I hope most of you have seen “HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER” so in the terms of Awesome Barney …. This experience was … “LEGEND wait for it…… ARY “, sorry I couldn’t hold my self.

I am sure there would be other more horrible experiences as well but this is the worst i have. And one more thing for wanna be web/graphic designers, any one asking for a quick short test on interview, my advice.. just run away because i have never seen any designer getting hired after that short test which casually consists of logo design or web design.

This is the experience I had with a rather established company (let’s call it ENTHEBEST) working since late 90’s (as what they state). According to them they also have offices in other major cities of Pakistan like Multan, Islamabad etc.

Ok, it goes like this. They had an opening for the senior web designer in their main office in Lahore Gulberg and because of some “good things” I had heard about it, I was really looking to try my luck. So I applied for the post and after a few days got a call for an interview.

I was shocked when I saw the questions in that Short Test for web designers.

Now logically if some one calls a designer with some work experience one expects that they have seen your work or want to see your work done previously and have an insight about your personality. So with the few basic things like my previous work / print and web.

I went in for an interview on a Saturday morning, my time was 11 AM. So got there filled a rather lengthy form consisting of 4 or 5 pages ( with some information which usually is asked from the hired employees , like ID card info/ emergency no.s to call to other than your own, no idea who was the smart guy who gave such a brilliant idea must be an enthusiastic guy to make a few extra bucks or create a database competitive to NADRA’s ). After filling in that form I was asked to give a Short Test , so with a file containing of my previous projects and laptop I followed Mr. ABC to a computer desk where I was provided with a Word document file containing the test questions.

I assume that they want to view your process of a web design otherwise it’s totally useless to ask someone to create a web site mockup in a laughable time of 2 to 3 hours.

I was shocked when I saw the questions in that Short Test for web designers. This was the summary of those questions (these are thee questions asked by ENTHEBEST company ).

• Design a logo for company xyz.
• Design the home page mockup for that company xyz.
• After designing that homepage mockup develop a DIV based HTML page.
• After developing that HTML page design the web header in flash( definitely with animation… ).
• And after all that give references of which images you used / src etc…

My immediate question to Mr. ABC was, do you want me to do all this?” and he replied casually oh yes. Like its normal every day job at ENTHEBEST. After cursing my self and those friends who said “ good things “ about ENTHEBEST, I decided to do as much as I can In my available time.

Now if some company provides you with a test I assume that they want to view your process of a web design otherwise it’s totally useless to ask someone to create a web site mockup in a laughable time of 2 to 3 hours.

While working on it I looked around and saw some other.. dudes caught in the same crises (actually 3 or 4 ) but they seem far more furiously dedicated than me. Rather than some hours they were willing to sit there all day to finish that awesomely thought out test, I SALUTE THEM ALL FOR THEIR COURAGE AND BRAVERY.

With all the thoughts of how much ENTHEBEST respect you, your time and their work environment, I bailed out after just designing the website mockup in Photoshop, and asked if they want to ask any questions regarding the mockup I just did ( because if you remember there was no one to analyze your work process) / or want to view my previous work which is a usual routine ) and Mr. ABC said “no, no need of it, the concerned people would look at it and let you know if you had a shot”. And I walked out of the room thinking this is just great and giving Mr. ABC my perspective that I have never experienced or heard any thing like this from any one, ever.

one of them answered This is the actual point we want to see what a wanna be employee of ENTHEBEST can do in that time frame

Later on I got the chance to ask the talented designers at ENTHEBEST interviewing me if that test was actually possible in that time frame and if the questions were recommended by or consulted by any of your designer because I seriously doubted that, one of them answered This is the actual point we want to see what a wanna be employee of ENTHEBEST can do in that time frame .BRAVO to my friend and according to him (don’t forget he was the designer working there) one can actually do this after an experience of years.

Now I want to whip a dummy with my cowboy hat, just like Tedd Mosby ….. . . .. khuteesh….

*SPECIAL THANKS TO WAPDA FOR THE UNTIMELY POWER OUTAGE WHICH GAVE ME TIME TO FINALIZE THIS POST WHICH WAS PENDING FOR DAYS.