Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Uber Recruiting Engineers By Randomly Sending Coding Game To Play During Rides (businessinsider.com)

Posted by msmash on from the creative-recruiting dept.

An anonymous reader links to a Business Insider report: Uber has found a new way to lure engineers to work for the fast-growing startup. The taxi-aggregator service tests coding skills of select riders during their ride. Uber insists that it is not using individual information to identify recruits, but are just identifying geographies where tech jobs are concentrated to find candidates. "The option to play gives interested riders the opportunity to show us their skills in a fun and different way -- whether they code on the side or are pursuing a career as a developer," a Uber spokesperson said. If they accept the test, Uber challenges the ride with three coding problems to solve, each with a 60-second countdown, and scores them based on their answers. Uber is not the only Silicon Valley giant which has found a "creative" way to hire people. Last year, we saw Google offer at least one person a job based on his search queries.

27 comments

  1. How the hell by 50000BTU_barbecue · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Can you need so many people for something like this? Marketers and lawyers, sure, but how many technical people do you need for this?

    I'm baffled.

    --
    Mostly random stuff.
    1. Re: How the hell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Not many. They know their targets from the GPS trace showing them as Googlers or Teslas or other engineers. So its just a straight poaching exercise.
      And I suspect they are lying about grabbing gps location when not using Uber taxis. I think if you are an engineer at a major corp and have Uber installed you'll get an app test, even if you don't Uber to work!

    2. Re:How the hell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You are right. They don't need that many engineers. But they would like a huge free pool of candidates to draw from.

      See ":Hoop Dreams" for a similar scam against ghetto kids.

    3. Re:How the hell by quantaman · · Score: 2

      Can you need so many people for something like this? Marketers and lawyers, sure, but how many technical people do you need for this?

      I'm baffled.

      To do a basic version? Not many. To do the best version? Lots.

      For the app itself that's fairly easy, but you need to test and patch on every conceivable platform and keep the look and feel as clean as possible.

      On the back end side you need 100% uptime or as close to as possible, you've got a crap load of data coming in, GPS, customer profiles, driver info, etc.

      There's also a lot of nice haves, what should a driver do between fares? Is there somewhere they should go to anticipate the next fare or should they just hang tight and save fuel?

      As well Uber's been criticized a few times for their surge pricing algorithms jumping during an emergency, would be smart to follow twitter or some news sites, detect the emergency, and skip the surge pricing.

      That's not even counting their foray into self-driving cars, that's going to need an army.

      If you have enough money finding jobs for those devs isn't hard.

      --
      I stole this Sig
    4. Re:How the hell by davester666 · · Score: 1

      Their current batch of engineers have big batches of stock and/or stock options. They want to punt this group of engineers in a way that results in the company retaining all the stock/options, and hire a new batch for a straight salary, probably also lower than the current batch.

      The next swap will move development to India.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  2. Dangerous game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Word gets out, and on the one hand it's novel and cute and shit. On the other, people'll wonder, and may well choose not to call, but wait to be called, and get turned off it doesn't happen. Yes, gimmicks are gimmicky, but they can also backfire.

    Anyhow, I think that we, as in the whole mass of companies trying to find and retain talent in general, are doing pretty poorly with the whole finding and selection thing. With HR, with recruitment and staffing agencies, with gimmicks like this, and so on. Some people do very well, but not necessarily the best possible for the job, and plenty are left out, too. In fact, even the latest innovations of machine learning CVs/resumes are gimmicks, and not fundamental improvements. I think we need to think lots harder about this.

  3. A sample test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    (for a woman passenger) How can you do a background check to determine whether your Uber driver is actually a serial rapist, trying to find a suitable isolated place to perform the deed?

    1. Re: A sample test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was raped by an Uber driver once. I was sad a lot after, I let that rape consume me.

      But I decided no more. Now I rape the Uber drivers. I've taken back my life. I am vengeance! I am the night! I am the Uber raper!

  4. This is mostly a test of vestibular function. by Brannon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I would vomit over every square inch of that car if I tried to code while moving. Am I in the minority here?

    If I ever meet the guy who decided to put TVs (that are impossible to turn off) in the back of every NYC cab I am going to vomit on him.

    1. Re:This is mostly a test of vestibular function. by SvnLyrBrto · · Score: 1

      I wonder about this too. Not because I get sick... I'm blessed with a fairly iron stomach... but because probably about 90% of the time that I'm using Uber, it's because I've been out drinking. And I doubt that I'm an atypical Uber user. So I wonder what kind of "programming challenge" can be done drunk and on an iPhone screen that will give them anything resembling valid hiring data?

      --
      Imagine all the people...
    2. Re:This is mostly a test of vestibular function. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      60 second countdown. Seems like a nice way to get shit answers and filter for impulsive people.

      Follow the wise words of Vanilla Ice. "stop collaborate and listen"

      Basically stop, thinking about it, work with others, listen to them, *then* crank it out.

    3. Re:This is mostly a test of vestibular function. by gweihir · · Score: 1

      The art of good user-interface design is lost these days. Your problem is very well known and very well documented in the literature, the cretins designing things just never had a look at the basic knowledge of their field. This is, incidentally, also why the current VR bubble will burst just as the ones before have: Too many people get real problem unless the content and VR equipment is done exceptionally well (at exceptional cost that all these morons that waste their lives trying to get rich will not be willing to spend).

