Recently, I came across a position at a Startup. Since it was a remote gig, the startup sent me a detailed problem to solve before discussing anything about the nature of the gig.<p>I liked the problem and hence, decided to solve it first and then talk to them. So I spent the entire next day taking a shot at the problem, carefully crafting a git repo to showcase my solution.<p>Once I submitted my problem, I was told that they would get back to me by end of the week.<p>Its been 2 weeks. I have no feedback whatsoever. I dont know what part of my solution they didn't like or if they simply found a local candidate.<p>I dont care if the reason for rejection is a local candidate. I understand that reasoning. It makes total sense for a startup to prefer a local candidate over a remote one.<p>But since they didn't reply at all, I am left wondering if there is something in my solution that didn't work for them. The 'developer' in me is very anxious around that.<p>If you give me a problem to solve, then I at least deserve to know if my attempt was right or wrong. Not replying/acknowledging at all is simply messed up in my opinion.<p>And I will not take 'things are usually crazy at a startup' as an excuse. If you are not investing in your culture, you are not investing in your business at all.
A small organization may not be able to follow up in the anticipated time frame despite every intention to do so. The ground can shift day to day and a lean staff may have to radically shift priorities, e.g. suppose a term sheet needs review.
Tests are complete BS. Most often written by some dork trying to impress themselves how much they know about some esoteric crap, rather than trying to see what you can do.
Seems to me you are extrapolating an unknown and arriving at the worse case scenario ie they are so underwhelmed by your solution that they think it is ok to treat you in a shoddy manner by not following through on their promise.<p>That's one possibility. Another is life got in the way - for example your contact has taken leave for a family emergency or has even been hit by a bus.