How programmers should write their resumes • Hacker News Board

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#41

Post by danielweber » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:44 PM UTC

mh_yam wrote: post #31

MetaCosm wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The recruiters do that because lots of HR departments are explicit: docx or deleted. Once you get through the screen, you can show them your fancy resume, but at that point, no one cares about your resume -- you already caught their attention and it is interview / references time.

Haha. If a company doesn't want to hire me because my resume is not in .docx format, I probably don't want to be working there anyway!

Job candidates have a zillion "well if they don't want to work with me I don't want to work there" rules.

But companies also have a zillion "well if they don't want to work with me I don't want them working here" rules.

Listen, sometimes in the real world you have to do something a little unpleasant every now and then. Candidates should bend a little to employers, and employers should bend a little for candidates.

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#42

Post by seanmcdirmid » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:45 PM UTC

alttab wrote: post #32

luch wrote: post #2

I rarely agree with the author of this blog post : - "Don't bother mentioning your G.P.A." : I know firms are only interested in your diploma's name, but it can be an advantage to mention you passed summa cum laude whereas another barely made it by coasting and offloading his share of works on others students (which is unfortunately a useful skill in the workplace). - "Don't bother using verbs other than "made" for p…

As a hiring manager, I actually care about your GPA. There is some self-selection with those that have a 3.9+. It means they cared about the topic, they went to class consistently, and they performed well during tests (under pressure). I'd much rather have the motivated, driven guy who wants to dot his I's and cross his T's than a programmer who thinks that learning big-O notation isn't worth it, that learning softwa…

Do you weight against school and course load? It's easy to get a 3.9 GPA and it's easy to take a few upper division math classes taught by a top field professor and get much less than that. The 3.0 I got in my upper level discrete math was more meaningful than the 4.0 that I got in most of my upper level CS courses (and with a phd, it's all moot now a anyways).

I see so many 4.0 students from top schools that it doesn't even turn my eye anymore (grade inflation is a bad problem in china).

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#43

Post by robinduckett » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:45 PM UTC

This is an advert for his "resume fixing" product, regardless of wether it's free or not.

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#44

Post by nraynaud » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:46 PM UTC

alttab wrote: post #32

luch wrote: post #2

I rarely agree with the author of this blog post : - "Don't bother mentioning your G.P.A." : I know firms are only interested in your diploma's name, but it can be an advantage to mention you passed summa cum laude whereas another barely made it by coasting and offloading his share of works on others students (which is unfortunately a useful skill in the workplace). - "Don't bother using verbs other than "made" for p…

As a hiring manager, I actually care about your GPA. There is some self-selection with those that have a 3.9+. It means they cared about the topic, they went to class consistently, and they performed well during tests (under pressure). I'd much rather have the motivated, driven guy who wants to dot his I's and cross his T's than a programmer who thinks that learning big-O notation isn't worth it, that learning softwa…

It's also a very good indicator of obedience. Someone who cares about painting in the lines, and pleasing authority. Which is very important in some companies.

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#45

Post by aeonsky » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:48 PM UTC

mh_yam wrote: post #9

Don't call yourself a programmer.

While it might make one feel better to call oneself an engineer (you're not, it is not one of the original engineering practices), a developer (I guess, is it any better though), guru, ninja, evangelist (rebranded words). There is absolutely no need for these names in the software context. All of these words are made for the touchy-feely Gen-Y'ers (which I am a part of). While everyone tries to make the word "programmer" a dirty word these days, I'm proud to call myself one. When I go into job descriptions, I would put "Helped architech...", "developed a...", "designed flow of...", and etc.

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#46

Post by MetaCosm » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:49 PM UTC

alttab wrote: post #32

luch wrote: post #2

I rarely agree with the author of this blog post : - "Don't bother mentioning your G.P.A." : I know firms are only interested in your diploma's name, but it can be an advantage to mention you passed summa cum laude whereas another barely made it by coasting and offloading his share of works on others students (which is unfortunately a useful skill in the workplace). - "Don't bother using verbs other than "made" for p…

As a hiring manager, I actually care about your GPA. There is some self-selection with those that have a 3.9+. It means they cared about the topic, they went to class consistently, and they performed well during tests (under pressure). I'd much rather have the motivated, driven guy who wants to dot his I's and cross his T's than a programmer who thinks that learning big-O notation isn't worth it, that learning softwa…

As a non-hiring manager, who has hired 159 software developers and interviewed probably over 1000. I have found high GPA to have negative correlation with success. When I started, I had absolutely no idea how to hire -- so I just kept track of good hires and bad and looked for correlations to help me hire better in the future.

Two biggest things in my personal experience that ended up with amazing hires. Unashamed to admit they don't know something in the interview, treat it as a matter of simple fact - they don't know yet, but can find out. Program in multiple languages / explore languages / can speak about strengths and weaknesses across languages.

In my (obviously limited) experience, high GPAs have correlated to poor or even poisonous personalities. Often arrogant without merit, unable to change positions because of ego, and with an inability to adapt and learn.

Google appears to have done an experiment on a much grander scale and come to similar (but IMHO a little better written up) conclusions: http://qz.com/180247/why-google-doesnt-care-about-hiring-top...

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#47

Post by seanmcdirmid » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:50 PM UTC

chadwickthebold wrote: post #13

ToastyMallows wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is having a portfolio website necessary now-a-days? What does HN think?

Having a portfolio website is necessary to get a job at the place most HN entrepreneurs are interested in running. For better or worse, a portfolio or an active github are almost necessary to land a position at a top-tier company or a startup. If you want to work for a generic business that has grown a software division out of necessity then your basic resume will do just fine.

Maybe a startup, but not a top tier company like google or apple, and definitely not for more senior hires who already have tons of experience.

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#48

Post by danielweber » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:54 PM UTC

JazCE wrote: post #34

chadwickthebold wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having a portfolio website is necessary to get a job at the place most HN entrepreneurs are interested in running. For better or worse, a portfolio or an active github are almost necessary to land a position at a top-tier company or a startup. If you want to work for a generic business that has grown a software division out of necessity then your basic resume will do just fine.

Would you/they discount people who have >5 years experience working for mainstream organisations that might have "grown a software division out of necessity", but no github activity?

Typical thought process for deciding what features a candidate needs to have.

1. I am a good programmer.

2. I have/am X.

3. (Optional) Just-so story about how X makes you a good developer.

4. Therefore, job candidates must have/be X.

I've seen this taken to stupid lengths, where employers want someone who has done professional work with the exact toolchain in use. I don't like car analogies, but it would be like hiring a driver and saying "well, we need someone familiar with the Ford Fusion, and you only have driven a Ford Taurus."

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#49

Post by danielweber » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:55 PM UTC

doesnt_know wrote: post #35

Programmers shouldn't write their resumes at all. Get it done by a professional service. It's pretty much one of the most important documents you will ever have created. It's your ticket to employment, which is quite likely determining your quality of life. Shop around. Find a quality, professional resume writing service with plenty of positive testimonials that will provide a custom service, not some "paste your tex…

How will the programmer know that the professional service is doing a good job? I've seen recruiters -- supposedly experts in what it takes to get hired, and are motivated because the only way they get compensated if I get the position -- completely butcher my resume.

Re: How programmers should write their resumes

#50

Post by vezzy-fnord » Wed, Apr 02, 2014, 1:56 PM UTC

luch wrote: post #29

bjourne wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then suggest one that is both better than GitHub and doesn't cost you any money. Sourceforge, Savannah, Google Code.. They all suck in comparison.

BitBucket ?

As well as Gitorious and GitLab.