6 ms·

You don't have to be famous or uber skilled to not have to be interviewed. I got my first job a month ago simply by being knowing someone on IRC.

by kiba 15y ago

heyrhett 15y ago
Sure, and people get parts in movies because they know the producer. But, the article is about Zed shaw, and I think the comparison to famous actors applies. I think it's a good point though, that maybe just because you aren't guaranteed to be famous, Zed Shaw probably has some highly effective habits that all developers can learn from. And you don't have to be famous for his advice to be helpful.
- tjpick 15y ago
  > highly effective habits that all developers can learn from http://programming-motherfucker.com/ http://programming-motherfucker.com/
  - notJim 15y ago
    Every now and then, I start to feel lazy or like I'm wanting to avoid some necessary but tedious task. Then I think to myself "programming, motherfucker" and get that shit done.
    - AltIvan 15y ago
      Hi, this is completly offtopic but i couldn't find another way to contact you: In another thread you complain about the "Unknown or Expired Link" error you sometimes get in HN; i want to tell you that i created a Google Chrome extention that fixs this problem (and also adds some other functionality). You can check it out here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bldhjkmbdomhijjjnmckgchocnfhkpnd https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bldhjkmbdomhijjjnm... Mmm... if you are not a Chrome user... well... you should become one! :)
diolpah 15y ago
I've hired a number of people directly from IRC without a formal interview process. It's a fantastic place to find smart people. But it's important to point out that by virtue of sharing knowledge and posting pastebin urls of your code over a period of time, you are already interviewing, in a sense.
nostrademons 15y ago
I think it depends a lot on the relative standing between you and the company. There are a large number of startups and small businesses where I could get a job simply by saying "Hey, I'm interested", walking in, and having a 15-minute chat with the founder. I would probably not want to work for most of them, though, because it's quite boring being the smartest guy in the room. However, the number of people who could get hired at Google or Facebook without an interview is probably in the dozens to low hundreds, worldwide. And many of them probably aren't interested, because they've got their F-you money, or they have a nice tenured research position somewhere where they can do whatever they want.
- swah 15y ago
  > having a 15-minute chat with the founder How isn't that an interview?
  - nostrademons 15y ago
    Depends whether he offers you the job at the beginning of the chat or the end. The former has happened to me before...
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]
  - allwein 15y ago
    Generally there's two points to an interview. 1) Is this person knowledgeable and capable of performing the job I need them to do? 2) Is this person a cultural/personable fit for my team? I think the point of this article is that when you're a "famous" developer with known traits, number 1 is dispensed with. The 15 minute chat is just to determine number 2. I myself have gotten several jobs after just a recommendation from a friend and a quick drink with the manager.
  - SimHacker 15y ago
    How about smoking a joint with your future manager and development team in a hotel room at a conference?

You don't have to be famous or uber skilled to not have to be interviewed. I got my first job a month ago simply by being knowing someone on IRC.

by kiba 15y ago

You don't have to be famous or uber skilled to not have to be interviewed. I got my first job a month ago simply by being knowing someone on IRC.

heyrhett 15y ago

Sure, and people get parts in movies because they know the producer. But, the article is about Zed shaw, and I think the comparison to famous actors applies. I think it's a good point though, that maybe just because you aren't guaranteed to be famous, Zed Shaw probably has some highly effective habits that all developers can learn from. And you don't have to be famous for his advice to be helpful.

tjpick 15y ago
> highly effective habits that all developers can learn from http://programming-motherfucker.com/ http://programming-motherfucker.com/
- notJim 15y ago
  Every now and then, I start to feel lazy or like I'm wanting to avoid some necessary but tedious task. Then I think to myself "programming, motherfucker" and get that shit done.
  - AltIvan 15y ago
    Hi, this is completly offtopic but i couldn't find another way to contact you: In another thread you complain about the "Unknown or Expired Link" error you sometimes get in HN; i want to tell you that i created a Google Chrome extention that fixs this problem (and also adds some other functionality). You can check it out here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bldhjkmbdomhijjjnmckgchocnfhkpnd https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bldhjkmbdomhijjjnm... Mmm... if you are not a Chrome user... well... you should become one! :)

diolpah 15y ago

I've hired a number of people directly from IRC without a formal interview process. It's a fantastic place to find smart people. But it's important to point out that by virtue of sharing knowledge and posting pastebin urls of your code over a period of time, you are already interviewing, in a sense.

nostrademons 15y ago

I think it depends a lot on the relative standing between you and the company. There are a large number of startups and small businesses where I could get a job simply by saying "Hey, I'm interested", walking in, and having a 15-minute chat with the founder. I would probably not want to work for most of them, though, because it's quite boring being the smartest guy in the room. However, the number of people who could get hired at Google or Facebook without an interview is probably in the dozens to low hundreds, worldwide. And many of them probably aren't interested, because they've got their F-you money, or they have a nice tenured research position somewhere where they can do whatever they want.

swah 15y ago
> having a 15-minute chat with the founder How isn't that an interview?
- nostrademons 15y ago
  Depends whether he offers you the job at the beginning of the chat or the end. The former has happened to me before...
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
- allwein 15y ago
  Generally there's two points to an interview. 1) Is this person knowledgeable and capable of performing the job I need them to do? 2) Is this person a cultural/personable fit for my team? I think the point of this article is that when you're a "famous" developer with known traits, number 1 is dispensed with. The 15 minute chat is just to determine number 2. I myself have gotten several jobs after just a recommendation from a friend and a quick drink with the manager.
- SimHacker 15y ago
  How about smoking a joint with your future manager and development team in a hotel room at a conference?