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    4. Re:This is mostly a test of vestibular function. by Crashmarik · · Score: 1

      That and just what are you going to code on during a car ride ?
      Android phone/tablet with touchscreen keyboard ?

      In years past I used to try and get work done on everything from a T-1200 (Google it kid) up, in everything from planes to trains to RVs.
      The only thing that was even close to viable were the trains.

    5. Re:This is mostly a test of vestibular function. by antdude · · Score: 1

      I would too since I get easily carsick. Even a good (earth)quake shaker while looking at my computer screen make me sick. I really wished we had t(rans/ele)porters. :(

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    6. Re:This is mostly a test of vestibular function. by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      I would vomit over every square inch of that car if I tried to code while moving. Am I in the minority here?

      If I ever meet the guy who decided to put TVs (that are impossible to turn off) in the back of every NYC cab I am going to vomit on him.

      Maybe into adulthood, but getting nauseous in a moving vehicle isn't too uncommon (usually most people outgrow it). It's why there are plenty of gadgets, gizmos, drugs, patches and other things that help one through it.

      I used to get carsick all the time - airplane trips were torture, and unless I get a window seat I nthe car... vomit city. I've mostly outgrown it, but that doesn't mean I don't get queasy from time to time (at which point I have to basically settle myself down to prevent it from progressing).

      This is, incidentally, also why the current VR bubble will burst just as the ones before have: Too many people get real problem unless the content and VR equipment is done exceptionally well (at exceptional cost that all these morons that waste their lives trying to get rich will not be willing to spend).

      It's less about that, but that VR combines the worst of 3D and things like Kinect - instead of glasses, now you're strapping these big, bulky and heavy contraptions to your head, and now you practically have to walk around. (People were complaining the arm movements for Kinect was too much effort!). And you need some clear space so you're not bumping into walls. (Tomorrowland played this to hilarious effect).

  5. They don't comp the ride? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's my incentive for taking their coding challenge? A gold star from dude-bro's not-a-taxi company, or worse, a job slinging bits for some sociopath with an MBA? Pay me, or don't waste my fucking time!

    1. Re: They don't comp the ride? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What is your incentive for playing Candy Crush?

  6. Sample question by OzPeter · · Score: 3

    Dear Uber Passenger who has been picked up at location A and is wanting to be taken to location B.

    We would like to test your skills as a developer by seeing how well you can solve the following simple tasks:

    What are the
        1. Fastest
        2. Shortest
      3. Most interesting

    Routes between location A and location B

    Please pass on your answers to your driver so that he/she/it can rate your abilities.

    --
    I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
  7. This is, of course, "creative" bullshit by gweihir · · Score: 2

    You cannot identify or hire good engineers via "puzzles". Why do you think Google is stagnating for about forever now? They make the same mistake.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    1. Re:This is, of course, "creative" bullshit by Crashmarik · · Score: 1

      Puzzle solving has always been a big piece of engineering.

      As to why Google is stagnating, the company is a behemoth and it's nearly 30 years old. You can only maintain exponential growth so long, and after awhile you get people in the company who's personal optimizations and goals aren't aligning well with the company.

    2. Re:This is, of course, "creative" bullshit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and it's nearly 30 years old.

      You're nearly correct.

    3. Re:This is, of course, "creative" bullshit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You'll learn that about Crashmarik, he's a moron among morons. When other morons hear his name, their jaws slack even more in awe.

    4. Re:This is, of course, "creative" bullshit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      https://tech.slashdot.org/story/16/03/26/129253/heavy-social-media-users-trapped-in-endless-cycle-of-depression

      Seems you were out to empirically prove the next story "Heavy Social Media Users Trapped In Endless Cycle of Depression "

  8. I would always fail these tests by Theovon · · Score: 1

    If I used Uber to get to and from work, for instance, then when I’m headed there, I haven’t had all my caffeine yet, and when I’m heading home, I’m worn out from work. No way I would get offered a job. On the other hand, if they saw my resume, it would be a different story, what with the 20 year of industry experience, the PhD, etc.

  9. I was prompted with this game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm a mechanical engineer by training. My current job is a mix of applying that ME knowledge and programming to create power plant simulators used for operator training or design verification/validation. I happen to enjoy programming a lot so I also maintain a couple of our applications, but I'm sure most of you would code circles around me.

    I happened to be in Chicago on business and was riding in an Uber to the airport when I was prompted with one of these games. I have no formal programming education outside of 2 C++ classes in high school. I got 2 out of 3 right. The first two were of a "Look at these lines of code and identify where a problem exists" and I answered those with seconds to spare. One was a short sorting function and call and i can't remember the other one. The last question was a vocabulary question about which way to best store data with answers like array, table, and hash. Without a formal CS education, I wasn't sure, so I took a wild guess and got this one wrong.

    Each question has a point value that is multiplied by the remaining time to generate a score. Answering 2 of 3 correctly and using almost the full 60 seconds on both was good enough for them to send a follow-up email requesting my resume and LinkedIn profile and programming type (backend, front-end, etc), but I have no desire to ever be a resident of the People's Republic of California since they don't respect the 2nd Amendment or my right to keep my earnings, so I never replied.

    The moral of the story is there's no way Uber profiled me as some coding genius and I don't live or work near anything that could have given them a false positive. I have no formal training or amazing aptitude and I still passed so clearly you need to have just a basic feel for troubleshooting code to pass their test. If any of you were presented with the game, I'm sure most of you would pass easily.