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How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

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Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#241

Post by FourthProtocol »

edw519 wrote: post #23

How to hire me: 1. Tell me about the 3 biggest things you must accomplish. 2. Tell me why you must accomplish them. 3. Tell me when you must accomplish them by. 4. Tell me how you intend to accomplish them. 5. Tell me what you're already doing to accomplish them. 6. Tell me the role you envision me playing in accomplishing them. 7. Tell me what you expect from me. 8. Put me with some of the key people already working…

Useful and insightful list. I'd add "what's the impact to [your org] if you do not fill this role (whether with me or someone else)?"

Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#242

Post by FourthProtocol »

VikingCoder wrote: post #57

When I'm involved in interviewing someone, one of the interviews will be cookie-cutter. I've seen with my own eyes applicants who had stellar resumes, had great conversations with everyone they talked to... and could not pass a Cookie-Cutter Technical Interview. You may think that it's insulting to have to pass a Cookie-Cutter Technical Interview, but we are not (generally) a Professional group - we don't have a Bar…

I never bother with cookie-cutter interviews. With the exception of the first, every time I've had one I ended up being made an offer, and turning the job down. First, I found obscure technical questions from interviewers a bit sadistic. Almost as though the interviewer is trying to tell you how good she is. When I accepted an offer after such an interview I only lasted three months, because the interviewer felt threatened by me.

If, conversely, a candidate asked me the questions edw519 listed above, you'd pretty much be guaranteed a job. I don't care how well or badly you program. I don't care whether you know Boost or not. I want to know whether you'll fit in here. Ever read Peopleware [1]? There's a great example in there on why you should value the programmer that seems to deliver nothing of value, and yet makes the team gel.

If you don't know why this line of C++ code compiles with Visual Studio 6, but produces the wrong result, hey, that's ok. Are you giving me the impression that you like programming? That you will try and find an answer yourself before coming to ask for my help? If I ask you a question that you can't answer, do you bullshit, or do you say "Hey, I don't know, but I'll find out and email you the answer tomorrow."

The character is far more important to me than your ability as a programmer. The former is a fit, or it isn't. The latter I can work with. Because it's a long game.

[1] http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0321934113

Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#243

Post by doktrin »

jacalata wrote: post #131
doktrin wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I have applicants for positions that don't exist. My applicant search takes negative time. Why do you feel it's necessary to waste a candidates time by having them apply for make-believe vacancies?

The charitable reading would be that he is talking about unsolicited applications.

Perhaps, but honestly the wording lead me to believe he was referring to the practice of keeping job postings open for non-existent positions. It's a relatively common practice, albeit a questionable one IMHO.

Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#244

Post by hispanic »

zanny wrote: post #142
dangrossman wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You think it's hard to find programmers, at any given level of skill? Outside of the tech hub cities, yes, it can be very hard. Even just an hour out of Philadelphia, helping a local company offering $95k salary and benefits (well above average in their area), there were very few applicants and fewer actually qualified to do any professional programming. It took almost a year to fill a single developer position. Pr…

Where outside Philly are you? I'm in Berks and while I'm shopping everywhere from NY to SF for an entry position out of college, there is nothing close to any demand for developers I can find in these parts. Philly itself can be ok for positions, but outside the city seems like a barren wasteland. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. I'm absent a network, so I'm just using online job boards from Careers 2.…

You need that "network". And by "network", I mean people. Find someone you respect, at least professionally. Someone that impresses you. Someone that you'd be happy to pattern your professional self after. Solicit their advice. Listen to what they say. Earn their respect in return for the time they offer you. Good things will eventually happen. (Translation: they'll help you find jobs.)

If you feel that you've tried this and you can't find anyone, I see two options: 1. Establish these relationships online. HN is a good start. There's also no shortage of good software developers writing blogs. Interact with a few that you really respect. Comment on their posts. Connect with them on LI and Twitter. Email them. Taking it to a personal level where they'll feel the desire to go out of their way to help you could be difficult, but it's possible. 2. Move. If your present community truly is devoid of people you respect who would be willing to mentor you in some way, you need to switch it up and expand your circle of potential colleagues.

Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#245

Post by mindcrime »

inovator wrote: post #224
mindcrime wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's some good stuff, but I'd add a couple: 1a. Show me the office I'll be working in. Any "open plan" or "2+ people per office" setup decreases your odds of hiring me by about 93%. Not to say I'll never take a job like that, but it really, really hurts your odds. 1b. Show me the rest of the building... are there common areas where people can hang out and collaborate away from their offices, preferably with natural…

1a. Just out of curiosity, what's wrong with "open plan"?

To be fair, plenty of people like it. I hate it. It's a personal preference. In terms of anything that's really quantifiable, I'll say that I believe "open plan" leads to a constant stream of distractions and interruptions which kills your ability to get into - and stay in - that "flow" state of maximum productivity.

It also sucks if you need to make the occasional personal phone call, or if you feel the need to pick your nose, etc., etc.

Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#246

Post by rhizome »

vinceguidry wrote: post #162
derefr wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 2. Mine are about them, yours are about you. Well, yes. As a non-equity employee, why should you care about "them", other than how you'll come out of working for them five years down the line? Will you have enjoyed your time there? Will you have grown as a developer? "Creating something meaningful" only only really affects the lives of employees inasmuch as they now have something out there in the world that they c…

> Well, yes. As a non-equity employee, why should you care about "them", other than how you'll come out of working for them five years down the line? Because when you work at a company you don't care for, you are contributing to a toxic environment, which can hurt your career prospects much more than a sub-par salary, by making you caustic and bitter. If you come out of a job in anything other than high spirits, that…

Is there a chance that the toxic environment derives from the people who "care" about the company, giving the culture a bit of a "too many cooks" problem? That is, not caring about the company itself can contribute to a "pure work" attitude that benefits the actual success of the business.

Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#247

Post by signed0 »

softbuilder wrote: post #195
signed0 wrote: post #44

Can someone explain what a "resume wall" is.

Sorry I left you wondering! A resume wall is a third-party service that sits between applicants and an employer. In order to apply for a job with some companies you have to submit your resume through their service. http://www.jobscore.com/ is an example.

Ah, I was imagining a huge page filled with resumes in the same vein as a wall of text.

Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#248

Post by dinkumthinkum »

VikingCoder wrote: post #225
dinkumthinkum wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And I'm sorry, but it's a Buyer's Market. In what universe is this true. I don't want to imply anything but I feel like maybe you're not sure what "buyer's market" means. That would imply that employer's have large pool to pick from an those looking for a job are essentially lucky to find one. I don't think you meant that ... I'd hope if you are really in charge of hiring people you wouldn't think that because, I f…

The employers I've worked at, since about 2002, have had a large pool to pick from, and those looking for a job have gotten less and less of a cut of profits and their benefits have been cut back, fairly consistently (relative to inflation, etc.) People are still afraid of losing their job. Some people have been under-employed for a long time, now, and are settling for jobs they previously left in distaste. A lot of…

Are you talking about programmers? Are you talking about the United States? If so, the evidence is not on your on side. It's actually so not on your side that I'm a bit flummoxed.

Re: How To Hire Me (or any other programmer)

#249

Post by dmiladinov »

IheartApplesDix wrote: post #141
edw519 wrote: post #23

How to hire me: 1. Tell me about the 3 biggest things you must accomplish. 2. Tell me why you must accomplish them. 3. Tell me when you must accomplish them by. 4. Tell me how you intend to accomplish them. 5. Tell me what you're already doing to accomplish them. 6. Tell me the role you envision me playing in accomplishing them. 7. Tell me what you expect from me. 8. Put me with some of the key people already working…

These are basically all the things they need to keep secret to keep leverage over you.

Sometimes I think it might be even more benign than this. Some hiring managers are already so ingrained into their work culture that it's already become transparent to them.

"Don't ask the fish about the water," and all that.

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