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My take on the problem: You're projecting yourself onto other people who are looking at candidates. This stuff matters to you but not to most people hiring. The

My take on the problem: You're projecting yourself onto other people who are looking at candidates. This stuff matters to you but not to most people hiring. The corporate apparatus tends to view these things as a challenge to The Way We Do Things Here, so a blog post or side project might even be a red flag. This strategy is a gigantic waste of time. It shouldn't be but it is.

simonw 3y ago
Yeah, my advice is very much focused on "working for ambitious technology companies". I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that standard corporate coding jobs - where the interviewer might not even have a technical background themselves - wouldn't even think to check for a GitHub profile or technical blog.
JadeNB 3y ago
> The corporate apparatus tends to view these things as a challenge to The Way We Do Things Here, so a blog post or side project might even be a red flag. I know I'm coming at this from the idealistic position of someone who's lucky enough to have a job, but isn't it kind of a good thing if you find out early that you're applying to a company where doing things is a red flag?
- nsxwolf 3y ago
  You'll never receive feedback on why you were rejected either way, so there's no way to prove or disprove this strategy, or any other. We hem and haw and tweak and fret about every little thing in this process, but ultimately all roads lead to "Thank you for your interest in SomeCorp. Unfortunately, we have decided not to proceed with your candidacy at this time, but we appreciate the time and effort you dedicated to the application process. We will keep you in mind for future openings and we encourage you to keep current on new opportunities on our careers site."
  - jakelazaroff 3y ago
    I don’t think the rejection reason matters in this context, though. GP’s point is that it’s better to filter out fundamental mismatches before a protracted interview process that ultimately results in a rejection anyway (or, worse, an acceptance that results in quitting or being fired).

simonw 3y ago

Yeah, my advice is very much focused on "working for ambitious technology companies". I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that standard corporate coding jobs - where the interviewer might not even have a technical background themselves - wouldn't even think to check for a GitHub profile or technical blog.

JadeNB 3y ago

> The corporate apparatus tends to view these things as a challenge to The Way We Do Things Here, so a blog post or side project might even be a red flag. I know I'm coming at this from the idealistic position of someone who's lucky enough to have a job, but isn't it kind of a good thing if you find out early that you're applying to a company where doing things is a red flag?

nsxwolf 3y ago
You'll never receive feedback on why you were rejected either way, so there's no way to prove or disprove this strategy, or any other. We hem and haw and tweak and fret about every little thing in this process, but ultimately all roads lead to "Thank you for your interest in SomeCorp. Unfortunately, we have decided not to proceed with your candidacy at this time, but we appreciate the time and effort you dedicated to the application process. We will keep you in mind for future openings and we encourage you to keep current on new opportunities on our careers site."
- jakelazaroff 3y ago
  I don’t think the rejection reason matters in this context, though. GP’s point is that it’s better to filter out fundamental mismatches before a protracted interview process that ultimately results in a rejection anyway (or, worse, an acceptance that results in quitting or being fired).