Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask YC: "Rock Star" Job Titles

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 126 posts

Re: Ask YC: "Rock Star" Job Titles

#51

Post by boris »

bjclark wrote: post #7

I totally agree 100%. If I see rockstar or ninja, I skip right past your ad. You want to get my attention? Tell me you're looking for a professional, and you're going to treat me like one. I want to know that I get 8 hours a week to work on opensource. I want to know that you're looking for craftsman, not ego maniacs. Mostly, I want to know that I'm not working with a group of people that saw the word rockstar and th…

What about a "great hacker"? Here is a position we advertised in a local LUG. While writing it up I kept asking myself if I would reply to an email like this. Feel free to take it apart:

http://lists.clug.org.za/pipermail/clug-work/2008-July/00062...

Re: Ask YC: "Rock Star" Job Titles

#52

Post by hopeless »

Way not take these titles literally?

Rock star: cocaine and alcohol habit; cancels important engagements at the the last minute; often uncommunicative / in stupor; always followed around by a gaggle of loose women;

Ninja: Hides from colleagues; carries deadly weapons; often surprises you with unpleasant experiences; uncommunicative; can't work with others; only ever seen at night

I'm sure, if questioned, most companies using these titles are not looking for these attributes! Seriously, why not ask for "Code Vampires" or "Project Pornographers" :-)

Re: Ask YC: "Rock Star" Job Titles

#53

Post by eworoshow »

boris wrote: post #51
bjclark wrote: post #7

I totally agree 100%. If I see rockstar or ninja, I skip right past your ad. You want to get my attention? Tell me you're looking for a professional, and you're going to treat me like one. I want to know that I get 8 hours a week to work on opensource. I want to know that you're looking for craftsman, not ego maniacs. Mostly, I want to know that I'm not working with a group of people that saw the word rockstar and th…

What about a "great hacker"? Here is a position we advertised in a local LUG. While writing it up I kept asking myself if I would reply to an email like this. Feel free to take it apart: http://lists.clug.org.za/pipermail/clug-work/2008-July/00062...

It's a tiny thing, but in your introductory paragraph you use [1] twice where the second instance should likely read [2].

Re: Ask YC: "Rock Star" Job Titles

#54

Post by boris »

eworoshow wrote: post #53
boris wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about a "great hacker"? Here is a position we advertised in a local LUG. While writing it up I kept asking myself if I would reply to an email like this. Feel free to take it apart: http://lists.clug.org.za/pipermail/clug-work/2008-July/00062...

It's a tiny thing, but in your introductory paragraph you use [1] twice where the second instance should likely read [2].

It was a hidden test: we only hire people that spot this. Joking, of course.

Re: Ask YC: "Rock Star" Job Titles

#58

Post by teamonkey »

andrewparker wrote: post #29
nickb wrote: post #13

"ROCK STAR Developer" is probably a synonym for an underpaid, overworked developers ;). They can't pay you with money so they pay you with empty superlatives.

Meh... after working with a team of 20 developers for a few months, I could very clearly tell you who are the rock stars and who are not. Particularly in software development, some people are just unbelievably better than others.

I'm more of a roadie.
Post reply on HN