Following an interview, I've been tasked with creating a "simple address book" webapp with Laravel and Vue.js.
There isn't much in the spec, with the only requirements being the use of Bootstrap, no auth, and inclusion of pagination and searching.
This is very easy with Laravel and my question to the community is how much further do I go with this?
Should I add alphabetical pagination alongside laravel pagination? What about a nice material ui?

I sent a design from Dribble to the employer and asked if making the app look fancy would be worth my time. He said I'm free to use any front end design and lib that I want if I'm able to demonstrate my use of them in code review, and he also said that the project "was only intended to take you a couple hours" which it would if I weren't to add a fancy ui.

So, shall I just make a simple app with Bootstrap tables, add responsiveness and keep the css semantic for brownie points, or go all out and spend a day or two making it beautiful? There is one other candidate so I have competition.

I have a technical job interview via phone call later today and would like some advice on what to prepare for.

The role is Junior Web Developer and here is what's expected of me:

- Good knowledge of HTML and CSS
- Some knowledge of Javascript
- Some experience with a PHP framework such as Laravel
- Some experience developing themes for content management systems such as WordPress
- Basic familiarity with Git or other VCS

Those are fairly low requirements and I meet or exceed them individually but just want to ensure I prepare properly.

What can I expect?

If we are living in a simulation, can they not afford threaded thoughts?

Having to sit through a debate between my lead and boss about how to implement something trivial like front end validation in a non-public facing part of our system. Or worse, working on something as per my lead's instructions only to have my boss tell me its all fucking wrong and to start over.

Anyone else take the day off because of the snow/ice in the UK? ❄

I started a job as a developer on Monday for a large retail company. There was no computer available for me because of the IT department but I'm told it will arrive later in the day. It doesn't.
On Tuesday I get told that the PC is coming and later in the day a keyboard, mouse, monitor stand and two monitors arrive but no computer.
Today, Wednesday, I get into work and find that I now have a PC. Woo! I load windows, log into my user account with my new user and pass and go to install VSCode only to find that I don't have admin privileges and can't install almost anything. I'm told that IT will add me to the admin user group soon(tm). I wait. All day. They don't do what they are supposed to do despite us pushing them to do it.
I hope that tomorrow I can actually dev, but at least I've been paid three days wage for doing nothing lol

Anyone have any shitty IT department stories?

I have my first developer interview next week. I'm really nervous. Its an interview for both a front end role and a php backend role, and they are hiring 9 developers.
I'm a full stack developer, dot net core backend and learning React.js frontend. My html and CSS knowledge is fine but I don't quite have a grasp of js yet. As for php, I know nothing, but the recruiter said they are looking to train someone and I explained that I enjoy learning, not to mention php is very popular so it's a good tool to have knowledge with.
I've been told to look at their site, so I've written a list of about ten aspects of the site that I like and that I would change. From the lack of interactivity to images being larger than necessary, something that could be optimised.
The interview will be an hour and a half long and I'm shitting myself. Im not a confident person as is, plus I suffer from anxiety. I'm mostly worried about being put on the spot with questions like "tell me your best achievement". I will rehearse the obvious questions this weekend.
Doss anyone have any advice? Good experiences, bad experiences etc.