Help Rep get a job thread [Archive] - Bordersdown (NTSC-uk)

Rep

21-09-2011, 11:45 AM

Ok people, after 12 months of being out of work and 20 unsuccessful interviews I'm changing tact again. I'm forever being nipped to the post by people with commercial experience, so could use a little of that myself :) Here's my little task:

A call management application shows data about calls in a day and the ones currently in progress. This application has performance issues, the higher the amount of users, the slower it becomes. The data shown is also behind what is happening at the time, changes to the database are also sometimes lost, UI will occasionally freeze.

Architecture wise, there is a database, application on each users computer, and a windows service calculating the calls.

Couple of ideas I've come up with include: Too many requests to the database, could be resolved by splitting it? Concurrency issues, two users could be accessing the same data, user one updates it, users two is still working with the original value which no longer exists. Application could be altered to run on a server, and work with sessions.

Have people got any other ideas? :) Help would be massively appreciated.

Daragon

21-09-2011, 12:32 PM

Not related directly to your task, but have you considered offering your services on a voluntary basis for a few months for some experience to add to the CV? I was in your boat up until a few months ago after finishing up with work placements.

I probably don't need to tell you that coming fresh out of uni over the past 3-4 years or so has been hard going on even the best graduates.

FSW

21-09-2011, 12:45 PM

Has that task been given to you by a prospective employer? Is it a real task or fictional?

It sounds to me like the database access code is locking database too long (getting slower, UI freezing) . Also seems like updates to the database aren't in critical sections so more that one person can update the same record at the same time (changes to database lost).

Rep

21-09-2011, 12:51 PM

Yes, It's been given to me by a prospective employer, I imagine It's a bit of both, since they develop phone systems :) The brief is pretty vague so I can't even begin to imagine what they currently use (Other than .NET). The task is purely theoretical, I've not been asked to implement anything, Identify issues and recommend solutions only.

FSW

21-09-2011, 01:10 PM

Ah ok, so they're testing your problem solving skills albeit at a technical level. It's all a bit vague like you say. I would guess they're looking for buzzwords here and you've touched on them already. Looks like:

1. The system is experiencing deadlocks due to more than one process (user) trying to gain exclusive access to a resource at the same time - user 2 doesn't get access until user 1 has finished, thus the UI freeze.
2. Missing some mutual exclusion code to protect the database from simultaneous updates, resulting in lost updates

Solution is to examine the sections of code that deal with record retrieval and record updates I would say. The record retrieval is likely being too strict about having exclusive access when it doesn't need it and the update code isn't strict enough.

Good luck

abigsmurf

21-09-2011, 02:24 PM

Incredibly vague spec which is always a pain.

The application shouldn't be coded so that the UI elements are waiting on external communications. Have the database communications handled on a seperate thread to the one handling the UI interactions. The thread communicating with the DB only calls the functions to update the UI once it's retreived/sent the data.

I'd migrate the db to a centralised server using a system designed to cope with large amounts of users, some form of SQL. Have it flag a piece of data that is currently being edited so another user is prevented from also doing so (with perhaps the option of booting them out depending on their permissions). Possibly allow read only access to a piece of data currently being edited with a warning that it may be outdated.

Rep

21-09-2011, 02:32 PM

Excellent advice as always, thank you, far more detailed answers than I could come up with :) Hopefully I won't need to turn this thread into a mini-blog during the future :lol:

FSW

21-09-2011, 04:08 PM

I might be wrong of course ;)

Rep

29-09-2011, 12:17 PM

Well despite a 3 hour long interview, being told they were impressed and the answers to the test being spot on, I still didn't get the job :( Back to square one (again).

Rep

17-01-2012, 07:20 AM

If any developers work in Altringham, I'm on my way to see you this morning ;) C# and C++ developer, here's hoping new year, new start :lol:

Robster

18-01-2012, 12:08 AM

Well despite a 3 hour long interview, being told they were impressed and the answers to the test being spot on, I still didn't get the job :( Back to square one (again).

