3 ms·

I disagree with one of Yegge's key points: "How do you hire someone who's smarter than you? How do you tell if someone's smarter than you? This is a problem I

by sanj 18y ago

I disagree with one of Yegge's key points: "How do you hire someone who's smarter than you? How do you tell if someone's smarter than you? This is a problem I've thought about, over nearly twenty years of interviewing, and it appears that the answer is: you can't. You just have to get lucky." Is this really the case? I feel like I've met dozens of people over the years and I can tell you that they're better programmers than me. Or more organized. Or more talents (at business, coding, wine tasting, whatever). Or just plain smarter. Is this just a question of being humbled by many talented folks? Is it that I have some hugely overvalued self worth? Do I have less of myself tied into my code? Don't get me wrong, my ego does take a small hit (though less and less over the years), and I do console myself in some small way. "Well, at least I can play the ukulele with my toes better than she can!" But, c'mon, can you really not put your own ego aside long enough to hire people to make your company successful?

narag 18y ago
I also have recognized that a handful of guys were smarter. But that's after working with them. Sometimes I realized how smart they were after I was elsewhere, found a problem that they had solved and found out how hard it was. A superheroe makes things look easy. Would I spot one of them in an interview? Not sure, but I think so. But that's just because I'm supersmart myself ;-)
lutorm 18y ago
It is the case. It's like that pg essay about how everyone recognizes how languages lower level than the one they work in are sooo primitive, but higher-level ones (ie lisp in the essay) just look weird. You just don't see what that would be good for. It's the same with insanely smart people. They just don't make sense to you, because you can't follow. If you observe their output for a while, you'll see, but from just talking to them, it'll be difficult.
- sanj 18y ago
  I still disagree. I've met lots of weird people. A small subset of them are smart. You get better at telling the difference over time.

by sanj 18y ago

narag 18y ago

I also have recognized that a handful of guys were smarter. But that's after working with them. Sometimes I realized how smart they were after I was elsewhere, found a problem that they had solved and found out how hard it was. A superheroe makes things look easy. Would I spot one of them in an interview? Not sure, but I think so. But that's just because I'm supersmart myself ;-)

lutorm 18y ago

It is the case. It's like that pg essay about how everyone recognizes how languages lower level than the one they work in are sooo primitive, but higher-level ones (ie lisp in the essay) just look weird. You just don't see what that would be good for. It's the same with insanely smart people. They just don't make sense to you, because you can't follow. If you observe their output for a while, you'll see, but from just talking to them, it'll be difficult.

sanj 18y ago
I still disagree. I've met lots of weird people. A small subset of them are smart. You get better at telling the difference over time.