it might be totally different, but I think this is commonly just a formality and a friendly chat. It's a chance for you to meet the actual CEO (or VP or whatever in a larger company), and also for them to get to meet you in advance, instead of effectively getting "blindsided" by a new person (to exaggerate a bit). Usually, by the time you've gotten to that point, the decision to hire you has well and truly been made. I don't know what then would need to happen for the actually rather secondary function of giving the CEO the opportunity to veto to become relevant. I'd be curious hearing about anyone who's ever experienced it (on whatever side). I guess it can be a safeguard against vastly unaligned values, but I suspect it's very rare. But primarily, and effectively, it's usually just a meet-and-greet. And it's hard for me to blame a CEO (or VP etc.) for at least getting to anyone who's going to enter a mutual contract to effectively become part of their company.
  - gamblor956 5mo ago
    it's usually just a meet-and-greet. Yes, it usually is. But in this case the problem was that the CEO could unilaterally override the decision made by everyone else, so it wasn't just a meet-and-greet.
    - anyfoo 5mo ago
      That is exactly the assumption I was operating under, I even called it a "veto". Does not change anything I wrote. (And of course the CEO can override any hiring decision anyway. The question is if they will.)
elzbardico 5mo ago
If it was Blizzard, I can completely understand you.
huflungdung 5mo ago
[dead]
torben-friis 5mo ago
I have never done what you did, but I am going to take note of the fact that it is something one can do. Because I've certainly had the same moment of realization a few times, and I went through the motions anyway.
- tonyedgecombe 5mo ago
  I've been on the other side where I decided I didn't want to hire the candidate. I'd ask them some leading questions so they could get out early if they wanted.
mannanj 5mo ago
Good. and you saved time by doing this. It feels more the right thing.
deleted 5mo ago
[deleted]
meerita 5mo ago
I had a similar experience with another company. At one point during the interview, the HR department asked me to do a really stupid exercise, despite the fact that I am an engineer with over 20 years of experience. I wrote an email saying I would not pursue the position, and they wrote back asking me to have another interview with them. I politely declined. They probably understood that their method was not good.
mattmanser 5mo ago
I had a similar thing where they were going through my code from a takehome. It was with an architect and a lead developer and the architect was really rubbing me up the wrong way. Stupid nitpicks that were all style preferences. Not at all talking about the actual code. I start pushing back and he starts getting a bit combative, which sets me off a bit too as these were the days jobs were plentiful. At some point he offhandedly mentioned I didn't need a particular line of code in the startup config. So I say, "Yes, that's required, it initializes the routing". He quips back, "No, that line's not necessary at all, you don't need it". The lead dev is looking completely exasperated at the architect at this point. I paused, started a screen share. Went to the line. Commented it out. Ran the program and it fell over. I then said, "I'm not interested in working with you, thanks for your time, bye"
m463 5mo ago
I remember interviewing once and they told me what they were working on. I was actually familiar with the product, but it had some glaring shortcomings, and I kind of groaned a little inside. And I told them that I liked some things about the product, but then I unfiltered sort of pointed out what was wrong. I really wasn't interested in working on it (though I didn't say that outright) And then they decided they loved and needed me. (and I didn't go there) Sort of like dating I think. Show a little skepticism and you might unintentionally get more interest than if you were open and sincere.
- pelotron 5mo ago
  I think the skepticism was the sincerity they were looking for.
- alexandre_m 5mo ago
  It's basically the confidence and being blunt. Pretty much like that Office Space scene when main character meets the Bobs.
Unbeliever69 5mo ago
Nothing will take years off your life better than working for people you don't like in a company you don't want to work at. I guess that is the problem with the current state of the world. Employers hold most of the cards and people are desperate to find and retain employment. As someone who has coupled themselves to the wrong trains more than I'd like to admit, I'd encourage all young engineers to ask themselves, "Is work more important than your mental and physical health?" Don't underestimate the affect of toxic people, management and companies on your brain and body. Over time you may pay the ultimate price; an early death.
- JellyBeanThief 5mo ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopsony https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopsony should be n our vocabulary.
firesteelrain 5mo ago
I left mid interview for a game company too. It was likely due to bad interview skills on behalf of the interviewer.

jval43 5mo ago

Always trust your gut. Especially when it comes to people. Don't overthink, never rationalize it. Accept your feeling, it's valid. If I learned anything from all my past mistakes in life, it's this.

