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I agree with a lot of the points here. One specific pet peeve of mine is job listings that refuse to nail down which specific technologies they're using. Some

I agree with a lot of the points here. One specific pet peeve of mine is job listings that refuse to nail down which specific technologies they're using. Some will say things like "Front-end web development using a framework such as ExtJS, React, Vue, or Angular". Neat - which one? I'm happy to work with 1 or maybe 2 of those. Do you mean that you actually use React but you're fine with people who come from some other framework? Or do you mean that you are converting a legacy app from Ext.JS to React so you're hoping the candidate has used both? Sometimes they'll bury the actual framework in the "Nice to Have" section but it's pretty common for it to be left vague. I think what they're trying to do is widen the pool of applicants, but that strategy seems suboptimal for attracting folks who want to work with a specific tech stack.

acjacobson 8y ago
While this is only my experience, when I write job requirements that cover multiple languages or frameworks it really is 'any of these are fine'. The theory is that you don't want to filter out people that would otherwise be a good fit - because for the most part smart people can learn new frameworks and languages pretty quickly. You are correct that it is suboptimal for people wanting to work on a specific tech stack, but if you're not getting any applicants because your requirements are unnecessarily strict it's not in anyone's interest.
- dceddia 8y ago
  It makes sense that you wouldn't want to prematurely filter people out, but in that case I'd think it might be better to explicitly state that. Something like "We use React, but experience with another framework (Angular, Vue, etc.) is fine. We assume you can learn React." I think the unintended consequence of leaving it broad is that you might lose people who are specialized in the very framework you use. In my own case, I'm pretty biased toward React, having written a book & been blogging about it for a few years. I definitely pass over job listings that leave the framework open to interpretation. The cost of finding out what they actually use is too high, unless the job looks exceptional in some way.
cloogshicer 8y ago
Completely agree, I think it's super important for the job description to: - Be clear about what's required and what isn't - What the exact stack is that you'll be using in the role
ravenstine 8y ago
I've thought about that a lot, and I wonder if the number of frameworks mentioned in a job posting indicates poor job quality or just an inept hiring manager. Either way, I purposely avoid those type of job postings. I don't want to waste so much as 10 minutes on a phone screening to find out that even though you mention Ember or React that what you really want is someone with Angular 1 experience.

acjacobson 8y ago

While this is only my experience, when I write job requirements that cover multiple languages or frameworks it really is 'any of these are fine'. The theory is that you don't want to filter out people that would otherwise be a good fit - because for the most part smart people can learn new frameworks and languages pretty quickly. You are correct that it is suboptimal for people wanting to work on a specific tech stack, but if you're not getting any applicants because your requirements are unnecessarily strict it's not in anyone's interest.

dceddia 8y ago
It makes sense that you wouldn't want to prematurely filter people out, but in that case I'd think it might be better to explicitly state that. Something like "We use React, but experience with another framework (Angular, Vue, etc.) is fine. We assume you can learn React." I think the unintended consequence of leaving it broad is that you might lose people who are specialized in the very framework you use. In my own case, I'm pretty biased toward React, having written a book & been blogging about it for a few years. I definitely pass over job listings that leave the framework open to interpretation. The cost of finding out what they actually use is too high, unless the job looks exceptional in some way.

cloogshicer 8y ago

Completely agree, I think it's super important for the job description to: - Be clear about what's required and what isn't - What the exact stack is that you'll be using in the role

ravenstine 8y ago

I've thought about that a lot, and I wonder if the number of frameworks mentioned in a job posting indicates poor job quality or just an inept hiring manager. Either way, I purposely avoid those type of job postings. I don't want to waste so much as 10 minutes on a phone screening to find out that even though you mention Ember or React that what you really want is someone with Angular 1 experience.