| I've never hired anyone, so take my thoughts with a bucket of salt, but one concern I'd have is that there's just way too much code here. There only needed to be one or two PHP files for the whole app (assuming you were supposed to use PHP in the first place). If they're not a PHP shop, they likely look down on PHP with severe disdain (as many do) and so this may have led to some premature judgement. Drawing the grid with Javascript wasn't necessary at all: that could have been pure HTML/CSS. No use of jQuery is probably a red flag - not that it's inherently bad to avoid jQuery if you don't need it, but using it would have made your code substantially cleaner/easier to maintain. If a quick and dirty project like this is your assignment, I'd be a little concerned if you didn't install a tool that would help you complete it as quickly as possible - especially one that's (for better or worse) pretty much a given on any project that involves Javascript. Finally, while I understand that you may not be a UI designer, there's a pretty severe lack of polish on this interface. Part of being a full-stack developer is being a front-end developer; part of being a front-end developer is some sense of design; and part of being a "senior" full-stack developer is being able to set a strong example across the entire stack (including the front-end). The arrow keys for navigation was a nice touch on the interaction side, but visually it was amateur hour. I'm not a strong PHP developer so I won't speak to your back-end skills, but hopefully this has given you some perspective on why they made the decision they did. For what it's worth, I agree with their feedback. I know that's hard to hear, but just pick yourself back up and keep getting better. In the mean-time, I suggest applying for lower-level positions. Find somewhere that will provide a good learning environment, alongside some strong senior developers that can mentor you without expecting you to perform at a senior level. Then, in a few years (or months if you're a quick study), get back on the horse and apply for some more senior positions. You'll get there someday. |