Did you obtain feedback from the interview, its very good to see where you are going wrong or what is holding you back.:)

Rep

18-01-2012, 11:55 AM

Nope, the guy never even had the rocks to phone me, was a quick email telling me I was unsuccessful. When I have asked for feedback, they've always taken a hire with commercial experience (which I don't have since graduating).

http://mthruf.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/job-fails-the-paradox-of-finding-any-job-ever.png

Daragon

18-01-2012, 01:39 PM

As funny as that comic appears to be, the fact of the matter is that the message it's giving across just isn't going to cut it and probably won't cut it for a good few years until the state of the world's economy improves. I could have written it about myself very easily - 4 years I was out of work for after finishing uni, simply because I thought like that strip did. The fact of the matter is you don't need to be paid to gain on the job experience and employers are going to realise that, now more than ever. If you're going up for a job against someone with a better grade, someone from a better uni or someone who has commercial history then unfortunately your chance of getting the job is going to be slim at best, normally only snagging it if your competition all die in mysterious circumstances for example, but from your experience I'm betting you don't need me to tell you this.

Make it clear on your CV that you're willing to do a set period of unpaid time with a company (at least a few months say, 6+, heck even adding those words to the CV might just give you the edge as it shows you're more keen to work) and USUALLY they'll end up keeping you on for paid work. At the very least if they don't, you have that experience that you need.

Presumably you're already trained up thanks to uni, so most companies won't even need to spend time showing you the ropes, so they have very little to lose.

Robster

18-01-2012, 07:52 PM

Daragon speaks the truth, voluntary work is the best way to gain experience.

Always try to obtain feedback,they may tell you they hired someone with experience but dont concern yourself with that. You need to concentrate on your feedback and how well you did, anything you can improve on.

If you have all positive feedback and its only the experience that is holding you back, get some voluntary work in and you will have a job in no time.

Being pro active about your lack of experience displays all the right qualities an employer is looking for and its also a great addition to your cv.

Hope this helps, let us know how you get on fella :)

dataDave

19-01-2012, 01:07 AM

Can you still claim job seekers allowance whilst doing voluntary? Some people don't have the luxury of still living at home.

I'd hate to have to be homeless and hungry whilst trying to do a technical job, your mind wouldn't be anywhere near on it.

Daragon

19-01-2012, 01:34 AM

I could still claim while I was doing voluntary work.

Pikate

19-01-2012, 09:47 AM

Are you applying for jobs exclusively in IT? Might be worth taking any job just to get yourself working/active again? I'm studying at Uni but I work part-time at a store in Liverpool One and I see loads of people dropping off CVs to my manager that get dismissed because of lack of recent/current employment... And that's just for shop work, I imagine showing you can actually turn up and hack the hours is more important to someone who is going to be investing in training and giving you responsibility?

Also remember to be self-confident and friendly? It sounds like a little thing but where I work I just walked in to enquire but I got chatting with the manager and she offered me a job even though they weren't advertising/interviewing at the time because she liked me and I seemed "bubbley and smiley" whereas we're actually hiring now and girls with 10 years experience and relevant degrees get turned down because they seem bitchy or like they wouldn't "fit in". It doesn't seem fair but honestly I think once you get an interview it's more about being someone they want to be around as opposed to being more able/qualified/experienced than the next person.

EvilBoris

19-01-2012, 11:28 AM

My girlfriend is currently trying to get into becoming an archivist, plenty of people offer short term work experience placements (paid or otherwise) and she has to often go through an entire interview process even for that voluntary work.

She's trying to do a degree To become an archivist, but even that wants a particular level of work experience so she recently applied for a work placement at Boots Archive, who listed the job as being perfect for someone wanting experience for the course.
The only problem is they want someone with experience?! WTF

It's tough out there at the mo

FSW

19-01-2012, 12:00 PM

Our most recent software engineer is a guy who came to work for us for free for a couple of months. No promises were made by us at the time but a few years later and he's still here. It seems unfair I know but times are tough and this strategy can work.

dataDave

19-01-2012, 12:07 PM

FSW

19-01-2012, 12:09 PM

Lol, no we employed him!

EDIT: Just read back what I wrote and it does read like he's still here working for nowt!

