HR accessed me through linked-in, one call, got a technical interview after that. (no online test)
The interview was very thorough, but ok, however, the evaluation was biased.
You need to achieve the sympathy of the interviewer, anyway, it sucks.
Unfortunately, if you are a more senior developer (15+) very likely you won't go for tutorials, but you can work better in practice, than who just read interview questions all the time.
Don't read books, just go for tutorials, as they are more mature to explain problems, and can be read faster!
In the last some month, after several years of international experience, I thought I might come back to Budapest. It was not a good idea. The pay grades are very dense, you can get the same amount with relevant qualifications and even with international experiences, like somebody who has only 3-4 years experience with Codecool, and you might be pushed as on same salary level the expectation can be higher for you. (superman effect many times)
I was not really familiar with the salaries in Hungary, so I made some funny expectation first, however, some companies took it very seriously (i thought I won't get anyway). Sometimes the HR needs to say something before inviting me to the interview. If they want to prove with tests that somebody with experiences like me is on a similar level than the abovementioned one, just to negotiate, it's a problem.
I felt, that nobody wanted me here. I also met with too many non-Hungarians in the offices, or just got too many international calls. (San-Francisco many times)
Age discriminations also happening, so if you have some protection come home, but if you haven't, don't waste your time. Theoretically, the salaries are not that bad to relocate, however, the average is pretty bad, so you won't get acceptable opportunities, just low ones.
The market seems to be pretty filled also. The salary what I can get safely I think it's what I have got 11 years ago. Too many long interviews process, very likely you can get jobs easier out of Hungary, as you are more competitive salary-wise also.
It's not an easy profession, and financially I personally feel next to 40, that the sacrifices do not reflect the salaries, just everybody thinks that I'm a bank robber and they seem to be angry. :)
I didn't take the interviews too serious, but I like jokes, but no one else can understand in this industry especially in Hungary. (I just tested the environment back)
At Epam without the test, I had a feeling that I won't grow at Epam, as the interviewer simply had a very strange look when I mentioned that I would like to be a lead developer at some point. It was reasonable, however, I did feel the opposite. (i don't want to be a leader, but the reaction simply offended me)
The main problem I think that to interview in Hungary is a very time-wasting activity. HR not so prepared, you are lack of information many times, or even the pay grade can be good at first, but many times simply with a little, but reasonably higher salary expectation you don't get interviews. (i didn't have any cancelled interviews, but in the past 4 months I had lots of them) Don't try about 40, just go away from Hungary.
