I applied for a job based on a recommendation of a friend. I had a call from the recruiting team next day. We had an around 30 minutes long conversation about my previous workplaces and responsibilities. At this point, everything looked like as it should. As a next step, I got 2 online tests to screen my core Java and web development knowledge. At the beginning, I was a bit skeptic about this. How would they check my knowledge with a test? I can look for everything on the internet. My next thought was that in the first place why do they use a test in an online form like this? This question keeps coming up in my mind during these days and I still don't know the answer. To keep the story short I gave it a try and started with the core Java test. My skepticism changed into shock when it turned out that I have to write "program parts" on a web page with a nice "compile now" button. The web page screen was divided into 2 parts, on the left side, there was a description of the task and on the right a large text area with a scrollbar for longer code snippets. The test contained 4 tasks and I had 1 hour to complete them. So 15 minutes for each. The tasks were easy. I had harder ones at the University during my Programming 1 classes. But to be honest, I can't remember the last time when I typed a "for" loop, an "if" statement or a getter setter pair by myself not using the IDE hotkeys. And there came the solution in the form of a hint: "Copy the task to your favorite IDE and then copy back the solution." Thank you wise one, I will do that. This is where the story changed to comedy from drama and I started to have real fun. Before I start talking about the tasks I shall say that I cannot tell what were the exact tasks because I checked the checkbox to keep the secrets of the test and I am a man of my word:) Task 1 - Make this code work The solution was to write 4-5 classes, mostly a boilerplate code in one file which contains a main method also. I violated my part which is the vanguard of quality code and completed the task in my favorite IDE. Nobody would expect, but the code which was compiled in my favorite IDE does not work in my non-favorite web environment. Luckily the web tool had some error messages for me. You can imagine that the problem was not something you saw every day so the fight with the time and the environment started. Change something, click the shiny compile button and hope for the best. Do this till red turns to green. I hope you already figured it out that this was not the end of the calvary. As an extra surprise, one of the classes in the task was not one of those which you should be written by me, but it was a part of Java. That is not a big thing but in the web environment the imports were handled somehow invisible, so I got a never seen error message again complaining about this. A good engineer never gives up when obstacles emerge so I finished the first task in 25-30 minutes with a quite high stress level. Task 2 - Playing around with char to int type conversation I admit, I never ever worked with chars deeply so I started with a quick investigation on the topic and wrote a prototype solution, which passed only the half of the test cases. I already spent more than 10 minutes with the research and the implementation so I decided to move to the next task and not submit my half working solution. Task 3 - 15 minutes left I really liked this one. It had one small twist in it which makes a task to a good interview question in a personal interview. My first solution was ready in 5 minutes in my favorite IDE. Of course, it was not working in my non-favorite web IDE so I had to make some small adjustments. When you work in your favorite IDE the sheer happiness produces so much endorfine that the time is flying in light wings. Only the sight of the red flashing clock can bring you back to the reality when you copy your solution back from your favorite IDE to your non-favorite IDE. At least the code compiles. Then I discovered the slight trick in the task. You can not sell something before you buy it, right? 5 minutes refactor in my favorite IDE + some tests because I do not want to fail again. Then copy back the code to the correct place. Every time I am getting better and better in this. But there was no time to compile, I moved my mouse pointer over the submit button aaand... time is over. Unfortunately, there was a typo like issue in my solution so it would not work anyway. I fixed it in my favorite IDE just because I don't like incomplete things and lay back to my chair relaxed. At least I don't have to ever copy anything into my non-favorite IDE.