Fader209

19-01-2012, 12:25 PM

I'm currently working voluntary doing graphic design, started late Oct I think and they want to keep me on for paid work (pretty much freelance as they can't afford a salary for me). Sure it's not ideal and I do need real monies but it's helping opening doors as I now have experience and am building up that portfolio.
Also Rep, can you code websites?

Rep

25-01-2012, 12:13 PM

Blimey, loads of responses :) I didn't get the Altringham job, classic case of agency telling me it was one language, when I got there they wanted someone who could code in C.

I have considered voluntary work, but I wouldn't know where to start, coupled with the price of having to put fuel in my car etc, it doesn't seem feasible. I'm pretty much up for anything apart from designing, most of my stuff looks like it was done by Fisherprice.

FSW

25-01-2012, 12:20 PM

If you can do C++ then you can do C! If you can't then I highly recommend learning to mate, it's part of being a C++ programmer really. There shouldn't be that much extra for you to learn really.

Kaido

25-01-2012, 02:07 PM

My recommendation is to go in at a very low level, less than everyone else is asking for a trainee position, show enthusiasm and some unpaid personal coding since graduating and then work your way up from there. I was lucky to know a guy that got me into my first job without the commercial (or perhaps even academic) experience but the market is much worse now as there is a backlog of graduates looking for work.

In Wales there is a bursary for new welsh graduates where the university (or some part of?) reimburses the company a couple of grand for a trainee.
A guy that started with us on minimum wage is now on double that, a year later, so it's worth lowballing for the right opportunity.

Because of the low trainee salary, I would be too worried about you joining my team if you had to relocate. Send me your CV for some pointers though - I recruit for C# (MVC) and I might see where you are going wrong.

Fader209

25-01-2012, 02:09 PM

There must be someone wanting a person with your skills to work from home voluntary, that way you don't have to worry about petrol. Check sites like Gumtree as there are always people wanting to take on free work in exchange for references in the future and as it's preferably home work you get to search nationally rather than region specific. Pretty sure I have seen a few places wanting coders recently for paid work.

FSW

25-01-2012, 02:22 PM

Good idea Fader, that overcomes one issue at least. It would raise security concerns with some companies I imagine but it's certainly worth looking into.

Daragon

25-01-2012, 07:07 PM

Most companies SHOULD pay out transport costs for volunteers or at the very least contribute a large percentage towards it.

Secondly, if you don't know how to get into voluntary work in your sector, then I'd recommend going back to your uni and asking your tutors for advice. Probably best place to start.

Kaido

26-01-2012, 09:43 AM

A quick google map search of "from [my postcode] to software development" [then click 'another software development'] should give you a list of local small development businesses that you've probably never heard of that would be ideal for a bulk email.

dataDave

27-01-2012, 06:17 PM

Bulk eMail is the best. It's how I've landed all my jobs. No agencies, no job sites, no adverts.

Rep

03-02-2012, 01:51 PM

Cracking suggestions people, the volunteering route has opened quite a few roads. I emailed one such role about an hour ago and have been invited to an open day tomorrow, with 30 different jobs up for grabs.

I swear I can only take one more day of this :lol:

FSW

03-02-2012, 02:00 PM

Good luck Rep!

Rep

06-02-2012, 02:27 PM

Bit of a strange one today, had a call from an agency today explaining I'd been forwarded for a role in Liverpool regarding a previous conversation (this never happened). Also asked if I was based in Wigan (which I haven't for ages), when I asked him to check my CV he corrected himself. Now wants me to have an interview with the agency first, to check If I'm suitable. Got a funny feeling about the whole thing though.

Fader209

06-02-2012, 03:01 PM

Sounds like they got your details from somewhere and most likely out of date ones at that. Does sound a little bit dodgy...make sure you take your rape alarm just in case.

FSW

06-02-2012, 03:25 PM

As Fader alluded, these agencies are all struggling for business so will want to sound like they've got AAAAALLLLLLL your details and stuff but may just have stuff scraped of the 'net. Check them out as well as you can and if they look ok then just update your profile with them so that it's accurate.