Job applicant accused of cheating on a test by tech hotshots, lands better job and pay by proving them wrong: ‘I saw them go from upset to delight’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Dec 11, 2024 7:00 AM EST

There aren't many things in life that feel better than knowing you're about to amaze a person underestimating you. Waiting quietly, letting them speak while thinking about how much fun you're going to have watching them realize they undervalued your worth. All the more when it lands you a better job and with it, more money.

That's exactly what happened to one guy at the start of his career, some twenty years ago, who had to take a test following a group interview for a tech support position at a contractor for a tech giant. He nailed the test so hard, they couldn't believe he didn't cheat. And so, before he left he was pulled to the side by a couple of heavyweights/big shots who immediately started interrogating him, questioning his knowledge and ability to solve the problems introduced in the test. 

Much to their surprise, he came ready to fire the explanation of their dreams.

For more realistic job-seeking experiences, when you're done celebrating this dude's absolute win, read this unreal story of a guy who was flown out to interview for a role that was already manned

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  • 01
    "They asked me to join the big wigs at a table and started grilling me on the test"
    via Ukblacktech

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.


     

  • 02
    They thought I cheated.
    via lardparty
  • 03
    This is an old story but one of my favorites. Early 2000's I was applying to a tech support call center that had a contract with Microsoft, so it was a step up from my job then and paid
    via lardparty
  • 04
    a couple dollars more. It was a group interview and they gave us all a written test afterwards. Once we were done they told everyone they would call us to let us know if we
    via lardparty
  • 05
    got the job or not. As I was leaving, they asked me to join a couple of the big wigs at a table alone. They started grilling me on the test.
    via lardparty
  • 06
    They wanted to know how I was able to get a perfect and even get the bonus question which nobody had gotten right before. Looking back, I realized that people
    via lardparty
  • 07
    must have copied the test and have been cheating, so they added the bonus question to make it so hard that if someone got it right they would know they cheated.
    via lardparty
  • 08
    The bonus question was something like "What's the DOS command to make your modem dial (phone number) on COM1" and I happened to know that because I was using
    via lardparty
  • 09
    BBS's on 2400 baud modems so I knew those commands like the back of my hand. (Answer is something like ECHO ATDT PHONENUMBER > COM1)
    via lardparty
  • 10
    I explained that to them why I knew the answer, and I saw them go from upset to delight.
    via lardparty
  • 11
    They excused themselves for a few minutes and then came back and told me that instead of offering me phone support they wanted to put me on Tier 2 email support and pay
    via lardparty
  • 12
    me $17 instead of $14. (My current job was $11) Apparently people had to work there for years to get moved to Tier 2 because it was so much less work.
    via lardparty
  • 13
    And it was. My job was to share a percentage of all the emails Microsoft sent us that day. One day I started work at 8:00 and was done by 8:07.
    via lardparty
  • 14
    All thanks to nailing that question. 12 year old me would have been proud.
    via lardparty
  • 15
    TheinimitaableG 1d ago • Ahh yes the bad old days of dial up. :) I remember being super stoked when I got a deal on a used Multi tech 9600 bps modem
    via TheinimitaableG
  • 16
    OIK2⚫23h OIK2 23h ago • You had one of those fancy phones. I had to use ATDP.
    via OIK2
  • 17
    Milakovich 15h ago • 2400 baud!?!? Youngster!
    via Milakovich
  • 18
    AbruptMango ⚫1d ago Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes.
    via AbruptMango
  • 19
    Ancient TaxJudgment • 23h ago Someone's out there reading RFC's.
    via AncientTaxJudgment
  • 20
    AbruptMango • 22h ago ⚫ No, someone's just old enough to remember when sneakernet was actually faster. I actually had group emails before a meetup asking "Hey, if anyone is at work with a good connection, can you download (whatever) and burn me a copy for tonight"?
    via AbruptMango
  • 21
    AncientTaxJudgment ⚫ 21h ago Ohh I yeah. Been there. I also read a bunch of RFC's because the writers get loopy after a while. The one for IP over Avian Carrier is pretty good. But ya gotta be old enough to recall how wild the early days were.
    via AncientTaxJudgment
  • 22
    Hammaer96 • 8h ago Upgraded from a 2400 to a 28.8k. Was in literal heaven.
    via Hammaer96

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