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No offense taken. I fully admit to underperforming on some of the whiteboard sessions I was subjected to. I also don't think I performed so poorly on all of the

No offense taken. I fully admit to underperforming on some of the whiteboard sessions I was subjected to. I also don't think I performed so poorly on all of them to get nothing but rejections. I am not a rockstar, but I am competent at what I do - but what I do is not whiteboard code toy problems. I always ask for reasons for the rejections, but I rarely get a response. Some will give insight (as I stated in my original comment) but the vast majority will not tell you any reason. I am just offering a piece of data to refute the "negative unemployment" claim and its ilk.

linkregister 10y ago
I appreciate your contribution to the discussion. Different opinions make HN special. I empathize with your situation; getting hired while unemployed is much more difficult than under better circumstances.
magic_beans 10y ago
I wonder if there is something in your personality that turns people off? Are you overly aggressive? Do you seem unfriendly? Honestly, it sounds like you just might need to sharpen your people skills a little bit! Those are important too :)
- sanderjd 10y ago
  I can't figure out what, from the parent's comments, would make you draw this conclusion that it is a people skill problem when it sounds like a classic "whiteboard interviews are a total crap shoot" problem. This experience is not even at odds with the original quote from the recruiter - when the recruiter says "qualified", all they mean is "able to succeed in the hiring process companies are using". Unfortunately, that definition of "qualified" often doesn't have much in common with the usual definition of "capable of doing good work". The parent commenter may well be qualified in the second way but not in the first.
- jakebasile 10y ago
  I hope there isn't something I'm doing that indicates I'm not good to work with, but I haven't ever gotten any feedback like that. I try very hard to be even-handed and pragmatic about how I speak and treat others, and I'm always willing to help or chat about... anything really.
drdeadringer 10y ago
Perhaps you happen to suck at interviews, or at least parts of interviews like whiteboarding. For me, there's a reason why I don't go to Trivia Night at the Programming Saloon despite interviewers enjoying playing Trivial Pursuit during an interview. "Practice Interviews" are a thing. Have you considered trying such out?
- jakebasile 10y ago
  This is likely. I am deficient at whiteboard "coding" to solve toy CS problems, which is de rigeur for developer interviews right now. I think I've gotten better with practice over the past months but this doesn't seem to bear results. I have gotten to actual, workable solutions on the whiteboard numerous times and still nothing. I haven't done a practice interview, but another poster offered to help me with that. I may take them up on their offer.
wyclif 10y ago
I always ask for reasons for the rejections, but I rarely get a response It's unlikely you'll get a response like that after a 'no hire' from legit companies. They avoid giving that kind of feedback because of legal ramifications.

linkregister 10y ago

I appreciate your contribution to the discussion. Different opinions make HN special. I empathize with your situation; getting hired while unemployed is much more difficult than under better circumstances.

magic_beans 10y ago

I wonder if there is something in your personality that turns people off? Are you overly aggressive? Do you seem unfriendly? Honestly, it sounds like you just might need to sharpen your people skills a little bit! Those are important too :)

sanderjd 10y ago
I can't figure out what, from the parent's comments, would make you draw this conclusion that it is a people skill problem when it sounds like a classic "whiteboard interviews are a total crap shoot" problem. This experience is not even at odds with the original quote from the recruiter - when the recruiter says "qualified", all they mean is "able to succeed in the hiring process companies are using". Unfortunately, that definition of "qualified" often doesn't have much in common with the usual definition of "capable of doing good work". The parent commenter may well be qualified in the second way but not in the first.
jakebasile 10y ago
I hope there isn't something I'm doing that indicates I'm not good to work with, but I haven't ever gotten any feedback like that. I try very hard to be even-handed and pragmatic about how I speak and treat others, and I'm always willing to help or chat about... anything really.

drdeadringer 10y ago

Perhaps you happen to suck at interviews, or at least parts of interviews like whiteboarding. For me, there's a reason why I don't go to Trivia Night at the Programming Saloon despite interviewers enjoying playing Trivial Pursuit during an interview. "Practice Interviews" are a thing. Have you considered trying such out?

jakebasile 10y ago
This is likely. I am deficient at whiteboard "coding" to solve toy CS problems, which is de rigeur for developer interviews right now. I think I've gotten better with practice over the past months but this doesn't seem to bear results. I have gotten to actual, workable solutions on the whiteboard numerous times and still nothing. I haven't done a practice interview, but another poster offered to help me with that. I may take them up on their offer.

wyclif 10y ago

I always ask for reasons for the rejections, but I rarely get a response It's unlikely you'll get a response like that after a 'no hire' from legit companies. They avoid giving that kind of feedback because of legal ramifications.