Phone Interview Part 2

I nailed it. I did it. Thankfully, there were no complexity analysis questions. The majority of the time was taken with discussing on various levels a single concept - which amounts to what I would describe as open-ended problem solving. And then there was one otherwise off-topic algorithm question, which took me a minute or so to figure out - and my solution worked and was unique (in that the guy doing the interview hadn't considered it before). And my solution was exact while the (apparently) standard solution was approximate. The standard solution is also typically a bit more efficient, but I like exact. And so did he, so, that was nice.

Anyway, next step is for a manager of one of the groups (either the mobile unit or the infrastructure unit) to call and talk to me as well - since I'm out-of-state (and the next step would be flying me out there to interview, for a fourth time). And then I'd also probably be faced with deciding what group I'd prefer. Hard to choose. Infrastructure is definitely my forte, but my recent move to mobile has been pretty fun. And if I went with the mobile group, and specifically the iPhone, then I'd be assured to be working on a Mac. I don't think I'd go the mobile route if it didn't specifically pertain to the iPhone, so, that might end up making the decision easier - if I'm ever faced with it.

Also, did I mention that they issue MacBook Pros to everyone? That's pretty cool.

Not to get ahead of myself, but if I pass the third interview, they'll want to fly me out there. If I flew out on a Sunday evening, interviewed Monday and flew back Monday night, I'd be dead tired at work on Tuesday, and I'd be out a full day's pay ... for a full-time job in a city that I don't necessarily want to live in (San Francisco). Although I could probably enjoy it. Better weather, if nothing else. It certainly wouldn't cost me any more in rent. Also, I don't know if I'd be able to convince them to let me be a contractor (that's really hard to do) - which means that it'd likely be a pretty substantial pay cut. And they're already touting their stock options to me. I've done the stock options thing. I still have the stock, which I can't sell, because the company still hasn't IPO'ed or been acquired. And surprisingly enough, no one seems to be chomping at the bit to buy the stock from me. And that was one of the worst "paragraphs" I've ever written.

I'm flying to Atlanta tomorrow. Tax appointment on Thursday. Oh joy.