Htydjtk

I have been at my organization for around 18 months. I took a technical programming test (basically a C# kata of sorts) in the interview and flunked it. However, they said they liked my attitude and could see I had other skills (outside of .NET) and so agreed to hire me. I agreed to accept on the condition I received the support and training required.

The short story is the last 18 months have been very dramatic. I've had personal issues with my manager and have struggled to complete some work (and also successfully completed work within my skill-set) and feel I haven't learnt from the team as I hoped I would.

I have been studying for around 5 - 10 hours a week in my free time and feel I have improved my C# / .NET skills by a decent amount since starting.

Yesterday, my manager came to my desk, asked me to close all applications and turn off my internet connection. He then inserted a flash drive into my machine and said I had 30 minutes to complete a programming challenge. It was the same one I was given in the interview (I hadn't attempted it since).

There were 9 'stages' to the challenge. I believe I could have completed all of them but due to the time constraint I only managed 3.

In a follow up meeting, I was told that a 33% success rate is not good enough and that I need to show significant improvement in the next 6 months.

I feel that this kata didn't represent my learning, it was very niche and I didn't get to demonstrate all of the things I've learnt that were outside the scope of the challenge.

What can I do to show 'significant improvement' from here? I have asked what I should be learning specifically but just get told 'it's your career, you decide', which frustrates me.

I think you're asking the wrong question. I'm going to go ahead and say that challenge was probably designed for you to fail it:

• You've been given a really impromptu test, which is kind of weird outside of an interview setting. I've never heard of it happening like that before. If my manager suddenly did that, I'd stare blankly at him and ask what the heck this was all about (with more pointed language than the above.)


• Unless they're really trivial, 30 minutes to complete 9 separate programming challenges seems kind of insane, even for a "high flying" programmer. That's less than 3 1/2 minutes per task. Even if I were given a task to write in Java (my primary langauge for over a decade) I'd usually want to take around that length of time just to understand the problem, before writing any code at all. I think I'd certainly struggle with that timeframe, and I don't consider myself particularly awful.

So, taking a step back, looking at the facts and linking a few points here:

• You were hired knowing that they'd have to train you up. That training doesn't seem to have happened, so your knowledge probably isn't where they'd like it to be.


• You've had issues with your manager, which probably means (from his perspective) he's had issues with you and possibly sees you as a pain in the backside.


• He's given you an impromptu test that you were designed to fail, and then a definite 6 month timeline for you to significantly improve.

To me, this all looks like they're moving towards showing you the door while covering their backsides in the process. If it were me, I'd be looking to get out of there ASAP.

Personally, if your goal is to improve, I would analyze the test itself.

Not with the intention to search/memorize the solution, but just to check why you didn't do well. What skillset are you lacking that is needed for this particular test.

Is the problem you don't know enough about different data structures? Then study in that direction.

Is the problem you struggle with algorithmic design? Then study different algorithms and how they approach to different problems.

Etc..

HOWEVER

I've never heard of this kind of impromptu test except during interviews, and I don't think anyone can solve 9 different tasks in 30 minutes, unless they are extremely simple. And the lack of help/guidance isn't a good sign either. You might want to think about other motivations here

First, Update your resume, and submit it to a few recruiters and start job hunting.

This was a setup with unrealistic time constraints. Your manager has given you an undefined goal and is setting you up to fail.

The reason I say this is from the key points in your post.

• You and your manager have been having difficulties


• Your manager just sprung the test on you with no time to prepare


• Your manager gave you an unreasonable time to complete the test


• You were told that there needed to be "significant improvement", without a definition of what that entails.


• You have asked what I should be learning specifically but just get told 'it's your career, you decide'

You also mentioned that you haven't learned as much from your team as you liked.

This all makes it very clear that they don't want you there and the manager is setting you up to fail. You are being given unclear goals. They are refusing to tell you where you can improve, and yet say if you don't, you're gone.

What can I do to show 'significant improvement' from here?

NOTHING
You are being set up to fail, and to be fired for cause. Update your resume, apply to other jobs and get out as soon as you can before they ruin you.

Based off your information on this question I assume this question is also linked with this question.

The way your manager has sprung this test no you is completely unfair and clearly an attempt to prove that you are not able to work here when realistically the time restraint was likely too short and the notice was non-existent. The way he approached you was outright rude to begin with.

Your best choice here given your past experience and current situation is to spend the next 6 months continuing as you are and starting a job hunt. Look for a new job as the way you are being treated is unacceptable and you should not have to tolerate it.

Your manager has:

1) Not told you what to improve on which is completely unfair especially when you're trying to.

2) Specifically targeted you with a test (potentially triggered by something else)

3) Given you bad training and caused issues in the past.

The bottom line is Get out of there ASAP!

Your manager is targeting you and is most definitely doing anything he can to get you fired.

While I agree with other answers that the best call is probably to polish the resume and jump ship as soon as a better opportunity presents itself I think this is a classic example of Hanlon's Razor - the manager isn't necessarily setting you up to fail. Far more likely that they are a one-trick pony when it comes to evaluating programming ability. And that trick just happens to be this "kata" thing.

It means you could probably easily game the system by just practicing this artificial test a lot over the next six months but why bother? If they don't have a clue how to evaluate your performance properly it's going to be an on-going battle to get any good work recognised.

Actually two things:

1. Get your resume ready. As suggested by @Richard U, you may need another job. Also, you should ask yourself if this is the right company to work at. As presented, it does not sound like they have a constructive and healthy way to deal with their employees. So if that´s the case you may want to move on anyways.




2. Work actively on your failures. Whenever you are unable to fulfill a task, try to identify why. Ask for help. In general, ask for feedback regularly. You should not be in doubt over your Managers satisfaction with your performance - only to discover differently, out of the blue. If you are struggling and you don´t think you can fulfill the role at all, with the resources at hand, you should have a discussion with your Manager if there are options to switch roles or get additional help.

On a side note: When ever you are presented with a coding challenge that you failed, the next thing to do would be learn how to pass. From your Manager´s perspective, you got a test you already knew and you did not show him that took it seriously. May be that they just want to see you take the initiative. After all, it IS your career!