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I think it depends on how you view software development as a profession. If you group it more closely to creative fields like design or writing—both fields whe

I think it depends on how you view software development as a profession. If you group it more closely to creative fields like design or writing—both fields where portfolio reviews have been standard hiring practice for decades—then it makes sense to expect to see projects. If you view it closer to a professional services role—accounting, legal, etc—then your comparison makes sense. I'm not advocating for either view as the "correct" opinion either, I just think the disagreement has less to do with what qualifies a junior and more to do with how we conceptualize development as a profession.

wolfgke 7y ago
> If you group it more closely to creative fields like design or writing—both fields where portfolio reviews have been standard hiring practice for decades—then it makes sense to expect to see projects. If you view it closer to a professional services role—accounting, legal, etc—then your comparison makes sense. > I'm not advocating for either view as the "correct" opinion either, I just think the disagreement has less to do with what qualifies a junior and more to do with how we conceptualize development as a profession. I believe that there exists a good criterion to judge: If the employer considers programmers to be "fungible", programming needs to be viewed as professional services role. On the other hand, if you are considered and catered for like a "creative rockstar" by the employer (because the employer will have a hard time replacing you), it should be considered a creative profession. Judge for yourself what is closer to the truth. :-)