ThoughtWorks Interview Process

Moved from my Tech blog http://venky-techspace.blogspot.com

If you are planning to take up an interview with ThoughtWorks, be prepared for a whole new experience.

ThoughtWorks interview process will give you an opportunity to interact with 5-6 ThoughtWorkers. This process helps the candidate as well as ThoughtWorkers to decide whether they are comfortable working with each other.  

I will try to explain the steps I had been through before I got in here.

Step 1 - Quick telephonic interview:
Once you submit your resume, you will have a quick telephonic interview.


Step 2 - Coding Problem:
You will receive the two problems in email. You need to solve ONE of these problems and send your code within 3 days.

TIPS:

   * Anyone can solve this problem but the way you solve it is important.  
   * Use proper design pattern.  
   * Write Test cases for your code. 
   * Spend enough time on this problem to come up with a good design and decent code.
   * Do not leave unnecessary code or files while submitting. (send Production like code)  
   * Solution should be scalable and flexible for changes.

INTERVIEW AT THOUGHTWORKS OFFICE:

Following interview rounds will happen at ThoughtWorks office. Be prepared to take up 3-4 hours of interview.

Step 3 - Puzzle Solving:

Simple puzzles to test your problem solving skill. Try to do as much as you can in stipulated time.

Step 4 - Logic Solving:

You will be given about 12 complex logical questions with enough time to solve it. Before you start this test, two sample questions will be provided with answers. You will have 30 minutes to practice the sample questions and validate the answer.

Step 5 - Pair Programming:

In this round you would be pairing with one of the ThoughtWorker and writing code. This round will help Thoughtworks in identifying whether the candidate is hands-on. 

Tips: 

   * Try to gather some knowledge about pair programming if you have not done it before.
   * Your code submission should be scalable.
   * Take time to think through the problem and come up with a good solution.
   * Ability to come up with right design has more weight-age than just solving the problem.
   * Never think about hacking/patching the code to make it work. 

Step 6 - Technical Interview (2 rounds):

This is were the real fun starts. This is supposed to be the round where most of the candidates fail to make it. There is no specific pattern of questions that you can expect.

Tips: 

 * Design pattern is very important for lateral hires.   
 * Identifying entities, their relationship and behavior is a must.(You can improve this skill by practicing to visual real world objects as entities)
 * You should be very comfortable in explaining the current project architecture, pain points, how you could have done things differently, etc.  
 * No need to prepare for API's, definitions as you do for other interviews.  
 * NEVER mention any technology in your resume without having worked on it.
 * You would not want to mess up the interview by throwing some jargons. Be careful while using it.   

Step 7 - Cultural interview:  

This round would just be a cake walk for most of them. It is to identify whether you can fit in the organization based on your interests, etc.

After all these rounds you would be an exhausted soul :) but the whole interview experience will give you a glimpse of how things are done in ThoughtWorks and the effort involved in maintaining high standards.

Wishing you all the best for your interview!!

My tech blog

I have started writing a new Tech blog @ http://venky-techspace.blogspot.com/

Summer in Melbourne

Hi,

Lots of happening worth penning down transpired since I wrote my previous blog. This blog might not only be my usual pictographic look back of the events but also going to torment you with my writing.

Christmas Day

When the western countries shiver in cold and seek for sun’s charisma, Melbourne enjoys warmth of the summer on Christmas day. But it was not the same this year. It was cold and rainy day which deserves few extra hours of sleep. I woke up late in honour of the weather and hurried to catch the city train. Traffic on the city roads was quite heavy than I expected it to be on a public holiday. Restaurants were filled with families. People on road were rushing home. It was time for the “Christmas day Lunch” which they enjoy with family and relatives. I was here in Melbourne only with my friends. I had the Mc Donalds burger as my “Christmas day Lunch” with my friends. I picked up my pace of walking towards the tour bus waiting for me and other elite people. Today I am going to witness the famous “Penguin Parade”.

