3 ms·

I absolutely agree with your take. Case in point: a Stripe job listing I picked at random https://stripe.com/jobs/listing/backend-api-engineer-core-models/259

I absolutely agree with your take. Case in point: a Stripe job listing I picked at random https://stripe.com/jobs/listing/backend-api-engineer-core-models/2592837 https://stripe.com/jobs/listing/backend-api-engineer-core-mo... No single language is named! And this specific sentence is a really great sign (unsurprisingly) “Languages can be learned: we care much more about your general engineering skill than knowledge of a particular language or framework.”

rgallagher27 5y ago
On the other hand, it would be nice to know the core languages in play. I have no interest in working in Java anymore, I avoid job listings for companies that would expect me to write Java. I don't want to have to go through recruiter screens etc before I can ask someone who will know what language I would be spending the next year of my life working with
- gregsadetsky 5y ago
  That’s a fair point. I think that in the specific case of Stripe, they specifically mostly use Ruby (from answers I found online). I may be wrong, but I assume that not mentioning Ruby is a way to attract Python/Go/C/etc. developers that might otherwise think that since they don’t code in Ruby, they shouldn’t apply. Your main point (re: Java) remains of course.
  - whoooooo123 5y ago
    Not to pick on Stripe, but why not say this explicitly? "We mainly use [language X], but you don't need experience in [language X] for us to consider your application" - this is a totally normal thing I've seen in many job postings.
    - gregsadetsky 5y ago
      I agree. Stripe is sometimes more explicit about it: https://stripe.com/jobs/listing/infrastructure-engineer-ruby-services/2296390 https://stripe.com/jobs/listing/infrastructure-engineer-ruby... "Our most popular language in the company today is Ruby, and we are building a new Ruby services practice in support of this." ... but that job is also an openly Ruby-centric job.
- 59nadir 5y ago
  Our solution to this is that we are clear that we're looking for Haskell programmers (as in that is what they should expect to do) but we have very modest requirements in terms of prior knowledge. I made sure to relay to HR that almost nothing is required in terms of prior knowledge (language-wise) and that we should expect to teach Haskell to people instead.
908B64B197 5y ago
They are massively profitable too. I'm not implying a correlation here but.....

rgallagher27 5y ago

On the other hand, it would be nice to know the core languages in play. I have no interest in working in Java anymore, I avoid job listings for companies that would expect me to write Java. I don't want to have to go through recruiter screens etc before I can ask someone who will know what language I would be spending the next year of my life working with

gregsadetsky 5y ago
That’s a fair point. I think that in the specific case of Stripe, they specifically mostly use Ruby (from answers I found online). I may be wrong, but I assume that not mentioning Ruby is a way to attract Python/Go/C/etc. developers that might otherwise think that since they don’t code in Ruby, they shouldn’t apply. Your main point (re: Java) remains of course.
- whoooooo123 5y ago
  Not to pick on Stripe, but why not say this explicitly? "We mainly use [language X], but you don't need experience in [language X] for us to consider your application" - this is a totally normal thing I've seen in many job postings.
  - gregsadetsky 5y ago
    I agree. Stripe is sometimes more explicit about it: https://stripe.com/jobs/listing/infrastructure-engineer-ruby-services/2296390 https://stripe.com/jobs/listing/infrastructure-engineer-ruby... "Our most popular language in the company today is Ruby, and we are building a new Ruby services practice in support of this." ... but that job is also an openly Ruby-centric job.
59nadir 5y ago
Our solution to this is that we are clear that we're looking for Haskell programmers (as in that is what they should expect to do) but we have very modest requirements in terms of prior knowledge. I made sure to relay to HR that almost nothing is required in terms of prior knowledge (language-wise) and that we should expect to teach Haskell to people instead.

908B64B197 5y ago

They are massively profitable too. I'm not implying a correlation here but.....