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

Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

matt.aimonetti.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 134 posts

Re: Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

#121

Post by mgkimsal »

efuquen wrote: post #89
mgkimsal wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was given a title once, and I think it was a 3 (this was... a heck of a long time ago). But... I wasn't told what the 3 meant - is 3 the bottom? The middle? The top? Is "level 1" where people start? Or is it like golf, where a lower number is better? I asked, and ... got the weirdest look, as if I was an idiot for not having some insider knowledge about "corporate titles". I wasn't there very long. And I never actu…

I always thought that those number titles were based on a scale from 1 to 5? Usually when I see 3 I think the implication is that you're a "mid-level" engineer. I understand the point that these numbers can be arbitrary and not well defined, but I think the idea that this is a "mid-level" engineer would be well understood (I believe this sort of numeric distinction isn't unique to just software engineers). Did you tr…

I get that it's a scale. But... is "1" the "highest" or "lowest"? 17 years in to this indsutry, I still don't know. I've not worked at enough places that had a numbering system like that (IIRC just that one place for a short time).

Re: Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

#123

Post by elemenohpee »

PommeDeTerre wrote: post #85
elemenohpee wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I got a call from a recruiter when I was out to lunch with non-programmer friends. The fact that I was annoyed by it drew some death glares.

Maybe they should be taking some programming courses, or reading some programming books, rather than glaring.

Not everyone can or even should be a programmer.

Re: Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

#124

Post by michaelochurch »

confluence wrote: post #99

Oh look another X sucks at blah. I always reverse these sentences to get interesting ideas. What if blah sucks at X - namely, what if jobs suck at finding the right engineers. Now we're talking :D This is a problem in HR not engineering - whose sole purpose is to find good engineers, pay them well enough so that they stay, make an environment good enough to keep them happy, and put them on the right projects to maxim…

Answered. http://michaelochurch.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/the-world-suc...

Re: Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

#125

Post by pnathan »

mgkimsal wrote: post #121
efuquen wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always thought that those number titles were based on a scale from 1 to 5? Usually when I see 3 I think the implication is that you're a "mid-level" engineer. I understand the point that these numbers can be arbitrary and not well defined, but I think the idea that this is a "mid-level" engineer would be well understood (I believe this sort of numeric distinction isn't unique to just software engineers). Did you tr…

I get that it's a scale. But... is "1" the "highest" or "lowest"? 17 years in to this indsutry, I still don't know. I've not worked at enough places that had a numbering system like that (IIRC just that one place for a short time).

An entry level engineer is a 1, afaict.

Re: Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

#126

Post by mgkimsal »

pnathan wrote: post #125
mgkimsal wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I get that it's a scale. But... is "1" the "highest" or "lowest"? 17 years in to this indsutry, I still don't know. I've not worked at enough places that had a numbering system like that (IIRC just that one place for a short time).

An entry level engineer is a 1, afaict.

Thanks! :)

Re: Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

#128

Post by bitops »

acuozzo wrote: post #28
bitops wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have the possibility of going back to school? I don't know how old you are, but maybe a masters degree in CE could help you.

> I don't know how old you are 25 > Do you have the possibility of going back to school? Yes, I do, but I don't think I'd be able to handle it, especially with a wife and a full-time job. Read more here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4702350

Well, it certainly sounds like you're more than capable of working really hard and achieving good grades. Having to struggle isn't a bad thing - the key is learning to enjoy the feeling (not easy, I'll admit).

At least where I went to school they had family student housing for grad students who were married. Going to grad school would likely involve you taking a student loan, but then you'd be able to make more money afterwards.

Keep in mind that while you're under 30 (and assuming you don't yet have kids and a mortgage) you have a lot more room and leeway to take risks than later in life. Don't lock yourself into misery too early in life. :)

Re: Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

#129

Post by empthought »

raverbashing wrote: post #116
rayiner wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not quite as bad as finance where you're a VP like 5-6 years in.

Yeah, I never got the 'VP' title, it seems counter-intuitive. It looks, as in the government, the VP is merely there if something happens to the President, instead of being an important position with a well defined set of tasks. Director looks a better title

"VP" is so prevalent at banks because bank depositors and customers feel important when they get to talk to a "vice president."

Re: Engineers suck at finding the right jobs

#130

Post by dalke »

nostrademons wrote: post #118
ojbyrne wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember hearing that this is basically the way it works in management. The higher you go the more general your position becomes. CEO President Vice President of ___ Director of ____ _____ Coordinator of ____ and _____

I always figure that if I found another startup, I'll print up 2 sets of business cards. One will have the title "Founder & CEO" for people who are impressed by that stuff. The other will have the title "Disruptive Influence" for everyone who's cool.

My business cards, even back to my first industry job in Palo Alto, have always had nothing listed for a position. On the "smaller title is import important" measure, I win!
Post reply on HN