On the way to the Phillip Island, I had a glimpse of Melbourne’s attractions. Few snaps of it with me.

Penguin Parade - After a hard day at sea, penguins return to their nest late night. They gather at the seashore and once a considerable number of penguins gathered they start walking to their nest. In few minutes one could witness groups of penguins marching from the sea towards their respective nests – rightly called as "Parade". Penguins seem to be innocent but are great thieves in stealing the hearts of people with their waddling walk. Even I lost mine in their parade. It was a very lovely sight. Picturesque Penguins cannot be captured in pictures as photography was banned there. Taking everything on my memory I left the place with a deep heart.

Sydney Trip - Day 3

Final day of the trip was to Blue Mountains which was out of the Sydney city.

On the way to Blue mountains we witnessed the Sydney 2000 Olympic stadium.

Picture taken in one of the view points in Blue mountain.

"Scenic Walk" - toddle through the mountains jagged path was challenging. We went all the way down the hill to reach the Vertical train station. Earlier it was used for transporting coal. Now it has become a tourist attraction.

Atlast saw kangaroos running in the Blue Mountains. Had a close encounter with them.
End of the Sydney Trip.

Sydney Trip - Day 2

Day 2 - It was a rainy day in Sydney. We got ready to witness the most important attraction of Sydney, The Opera House. Got down at the railway station and view was perfect with Opera House at one end and Harbour bridge at the other end.

Splendid view of Opera House with dark clouds above.

"Bridge Walk" - Reached the middle of the Harbour bridge.

Manly beach was our next destination. It was 40 mins travel through ferry to reach Manly Beach. Rain played spoil sport. We just returned back without having a look at it.

Good View from the Ferry

Small nap in the Ferry is not enough

View in Night:

Harbour Bridge

Sydney Tower

Sydney Trip - Day 1

We/Us - Myself, Vachas, Ravi, Sujan n Ashu.

Wherever you find the word “we” or “us” in this blog it refers to the five of us who went on a mission to explore each n every place of Sydney which had the worth of US visiting it.

It was a mission to be accomplished in the span of 3 days. With great minds in job, of course it was well planned. Accommodation, food for dinner (Ready mixes), etc. was ready even before we stepped into Sydney.

Day 1 (04/11/06):

Overnight night journey for 12 hours had left us very tired.

First encounter with SUDOKU - In Train

We reached Sydney @ 7:30 AM. It was so cloudy n everyone recognised that we have not checked the weather condition. Sight of dark clouds was not enough to hamper the enthusiasm of the explorers. Not ready to waste any time we got ready ASAP and started our expedition into the unfamiliar (to us) land of SYDNEY.

First thing that fell into our eyes were the road near to our accommodation.

Seeing the Blue tree (dont know the exact name) for the first time made me fly in air.
We proceeded to the Darling harbour.

Dull lights added to the beauty of the Harbour. Explored the harbour, Wildlife world and .....

Hey wait.. There is an International Motor show going on. Lets buy some cars..

No not this... Too much of red.. Rejected.. Where is the next one?

Oh!! Only two can sit in this car.. What am I going to do with this? Rejected. Where is the next one??? ....

Looking at Sydney from its highest point "Sydney Tower" was awesome.

Exhausted.. Enough for day one. Have a drink...Err...Cool drink n relax in Bondi beach..

Team outing in Melbourne - Fishing

Fishing - I had never done it before. My first team outing activity was fishing in the Sea. It was interesting and had very good time with my team. Pics below can explain better.

Ready to start our journey into sea. All set to catch FISH.

Long way into the mighty sea

With my frnz Sujan, Ashu (Sitting) n Boopathi(Out of focus)

Myself n Vachas into serious fishing

Hurray!! I got a fish.

My journey: Chennai to Melbourne

I had a looong journey to Melbourne from Chennai spanning three days.