AussieWog93 5mo ago
I had to check your profile after reading that first line. Fortunately 2016 join date, "No AI used in my comments". But holy cow that was uncanny after months of Claude
- Chris2048 5mo ago
  Maybe this is the guy they trained the LLMs on?
MiscIdeaMaker99 5mo ago
Same. I left a really good job for a year, to go work for a company CEO'd by a buddy of mine. I had a bad, sinking feeling in my gut from the very beginning when In interviewed with my new boss (not my buddy). Sure enough, I fucking hated working for him, and quit after a year. When I was leaving my old job, I remember rationalizing it to myself that I would regret not doing it if I didn't try. I have mixed feelings about that job -- not necessarily regret for taking it, but definitely some regrets for how things went down at the end. With that being said, if I had turned down that job, I don't know if I would regret it now or not. Who's to say? Anyway, I got my old job back, and lasted there for several more years. It's still the best place I ever worked.

pan69 5mo ago

I had something similar years ago. I applied for a job at a company, size around 150 people. Did two rounds of interviews which were great. They wanted me to offer the role. However, as a third round, I was going to do a meet and greet with the CEO and he was going to yay or nay me. At point I dropped out. If a CEO can't trust his delegate managers to hire the people they see fit for a role, then thanks but no thanks. That's not a company culture I want to spend most of my waking hours in.

anyfoo 5mo ago
I don't know your particular situation, so it might be totally different, but I think this is commonly just a formality and a friendly chat. It's a chance for you to meet the actual CEO (or VP or whatever in a larger company), and also for them to get to meet you in advance, instead of effectively getting "blindsided" by a new person (to exaggerate a bit). Usually, by the time you've gotten to that point, the decision to hire you has well and truly been made. I don't know what then would need to happen for the actually rather secondary function of giving the CEO the opportunity to veto to become relevant. I'd be curious hearing about anyone who's ever experienced it (on whatever side). I guess it can be a safeguard against vastly unaligned values, but I suspect it's very rare. But primarily, and effectively, it's usually just a meet-and-greet. And it's hard for me to blame a CEO (or VP etc.) for at least getting to anyone who's going to enter a mutual contract to effectively become part of their company.
- gamblor956 5mo ago
  it's usually just a meet-and-greet. Yes, it usually is. But in this case the problem was that the CEO could unilaterally override the decision made by everyone else, so it wasn't just a meet-and-greet.
  - anyfoo 5mo ago
    That is exactly the assumption I was operating under, I even called it a "veto". Does not change anything I wrote. (And of course the CEO can override any hiring decision anyway. The question is if they will.)

elzbardico 5mo ago

If it was Blizzard, I can completely understand you.

huflungdung 5mo ago

[dead]

torben-friis 5mo ago

I have never done what you did, but I am going to take note of the fact that it is something one can do. Because I've certainly had the same moment of realization a few times, and I went through the motions anyway.

tonyedgecombe 5mo ago
I've been on the other side where I decided I didn't want to hire the candidate. I'd ask them some leading questions so they could get out early if they wanted.

mannanj 5mo ago

Good. and you saved time by doing this. It feels more the right thing.

deleted 5mo ago

[deleted]

meerita 5mo ago

I had a similar experience with another company. At one point during the interview, the HR department asked me to do a really stupid exercise, despite the fact that I am an engineer with over 20 years of experience. I wrote an email saying I would not pursue the position, and they wrote back asking me to have another interview with them. I politely declined. They probably understood that their method was not good.

mattmanser 5mo ago

I had a similar thing where they were going through my code from a takehome. It was with an architect and a lead developer and the architect was really rubbing me up the wrong way. Stupid nitpicks that were all style preferences. Not at all talking about the actual code. I start pushing back and he starts getting a bit combative, which sets me off a bit too as these were the days jobs were plentiful. At some point he offhandedly mentioned I didn't need a particular line of code in the startup config. So I say, "Yes, that's required, it initializes the routing". He quips back, "No, that line's not necessary at all, you don't need it". The lead dev is looking completely exasperated at the architect at this point. I paused, started a screen share. Went to the line. Commented it out. Ran the program and it fell over. I then said, "I'm not interested in working with you, thanks for your time, bye"

m463 5mo ago

I remember interviewing once and they told me what they were working on. I was actually familiar with the product, but it had some glaring shortcomings, and I kind of groaned a little inside. And I told them that I liked some things about the product, but then I unfiltered sort of pointed out what was wrong. I really wasn't interested in working on it (though I didn't say that outright) And then they decided they loved and needed me. (and I didn't go there) Sort of like dating I think. Show a little skepticism and you might unintentionally get more interest than if you were open and sincere.

pelotron 5mo ago
I think the skepticism was the sincerity they were looking for.
alexandre_m 5mo ago
It's basically the confidence and being blunt. Pretty much like that Office Space scene when main character meets the Bobs.

Unbeliever69 5mo ago

Nothing will take years off your life better than working for people you don't like in a company you don't want to work at. I guess that is the problem with the current state of the world. Employers hold most of the cards and people are desperate to find and retain employment. As someone who has coupled themselves to the wrong trains more than I'd like to admit, I'd encourage all young engineers to ask themselves, "Is work more important than your mental and physical health?" Don't underestimate the affect of toxic people, management and companies on your brain and body. Over time you may pay the ultimate price; an early death.

JellyBeanThief 5mo ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopsony https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopsony should be n our vocabulary.

firesteelrain 5mo ago

I left mid interview for a game company too. It was likely due to bad interview skills on behalf of the interviewer.