Coding Exercise Complete (58 Pomodoros)
Published on 21 Feb 2017
by Alexander Garber
I have submitted my solution to the coding exercise for Envato, as part of my application for a Junior Developer role there.
I spent 58 pomodoros on this project:
- 7 strictly on planning and writing (roughly 3.5 hours)
- 3 on studying RSpec (roughly 1.5 hours)
- 47 on coding, reviewing, testing, refactoring, etc.
I do not know if my solution is good enough for Envato, but it was the best I could do.
There are many things that give me encouragement, regardless of the outcome of my job application.
I can code.
I have a lot to learn, I make many mistakes, my code is probably inefficient and clumsy, but I can take a problem and solve it through the code. It is a sort of "hello world" moment for me.
What I do works.
As I have been teaching myself, it is always hard to gauge whether I'm getting things right, or whether I ought to sign up for a course instead. I am more convinced than ever that I am on the right path, and can take pride in my
work ethic, time management, knowledge, and skill.
For example, I got stuck on writing Rspec tests, so I purchased an Rspec manual, studied it for precisely three pomodoros (black cells) and found I could write the tests I need. I have spent so far 3 x 20 minutes on study and 33 x 20
minutes on planning, writing, and coding for this exercise. The brevity of the study break excites me, because it is tangible, documented evidence that I have the intelligence, self awareness, and discipline to take a break from the main
project, learn what I need, and then get back to work without wasting time.
I will succeed.
If I get the job at Envato that would be great, and if I don't I shall certainly be disappointed. However, I am much closer to being the best pick for a junior spot somewhere out there, and I won't relent until I've achieved
this goal.
I am grateful to Envato for granting me an interview and the opportunity to show them what I can do. Let's see what they make of it.