I wouldn't consider it a factor in an employment decision unless it was exceptional in some way (i.e. it was non-stop, extremely loud, disruptive).
Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
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Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#12I wouldn't consider it a factor in an employment decision unless it was exceptional in some way (i.e. it was non-stop, extremely loud, disruptive).
In fact, I was wondering if someone who needs to talk out loud has a different approach of solving problems or if he has even has some shortcomings given that he is not able to keep things in his mind.
When children learn reading at school, the first step is to read loud, then to understand what they read out loud. It takes considerably more efforts until a child is able to understand a text she is reading silently.
Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#13Will he get a private office?
Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#14At least I know he's focused on his work. As opposed to say writing an Ask HN about it.
Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#15I would, since I do it myself. Infrequently actually, but a lot of it is swearing.
Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#16If they were working from home, sure :P
I can't see it impacting on their work, but it might irritate others.
There is an obvious second question though, how would you know before you employed them. The question then becomes, would you fire an developer that talks to themselves at work.
In which case, No - I probably wouldn't. At least not without trying to find other ways of dealing with it, it is possible they don't even know they're doing it - and after making them aware you might find that they stop.
Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#17Probably not, if he's doing that all the time, the office is shared, he does it in different voices and/or uses the Black Speech of Mordor.
Other than that, why not? When I'm behind closed doors, I sometimes to this myself, too. Giving thoughts proper form often helps to order them, so both writing and monologue are perfectly fine. That's what some people get out of pair programming.
Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#18I wouldn't. At one job, the desks were arranged so that I sat at my computer with my back to my coworker (who talked to himself/no-one-in-particular/me throughout the day) and I could never tell when he was trying to talk to me or just vocalizing something. Also, I found it annoying. A small annoyance, sure, but if it bothers your other developer's, it's not a good idea.
Well if you were doing the hiring I am guessing you can also set the seating.
Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#19It depends. If they are talking and it is barely audible, sure...I do this, and with the exceptional expletive, it's more or less silent. Most of the developers here, myself included, wear headphones for the day unless we're talking to one another. I don't think anyone even notices I'm mouthing things to myself or reading "out-loud" (e.g., moving my mouth).
Not totally related, but I'm also bobbing my head to music all day (usually groovesalad on some.fm)
All that said...how would you know if you're going to hire someone who talks to themselves anyway, or is this just hypothetical?
Re: Ask HN: Would you employ a developer who talks to himself during work?
#20I wouldn't consider it a factor in an employment decision unless it was exceptional in some way (i.e. it was non-stop, extremely loud, disruptive).
In fact, I was wondering if someone who needs to talk out loud has a different approach of solving problems or if he has even has some shortcomings given that he is not able to keep things in his mind. When children learn reading at school, the first step is to read loud, then to understand what they read out loud. It takes considerably more efforts until a child is able to understand a text she is reading silently.
That is certainly an interesting way to look at people talking to themselves, definitely correct with children. Personally I talk to myself a lot when working at home, and never when in an office (it is rude and distracting for other people). I think I do much better work at home, especially when trying to solve problems. For some reason saying something out loud can often make it clearer, easy to see something stupid you've done etc.
In theory anything you can do in a meeting, talking with others, can be done in email, but IMHO well run meetings are a very good way of bringing ideas together, solving problems etc. Talking to yourself is like having a meeting with yourself :-)