Ask HN: Am I hireable for a tech company if I don't like complex stuff?

I don't really like complexity nor do I like fads. That doesn't mean I don't like working on hard problems though. I just like trying to keep things simple.

I've noticed lately that almost everyone of my fellow programmers seem to be immersed in fads and other like things. The rest seem to try and make some of the most simple problems in the world into some of the most complex problems in the world.

Then I look at Ad's out there and it says they are looking for top programmers and these 'rock stars' out there. Not only do they ask for that, they also seem to give out these super brain teasers and ask questions about overcomplicated specifications like they are the holy grail of good programming and I should be writing programs like them! (In my opinion, the only reason I see a lot of specs end up that way is because two people couldn't agree on something so they compromised on the worst of the two ideas to move on.)

Well, after spending hours listening to people talk about stuff way over my head just to realize all they are talking about is something rather simple - I feel very unhireable by my fellow programmers except for the lowest level programming job or simple CRUD jobs.

This probably isn't a very popular opinion, but I've always felt that if tech companies spent more time hiring "get shit done" people instead of rockstars, they'd end up a lot better off.

Any well-rounded company needs a mix of "rockstars" who push the newest fads and try to work out complex solutions (even if the problem is not always complex) and "get shit done" people who makes sure the release is ready by Friday morning no matter what. I've found that these two types of developers compliment each other well -- if there's mutual respect.

What do you mean by not liking complexity?

If you can't deal with complexity (whether or not you actually like it) you simply won't be a good programmer. Complexity is often imposed on you from the outside, it can't always be designed out. Things should be made as simple as possible, but often "as simple as possible" is still pretty complex.

As far as faddishness goes, I think it's worst in the Web fields. I'm an embedded software designer and while I have to deal with pretty complex systems, the underlying technologies change very slowly. When you're building something that has a design cycle of 4-5 years and will be in the field for decades, that's a desirable attribute.

On the flipside, when your design cycle is measured in hours and your product may only be live for a few months, chasing the latest fad may be the only way to survive.

If you like hard problems and want to be a programmer, there's lots of work for you out there. You don't have to live and die by webapps.

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