Comment by alain_gilbert | Hacker News Reader

Comment by alain_gilbert | Hacker News Reader

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Fast track the screening process by solving our little challenge: curl http://challenge.shopcurbside.com

Curbside is enabling a new way to shop, built for the era of instant mobile commerce. The Curbside app makes it easy to find, buy and pickup products at nearby stores. Curbside searches realtime local inventory across retailers and uses location-based technologies to alert stores when a customer is arriving for a pickup. Curbside helps consumers quickly get what they need and helps retailers better serve their increasingly mobile centric customers. The Curbside Merchant Console enables alerts to staff as customers arrive to pick up orders and also manages online order workflow.

Curbside’s investors and advisors include Index Ventures, Jerry Yang’s AME Cloud Ventures, Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors, O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, Gil Elbaz & David Waxman’s TenOneTen and Chicago Ventures.

Tech Stack: Clojure, Python, Javascript, iOS, Android, Elasticsearch

Problem space: mobile commerce, big data, search, machine learning, reverse engineering, distributed systems, location services, user experience.

http://www.shopcurbside.com/jobs • Palo Alto, Ca. • Relocation Available

Curbside is open to sponsoring existing H-1B’s, new E-3, O-1, and TN’s; however at this time we are not sponsoring new H-1B’s.

I solved your little challenge two months ago but never heard back from you. Mine was the email titled "Worst JSON API ever", with the tongue-in-cheek snarky remarks about your upper/lower case tricks and string/array confusion and session limits.

So I ran my Python code again just now and noticed that it still works. Should I post it here and make you rewrite your challenge?

Just kidding! I wouldn't do that.

But I do think you should make a point of at least replying to everyone who solves your challenge, even someone as annoying and probably-not-a-cultural-fit as me. :-)

Heh, I also solved it a few months ago and didn't get a response (though I wasn't nearly as snarky as you good sir, hat tip). I agree that they should at least send a response to every participant. Even an automated one with a more fun problem would be nice.

Hey there! Sorry for the delay in response. Rest assure we review all applicants and reach out if there is a strong match. We appreciate you taking the time and working on the challenge, hopefully you enjoyed it :)

Translation: Don't hold your breath.

Yeah, fun, whatever, I need money.

(Disclaimer: I'm feeling a lot of stress about my job situation right now.)

Hang in there, buddy. Better days are coming.

I also solved it and didn't get a response.

I don't have anywhere close to a living income right now, so I'm sick and tired of cultural fit. I didn't get into programming because I liked to spend my time filling out job applications. >:(

Also, last night I was at a meetup about Unconscious Bias, and "cultural fit" perpetuates unjust inequality.

Deleted comment

Edit... The parent comment was deleted while I was writing this. I can understand why, but to give context, I think I can safely quote the part I was replying to:

> sorry about that...in all honesty, it was the most epic email that I read about the challenge :) (and I told the team!)

Aw shucks. Well you guys are OK after all.

You know, if I had a dollar for every time I didn't get back to someone's email when I should have, I'd be rich by now.

Tell you what. Do you bring in lunch for the team from time to time? We are neighbors: invite me over and all will be forgiven! I got Drew's email and will be sending over an RFL shortly. :-)

Actually, that would be a brilliant strategy for any company that puts out coding challenges like this: Once in a while, when someone local sends an interesting solution but doesn't seem like a fit for the job you're looking for, invite them over for lunch anyway just to say thanks! Who doesn't like a chance to meet smart hackers and enjoy good food?

That was fun! Thanks for the game.

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