zlacker

For Toptal, I progressed through the initial interview, the two timed algorithm challenges, and faced the human-observed algorithm challenge. I passed the first of two tests with him, and on the second test I realized at 17 minutes out of 20 minutes that my approach was totally not going to work for the complete problem set. So at that point, no matter what I did, I was out.

I didn't even get the "privilege" of doing the 40 hour take home project (which culminated in a formal business presentation that some people reportely failed despite turning in a polished project".

Later I found complaints of Toptal members that they were pressured to provide low wage offers to get gigs.

Overall it felt like perhaps an ernest initial effort to make a better system and a quality consulting firm, but it got perverted into a heartless profit machine. I'm glad I didn't progress to the 40 hour take-home stage.