14th Oct 2006:

Very long and indefinite wait for my Passport and Visa came to an end on 14th of Oct. I woke up in the morning without knowing whether I will travel today or not. If my Visa was stamped I have to collect my passport from Delhi and then travel to Melbourne. Else relax for two more days and travel on Tuesday. I was praying for the second option as I was not prepared for the travel. I started early from home for doing my so called shopping. At 12:30 I got a call from office informing/confirming my travel at 4:30 PM. As the time was running out, I packed the things in hurry and informed others about my travel. Started from Chennai on time. I collected my passport in Delhi without any problem.

15th Oct 2006:

Petronas Tower
I reached Kuala Lumpur @ 7:00 AM. My connecting flight to Melbourne was @ 9:30 in the night. I was uncertain whether to take Transit Visa to visit some place in KL or just sit idle in the airport. I was At that time I saw a Desi guy standing in the queue for transit visa. He was from Delhi traveling to Sydney for a training. His connecting flight was @ 10.00 PM. We decided to have a look at the famous Twin towers of KL instead of sitting in the airport. It was a long journey from the airport to the City. I don't know why they build airports so far from the city.

View from Famous bridge connecting Twin Towers

Inside Petronas Tower

Delhi Guy - Dravid who joined me in "exploring" KL

Petronas tower was amazing to look at. Spent the whole day roaming around. Pictures are of very low clarity (Courtesy: My Mobile). Please bear with it.

16th Oct 2006:

Experience (Bad) @ Melbourne Airport:

On arriving to Melbourne I had fill the "Items to Declare" slip. In the "Food Items" section I ticked "Not carrying any food items" as I was afraid they will throw the Masala and the mixes I got all the way from India. I smelled something was about to go wrong when I saw Security Guards holding a dog and sniffing all the baggage near the Baggage belt. I thought everything was over when I escaped from guards and their Dog. When I saw a door I thought it was the exit. But I was shocked to find a baggage scanning room were they were scanning each and every baggage. One officer caught me for having food items and asked me to open my baggage. Fine of AUD 500/Deporting me from Australia - imaginations were running wild in my mind to increase my tension. After checking the items to my surprise officer told me it was fine (No AUD fine :) , its OK) as all the masala stuff was branded. He advised me to declare it "next time".

I stepped into Melbourne, Australia.......

My life's best Metamorphosis - From School to College

Sometimes you come across a very peculiar word, a word with which you always want to associate oneself. A word which when merely thought or heard brings a lot of freshness to ones mind, a word that describes the best and the happiest moments of ones life, a word that made oneself transform into what he is. And for me it is just a three letter word that describes all that - PEC

Years that never had a great Significance / In those days / the back gournd / Zooooom... Into the past / Me as a schoolchild...

I studied in Petit Seminaire right from the days i have been to school till i was out of it. For many of us who studied together, you can call that a Loooooong period. A full 14 years at the same place, in a school which has a history of 150 yrs , known as the Best in the Town, a very strict, punctual, no nonsense school. Not much fun during my school days. Like many of my friends, i was one of those unnoticed, quiet boy in the school. The very thought of breaking the rules in the school would mean facing the Principal in his room in less than 10 mins. Every year that passed at the school and every time we cleared a grade, the desperation and wanting to go out of school increased enormously.

Year 2000 - Tiresome start
It was Year 2000. As the world was cherishing the Millenium year, it was the year where I faced my worst nightmares in reality. Preparation for 13 years was nearing the climax. I had to write my +2 exams and entrance exam this year. Like others I also spent most of my time in tuitions and coaching classes. Even today I don’t know why I continued in the coaching class till end. Just for the sake of attending it I did that. I never utilized it even to the least it deserved.
I had a tough time in school as well as coaching class during the lecture hours. I started creating records in sleeping during the class hours. I can bet that no one will be able to beat me in this. I got many accolades and I was well treated for it by many class teachers. My chemistry teacher “See correct!! (That’s how he starts a sentence) Whenever I open the mouth this fellow is also opening the mouth and yarning in the class”. My