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I wish we could move to application screening based on portfolios, like architects, graphic designers, and copywriters. "Show me the soource code of at least on

I wish we could move to application screening based on portfolios, like architects, graphic designers, and copywriters. "Show me the soource code of at least one application you've written --- preferably two or three." I would pore over it (not necessarily reading every line) and I would know what I'm getting myself into. Unfortunately there is still too much fear that you would be divulging company secrets. Moral: Post some personal projects on GitHub or something, at the very least.

ng12 10y ago
I have no portfolio. Almost every line I've written for the past 5+ years has been paid for. When I do code for fun, it's never my best stuff because I'm mostly either trying new technologies or it's not a particularly complex problem. This approach would seem to select for pretty specific set of candidates. The current system is really easy. I prove to you I can code, we talk about technologies I like and things I've done, we talk about work style and bing-bam-boom I either get the job or not. And if I don't like the question you asked me in the interview -- why would I want to work for you anyways?
soulnothing 10y ago
edited, if I could show prior professional code that he fine. But the level of Mon competes is staggering. I've seen this mentality and I hate it. I have GitHub and a number of personal projects. But the projects that have full quality are private business ventures, in private repositories. Not to mention I have other hobbies. Before I give my GitHub I always stress it's a scratchpad. My code on GitHub in a grade rating scale is under 50℅ an f. I get it running and that's it. For documentation, unit tests, that's on my private repositories. I couldn't fathom approaching an interviewer with an NDA. I get enough flak for wanting to run my own business. Saying I'll show you my quality code, but you can't talk about it. That won't fly. I'd have less apprehension if so many companies didn't claim anything developed, on or off clock, is said companies property.
WorldMaker 10y ago
I wish we had an option to move more towards how other engineering disciplines handle a lot of these problems: standardized training/college course work (ABET accreditation being a major deal), licensure boards and procedures and certifications (EIT [Engineer in Training], PE [Professional Engineer], certifications in various specialties). To a general (classical?) engineering firm (like my current employer), my two ABET accredited degrees mean a great deal. To most software companies they don't seem to mean anything, but at the very least I wish they meant "can handle a FizzBuzz". (A recent derail for me in an interview a couple years back was someone scoffing at me when I said "Oh yeah, I saw problems like this back in college" as if I couldn't possibly have... It is quite frustrating that the default seems to be that academic background and resume experience are "lies" compared to ability to run a puzzle gauntlet.) In my current job I could get a small favor/title bump if I did all the hard work to get an EIT/PE after my name (and there is a Software PE now; unlike back when I graduated), but all that hard work would probably not be worth it because it wouldn't be recognized by most software jobs. There's a chicken and egg problem here with jobs not trusting certifications because the certifications aren't common enough, or comprehensive enough/well suited enough for that particular businees, because no one gets certifications if companies won't hire them or won't privilege them at least enough to skip interview shibboleths like FizzBuzz and some of the puzzle gauntlets.

ng12 10y ago

I have no portfolio. Almost every line I've written for the past 5+ years has been paid for. When I do code for fun, it's never my best stuff because I'm mostly either trying new technologies or it's not a particularly complex problem. This approach would seem to select for pretty specific set of candidates. The current system is really easy. I prove to you I can code, we talk about technologies I like and things I've done, we talk about work style and bing-bam-boom I either get the job or not. And if I don't like the question you asked me in the interview -- why would I want to work for you anyways?

soulnothing 10y ago

edited, if I could show prior professional code that he fine. But the level of Mon competes is staggering. I've seen this mentality and I hate it. I have GitHub and a number of personal projects. But the projects that have full quality are private business ventures, in private repositories. Not to mention I have other hobbies. Before I give my GitHub I always stress it's a scratchpad. My code on GitHub in a grade rating scale is under 50℅ an f. I get it running and that's it. For documentation, unit tests, that's on my private repositories. I couldn't fathom approaching an interviewer with an NDA. I get enough flak for wanting to run my own business. Saying I'll show you my quality code, but you can't talk about it. That won't fly. I'd have less apprehension if so many companies didn't claim anything developed, on or off clock, is said companies property.

WorldMaker 10y ago

I wish we had an option to move more towards how other engineering disciplines handle a lot of these problems: standardized training/college course work (ABET accreditation being a major deal), licensure boards and procedures and certifications (EIT [Engineer in Training], PE [Professional Engineer], certifications in various specialties). To a general (classical?) engineering firm (like my current employer), my two ABET accredited degrees mean a great deal. To most software companies they don't seem to mean anything, but at the very least I wish they meant "can handle a FizzBuzz". (A recent derail for me in an interview a couple years back was someone scoffing at me when I said "Oh yeah, I saw problems like this back in college" as if I couldn't possibly have... It is quite frustrating that the default seems to be that academic background and resume experience are "lies" compared to ability to run a puzzle gauntlet.) In my current job I could get a small favor/title bump if I did all the hard work to get an EIT/PE after my name (and there is a Software PE now; unlike back when I graduated), but all that hard work would probably not be worth it because it wouldn't be recognized by most software jobs. There's a chicken and egg problem here with jobs not trusting certifications because the certifications aren't common enough, or comprehensive enough/well suited enough for that particular businees, because no one gets certifications if companies won't hire them or won't privilege them at least enough to skip interview shibboleths like FizzBuzz and some of the puzzle gauntlets.