I was contacted by a recruiter. There was only one step in the hiring process: the technical phone interview. The questions were just your basic Java questions: What is an abstract class? What are generics? What is a class? etc, etc, etc. There were also a few basic SQL questions sprinkled in there, like What's the command to update or add to a certain column in a table? They even provide a study guide on the stuff they will be testing you on. But I don't think it helps that much because there is a lot of stuff on that study guide.
PROS:
I was offered a fair salary, with their standard contract. The recruiter outlined the whole process. I would be trained for 8-10 weeks, and then I would be contracted out to various places, but that does not mean I have to move every few months when a project ends. I would have a choice on where I go, and I should be able to stay there as long as I like. For what it's worth, it seems like they do hold up their end of the deal. At the end of the 8-10 weeks, your skills will be at a point where they can find you a job.
CONS:
I was offered a fair salary, so red flags definitely went up when all I had to do to get the offer was pass a technical phone interview where they asked about basic 1st/2nd year Java stuff. I'm from Washington(the state), and when I asked about relocation help to get to Virginia, they kept dodging the question by telling me how they would help me relocate to wherever I want, once I finished their training. Training is at least 8-10 weeks, not matter what. There is no option to speed up the training. The housing is 6 people to a house, 2 to a room. Housing is not negotiable.
I did not accept the offer. As someone who was on the cusp of signing that contract, my advice is to please, please, please, take an hour of your time to look up the company. Really do your research. And when the time comes, do not be afraid to ask the difficult questions. Just keep in mind that you will not be making a product, you ARE the product.
TL;DR You will get a job....if you complete the training. You don't pay for housing, nor training, nor relocation. Your starting salary will be very fair, and you will get very fair salary increases in the 2nd and 3rd year. You have to think, "How do they re-cooperate their losses?"
