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I'd like to request details on Connection Machines' hiring practices. (Or do you prefer people to privately email?) I've read some things about them, but there'

I'd like to request details on Connection Machines' hiring practices. (Or do you prefer people to privately email?) I've read some things about them, but there's usually more lore than reality in post-mortems. I've worked mainly in startups and think that startups rarely approach their potential. The managers often comfort themselves with delusions, and the employees for their part often passively take the work they're handed.

hga 16y ago
In short: Like a men's club, one blackball from any employee and you weren't hired. I think this is documented, and I don't know how long they continued the policy (see below, I passed that test). Early on at least they took forever to hire. E.g. I did a serious interview with them (my interview with Danny Hillis, who was part of my social circle, started with an aggressive "Why aren't you in school!??" (the answer was money)). They got back to me more than a month after that interview, by which time I'd accepted a much less desirable job (sysadmin for their Lisp Machines). I was told they failed the second time to fill this job and that three full calendar years later (!!!) they hired a classmate of mine in their third try (I pretty much knew the entire talent pool available at the time). We can be quite certain that damaged their productivity early on; my experience was at the very beginning of 1984 and I'm not sure they failed to hire anyone for this slot in the meantime. In one well sourced account, they asked for a reference from an applicant's current employer (of course without clearing this with him first). Except for that case, I've never heard of anyone doing that, ever. While they were the coolest place to work at in Boston, I can see how they might in part have suffered a "death by lethal reputation" (there are many additional and well documented reasons in the public record, of course).
- calibraxis 16y ago
  Thanks for the peek behind the curtains. I just googled "thinking machines hiring" and came up with this article: http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Thinking-Machines.aspx http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Thinking-Machines.aspx I agree, I've never even known a company to even verify anything on a resume, much less tip off an applicant's current employer.

hga 16y ago

In short: Like a men's club, one blackball from any employee and you weren't hired. I think this is documented, and I don't know how long they continued the policy (see below, I passed that test). Early on at least they took forever to hire. E.g. I did a serious interview with them (my interview with Danny Hillis, who was part of my social circle, started with an aggressive "Why aren't you in school!??" (the answer was money)). They got back to me more than a month after that interview, by which time I'd accepted a much less desirable job (sysadmin for their Lisp Machines). I was told they failed the second time to fill this job and that three full calendar years later (!!!) they hired a classmate of mine in their third try (I pretty much knew the entire talent pool available at the time). We can be quite certain that damaged their productivity early on; my experience was at the very beginning of 1984 and I'm not sure they failed to hire anyone for this slot in the meantime. In one well sourced account, they asked for a reference from an applicant's current employer (of course without clearing this with him first). Except for that case, I've never heard of anyone doing that, ever. While they were the coolest place to work at in Boston, I can see how they might in part have suffered a "death by lethal reputation" (there are many additional and well documented reasons in the public record, of course).

calibraxis 16y ago
Thanks for the peek behind the curtains. I just googled "thinking machines hiring" and came up with this article: http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Thinking-Machines.aspx http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Thinking-Machines.aspx I agree, I've never even known a company to even verify anything on a resume, much less tip off an applicant's current employer.