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> Even as someone who enjoys side projects, the prospect of sharing a side project, and being criticized by a potential employer about the contents of it, turns

> Even as someone who enjoys side projects, the prospect of sharing a side project, and being criticized by a potential employer about the contents of it, turns it from "side project" to work. You should be able to take constructive criticism of your work regardless if it's a side project or not.

km3k 9y ago
Even if they dive into a corner of your side project from 10 years ago that works, but you realize isn't ideal, and you don't have the time to improve that part of the code?
- 2trill2spill 9y ago
  > Even if they dive into a corner of your side project from 10 years ago that works, but you realize isn't ideal, and you don't have the time to improve that part of the code? Yes, you basically answered the question your self. Tell the interviewer that you wrote that code ten years ago and while it works it's less then ideal, then explain why its not ideal and what a better solution would be.
- wrs 9y ago
  The conversation where you explain what's not ideal and what you would improve based on what you've learned since is why I would want to talk about your side project in the first place. If you said your side project was perfect and couldn't be improved, that would be a major red flag!
- Xylakant 9y ago
  I, as an employer would like to have a conversation about that and I’d absolutely take “I know this could be better, but it was written years ago and it works” as a perfectly good answer. Software can always be better, requirements change and so do capabilities and styles of the people writing the code. But we cannot rewrite all parts of all our software all the time for the sake of molding it to fit our current vision of perfect. Time is limited. Finding the line between “this is not perfect, but it does the job” and “this really holds us back and needs change” is in my opinion one of the most valuable skills a seasoned programmer can acquire.
482794793792894 9y ago
That's not the point they're making. What they mean is that if they consider side projects as potential criteria for being hired or not, they'll lose the fun in those side projects. Because they'll then try to make every part of the code perfect and with complete documentation for everything, probably spending more time trying to present it rather than working on it.
megous 9y ago
Why? I strongly doubt any criticism from a potential employer would be any good in the context of hiring. Almost all of the side projects would have undocumented constraints and requirements on which the design/engineering decisions were based. And I doubt the interviewer would take time to ask for design constraints beforehand and then go through the code enough to understand its design/architecture and have interesting criticisms that would bring something positive for the side project in the future. You can't criticize design decisions without context. I would not be welcoming to someone criticizing my side projects without first asking for context/design constraints the work was based on. I would not lash out or whatever. But I would not take the criticism without some sense of other person's care for the side project in question.
watwut 9y ago
He hadn't said he is afraid of constructive criticism. He said he is afraid someone will hold something in it against him. The two are profoundly different.

km3k 9y ago

Even if they dive into a corner of your side project from 10 years ago that works, but you realize isn't ideal, and you don't have the time to improve that part of the code?

2trill2spill 9y ago
> Even if they dive into a corner of your side project from 10 years ago that works, but you realize isn't ideal, and you don't have the time to improve that part of the code? Yes, you basically answered the question your self. Tell the interviewer that you wrote that code ten years ago and while it works it's less then ideal, then explain why its not ideal and what a better solution would be.
wrs 9y ago
The conversation where you explain what's not ideal and what you would improve based on what you've learned since is why I would want to talk about your side project in the first place. If you said your side project was perfect and couldn't be improved, that would be a major red flag!
Xylakant 9y ago
I, as an employer would like to have a conversation about that and I’d absolutely take “I know this could be better, but it was written years ago and it works” as a perfectly good answer. Software can always be better, requirements change and so do capabilities and styles of the people writing the code. But we cannot rewrite all parts of all our software all the time for the sake of molding it to fit our current vision of perfect. Time is limited. Finding the line between “this is not perfect, but it does the job” and “this really holds us back and needs change” is in my opinion one of the most valuable skills a seasoned programmer can acquire.

482794793792894 9y ago

That's not the point they're making. What they mean is that if they consider side projects as potential criteria for being hired or not, they'll lose the fun in those side projects. Because they'll then try to make every part of the code perfect and with complete documentation for everything, probably spending more time trying to present it rather than working on it.

megous 9y ago

Why? I strongly doubt any criticism from a potential employer would be any good in the context of hiring. Almost all of the side projects would have undocumented constraints and requirements on which the design/engineering decisions were based. And I doubt the interviewer would take time to ask for design constraints beforehand and then go through the code enough to understand its design/architecture and have interesting criticisms that would bring something positive for the side project in the future. You can't criticize design decisions without context. I would not be welcoming to someone criticizing my side projects without first asking for context/design constraints the work was based on. I would not lash out or whatever. But I would not take the criticism without some sense of other person's care for the side project in question.

watwut 9y ago

He hadn't said he is afraid of constructive criticism. He said he is afraid someone will hold something in it against him. The two are profoundly different.