Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

news.ycombinator.com

1–10 of 26 posts

Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#1
Whenever I get a job interview as a junior web developer, I am told that my technical competence is undeniable but I'm way too introverted to be hired, especially in web agencies.

Are there some other programming jobs in which being extroverted isn't a requirement? Or I should keep searching for the right company? I don't think I can change my personality.

Re: Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#2
Introversion != Lack of social skills.

Keep talking and meeting new people, get better at socializing. Being introverted just means you prefer not to have to socialize some (or most) of the time, it doesn't mean you have to be bad at talking to people.

Being able to socialize is a skill, not a personality. How much you like to do it is what determines if you're extroverted or introverted.

Re: Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#3
You probably can become less introverted with practice if it's something you want, it's hard but not impossible.

How introverted are you ? - web agencies and the like which require client interaction will tend to require more extroverted developers but if you're at a large company working on internal project it tends to be much less of an issue.

Re: Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#5
Many people are introverted and do just fine in all kinds of jobs. "Introvert" is merely an orientation of personality that a large fraction (~50%) of the population has. Most likely the interviewer said you were "too introverted" as a polite way to say that something _else_ like demeanor or communication skill was lacking.

I don't know what your situation is, but you probably won't have success trying to find a job that fits your personality like a glove. There are too many factors and anyway the environment could change instantly the minute another new hire walks in.

Re: Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#6
> I am told that my technical competence is undeniable but I'm way too introverted to be hired

My sympathy, because I can imagine this must be puzzling.

From experience, my analysis tree would go like this:

1. Is this a euphemism or excuse? Euphemisms can be used to cover up other meanings like "you look like a serial killer" or "bathe more." You might want to pursue those angles. Excuses can cover things like you wanting too much money, or being too strong in your opinions or knowledge. (Remember, the machine wants cogs, not governors.)

2. If you think it's actually what they mean, I'd look at the word as they're going to use it, which means "socially withdrawn" and not its actual meaning. Then I'd check these:

(a) Does my appearance scream "socialization difficulty"? Did I wear a monk's habit to the job interview, or talk about 1980s classic videogames too much?

(b) Does my behavior scream "socialization difficulty"? If so, I'd approach this as you would any other technical problem. Find some "normals" to observe and pretend you're James Bond, super spy, and imitate them. You must infiltrate the hive and shut off the reactor.

3. If none of the above are checked: something else is making them nervous. Talk to a recruiter, psychologist or other and have them observe you. Also, make sure no parts of your life or resume scream "serial killer" or "probably molests goats."

4. If that's not the case, think about where you're applying. The machine loves cogs -- I said that already -- but sometimes, silly people in charge of silly companies want cheerful happy cheerleader types who will socialize a lot, get really excited over foosball, etc. They like these because they're tractable and easily manipulated. These silly companies tend to be tech sweatshops that assess you based on the amount of code you grind, not how good it is. Do you want to work there anyway? If you do, you're going to have to play Halloween dress-up and imitate what they want.

I will never support bias against introverted people just so that there can be the illusion (sorry, I mean "appearance") of a happy enthusiastic go-get-'em workplace. That's just silly. But if your appearance or behavior makes other people nervous, and they're not nitwits, you might consider adopting a little bit of a charade so you can work with these people.

Re: Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#7
Just pretend to be extrovert. Smile and look at people when they talk as if what they are saying was fantastic. Imagine the people you meet are your friends. Those of your friends that prefer to talk than to listen to you. It's all bit tiresome for introvert but most jobs are.

When they hire you as long as you do what you are told and respond when somebody asks you about something and listen to people, no one will know that you are introvert.

Re: Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#8
post #7

Just pretend to be extrovert. Smile and look at people when they talk as if what they are saying was fantastic. Imagine the people you meet are your friends. Those of your friends that prefer to talk than to listen to you. It's all bit tiresome for introvert but most jobs are. When they hire you as long as you do what you are told and respond when somebody asks you about something and listen to people, no one will kn…

By pretending to be something you aren't you risk of trying too hard and looking even creepier.

Re: Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#9
I work at a medium sized web agency (~60 employees) as a developer and consider myself introverted. For the first year I worked in a client facing role, which exhausted me - long hours, a lot of social interaction. It wore me down almost to the point of burnout. I then made a lateral move to a non client facing team which greatly improved my quality of life here. So there may be hope for you at a larger company that has non client facing roles - but you may need to work yourself up the ladder to get into them.

You can't change your underlying personality, but you can work on being more social. It's definitely not easy (at least not for me) - when in social situations during the workday, my internal monologue is usually saying "I'd rather be coding." It takes time and practice, but it's achievable. I've been working at being more social and have seen some success.

Re: Ask HN: which jobs are accessible to very introverted devs?

#10
Why focus on agencies which put a premium on extroversion?

Most technical companies worth their salt are happy to have introverted developers doing the hard coding behind the scenes. In general you'll be better off at a software firm that markets to consumers, since there is less direct client interaction. (It's not that you won't be good at client interaction, it's that you have to convince someone)

Because of this, a place like Google or Facebook would be better than SAP or Oracle.

Post reply on HN