Here's a long story: I did a sample work test last week, limit 4 hours; it was for a LAMP developer position (if you check my post history you can see for whom!). The entire time I spoke with an HR rep, which I've no issues with but felt very impersonal. I was e-mailed the project and requirements, and there was no vagrant included. I had a few vagrant boxes of my own but I figured I'd just get a new one from puphpet... HUGE mistake. puphpet box requires latest version of Vagrant. Vagrant successfully updated after over 40 minutes (this includes Vagrant updating ALL existing boxes). New and shiny puphpet box didn't work. Try existing LAMP box, something went wrong with the update, it's broken. Too much time lost, install WAMP quick! Uh oh, missing DLL file... Installed wrong DLL (x64? x86? I don't even remember), 2 computer restarts. I had a dev environment after 75 minutes. Water break 5 minutes, I was now stressed out.

I spent the rest of my time with the exercise, already drained but the exercise was very simple which was encouraging. Unfortunately, 2.5 hours just wasn't enough: I missed two of the requirements and I wasn't happy with the UI. The framework for it all was already there, I used PDO prepared statements so I wasn't worried about SQL injection, but knowing that I didn't finish the project I knew my prospects went dim. Oh, and this was after work so I was coding from 8pm-12pm.

I sent it in, two days later, I received an e-mail from HR person saying I wouldn't be moving forward. Overall, a draining experience, nothing gained (usually talking to technical hiring managers you learn something), no consolation prize of a technical review on the project, no offer. I probably won't be doing one again