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Things I Learned from a Job Hunt for a Senior Engineering Role

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Re: Things I Learned from a Job Hunt for a Senior Engineering Role

#2
> When did an entire industry of people get pre-judged as lying?

That's the kind of thing that happens when people lie. Everybody who's ever hired engineers knows from experience that a simple Fizzbuzz test is still, unfortunately, a very usable candidate filter.

A lot of candidates with years of real work experience simply cannot write code. How else can we find this out?

Re: Things I Learned from a Job Hunt for a Senior Engineering Role

#4
post #2

> When did an entire industry of people get pre-judged as lying? That's the kind of thing that happens when people lie. Everybody who's ever hired engineers knows from experience that a simple Fizzbuzz test is still, unfortunately, a very usable candidate filter. A lot of candidates with years of real work experience simply cannot write code. How else can we find this out?

> A lot of candidates with years of real work experience simply cannot write code. How else can we find this out?

So true, sadly.

Re: Things I Learned from a Job Hunt for a Senior Engineering Role

#6
Number 2: No One Believes Anyone Can Actually Code

It's surprising to see the number of people who interview for lead technical roles that cannot code, or whose work is exceptionally sloppy. Incompetence is more commonplace than the author believes, even at the highest level.

Re: Things I Learned from a Job Hunt for a Senior Engineering Role

#7

So the author is complaining about coding tests and being doubted for knowing how to code... yet converted 15 technicals into only 2 onsites.

I understand your suspicion, however, I find it odd that the author couldn't code AND recorded a video discussing his code. It seems like he'd hide it away if he couldn't code.

Re: Things I Learned from a Job Hunt for a Senior Engineering Role

#8
post #2

> When did an entire industry of people get pre-judged as lying? That's the kind of thing that happens when people lie. Everybody who's ever hired engineers knows from experience that a simple Fizzbuzz test is still, unfortunately, a very usable candidate filter. A lot of candidates with years of real work experience simply cannot write code. How else can we find this out?

It's also the reason why so many systems, at so many companies, are complete, utter shit.

Re: Things I Learned from a Job Hunt for a Senior Engineering Role

#9
post #2

> When did an entire industry of people get pre-judged as lying? That's the kind of thing that happens when people lie. Everybody who's ever hired engineers knows from experience that a simple Fizzbuzz test is still, unfortunately, a very usable candidate filter. A lot of candidates with years of real work experience simply cannot write code. How else can we find this out?

What do they do on their 'real work'?

Re: Things I Learned from a Job Hunt for a Senior Engineering Role

#10

So the author is complaining about coding tests and being doubted for knowing how to code... yet converted 15 technicals into only 2 onsites.

Could just be age discrimination. I've worked with more than a few people who are very suspicious of people over 40 who are "still just coders," saying that it shows the candidate lacks ambition or they must not be that good since they never advanced to a more senior role like very-senior-principle engineer or management.
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