The idea of using "B-list" companies makes me a bit disgusted honestly. Have we put ourselves on such pedestals that we use other people's valuable time as unknowing practice runs? I would never interview somewhere I was not interested in working.
I can think of three reasons for interviewing at a "B-list" company that have nothing to do with putting oneself on a pedestal.
1) You might actually like the work/environment/personal growth opportunities/company health at the "B-list" company once you see it in person. Admit it: your initial classification involved a healthy amount of guesswork and is probably not fantastically accurate.
2) A stupid mistake in your A-list interview hurts both you and the A-list company, potentially dramatically so. You help both them and yourself by practicing.
3) Your increased bargaining power decreases the chance the A-list company lowballs your salary, shooting both you and themselves in the foot (hiring your replacement is expensive, lost productivity due to dissatisfaction is expensive, envy-poisoned work relationships are expensive).
Because it artificially reduces the talent pool they're drawing from. They might wind up hiring someone less competent who was better at signalling or making concessions to someone who wasn't as far ahead of the pack as they thought based on interview performance. Time and opportunity cost also factor in, of course.
The same logic can be used when applying to college (a very similar process). You apply to a bunch of schools, some of which you don't want to go to. If you have your heart set on Stanford and you don't get in, you still need to go to college somewhere.
I guess the advantage of interviewing at companies that at first glance you wouldn't want to work at, means that sometimes you get convinced by talking to the great people there. I've joined at least one company that wasn't initially my first choice for this exact reason.
Maybe it's different elsewhere but every college I applied to I wanted to go to. Between the essays, interviews, application fees, and entry requirements I wouldn't waste my time applying to a place I didn't want to get in to.
I've also cut an interview short once I realized it was a waste of time (H1b formality). If I'm not being taken seriously I won't take them seriously and I certainly won't waste my energy on fizzbuzz questions.
I don't think it's disgusting at all, I've known many people (not just developers) who do "trial" interviews before they apply to their A-list companies. Interviewing is a skill and if you don't practice it you won't be at your best when it's most important to you. That said, I recommend keeping your ears open and earnestly assessing whether the company may be a good fit even if it's on your "B-list".
Not for practice, but companies do interview people they have no intention of hiring in order to fulfil internal policies or improve diversity metrics.
Comments
The idea of using "B-list" companies makes me a bit disgusted honestly. Have we put ourselves on such pedestals that we use other people's valuable time as unknowing practice runs? I would never interview somewhere I was not interested in working.
I can think of three reasons for interviewing at a "B-list" company that have nothing to do with putting oneself on a pedestal.
1) You might actually like the work/environment/personal growth opportunities/company health at the "B-list" company once you see it in person. Admit it: your initial classification involved a healthy amount of guesswork and is probably not fantastically accurate.
2) A stupid mistake in your A-list interview hurts both you and the A-list company, potentially dramatically so. You help both them and yourself by practicing.
3) Your increased bargaining power decreases the chance the A-list company lowballs your salary, shooting both you and themselves in the foot (hiring your replacement is expensive, lost productivity due to dissatisfaction is expensive, envy-poisoned work relationships are expensive).
I understand how a mistake in an A-list interview hurts you, but how does it hurt the A-list company?
Because it artificially reduces the talent pool they're drawing from. They might wind up hiring someone less competent who was better at signalling or making concessions to someone who wasn't as far ahead of the pack as they thought based on interview performance. Time and opportunity cost also factor in, of course.
Because coming into an interview with your A-list unprepared is a waste of their time.
I think disgusting is a bit strong of a term.
The same logic can be used when applying to college (a very similar process). You apply to a bunch of schools, some of which you don't want to go to. If you have your heart set on Stanford and you don't get in, you still need to go to college somewhere.
I guess the advantage of interviewing at companies that at first glance you wouldn't want to work at, means that sometimes you get convinced by talking to the great people there. I've joined at least one company that wasn't initially my first choice for this exact reason.
Maybe it's different elsewhere but every college I applied to I wanted to go to. Between the essays, interviews, application fees, and entry requirements I wouldn't waste my time applying to a place I didn't want to get in to.
I've also cut an interview short once I realized it was a waste of time (H1b formality). If I'm not being taken seriously I won't take them seriously and I certainly won't waste my energy on fizzbuzz questions.
I don't think it's disgusting at all, I've known many people (not just developers) who do "trial" interviews before they apply to their A-list companies. Interviewing is a skill and if you don't practice it you won't be at your best when it's most important to you. That said, I recommend keeping your ears open and earnestly assessing whether the company may be a good fit even if it's on your "B-list".
Why not? Companies certainly have no problem interviewing B-list candidates.
Companies do not, just for practice, interview people they have no intention of hiring.
Not for practice, but companies do interview people they have no intention of hiring in order to fulfil internal policies or improve diversity metrics.
Don't forget H-1Bs!
Why no salary range on job offers then?
yea your just flat wrong.
If a company doesn't specify salary range in a job offer it's asking for trial runs to be honest. And most don't.