4 ms·

I was curious about the associated job specs. Whether they read like "Wanted: Software dev with the hyperfocus of ADHD and none of the nasty downsides". Howeve

I was curious about the associated job specs. Whether they read like "Wanted: Software dev with the hyperfocus of ADHD and none of the nasty downsides". However on page 3 or so of the very visually noisy sign up flow I've lost interest, doesn't look like there's an option to see any listings without first typing in ridiculous amounts of information. Made it to the end by skipping fields and asking google what a representative american phone number is. The 'search' function returns no hits, even when you type in keywords from the example job postings. Likewise the buttons next to search marked things like "remote" or "internship" return no results. The page has "show more" on it, but says you've reached the end after a total of 15 listings. The four I looked at were indistinguishable from job listings seen elsewhere. So the initial impression is they've put a huge amount of effort into trying to get information out of job searchers and not so much into trying to get employers to post roles on it.

electromech 3y ago
Thanks for sharing. I didn't make it past page one (https://app.mentra.com/signup https://app.mentra.com/signup) for similar reasons, and based on your experience it sounds like I'm not missing much. Apparently they figured out the "why" of their mission but the "how" (how they intend to accomplish the mission) is lacking to say the least. The site feels no different to me from other job search boards -- AFAICT, they're just using different words.
- TylerE 3y ago
  It’s especially bad considering their target audience, of whom I am one.
lIIllIIllIIllII 3y ago
Wanted, ADHD devs because... they can... focus more? Is this a joke?
- travisjungroth 3y ago
  (Disclaimer that basically all of ADHD is contentious and I don’t want to argue but just explain) Hyperfocus is a symptom of ADHD. This can be someone who spends 14 hours in one go fixing a bug. Downsides are that it’s generally not sustainable, and it’s just as likely to be the wrong thing as the right thing. I know a ton more about air cooled engines but didn’t do my taxes on time kinda thing.
  - IggleSniggle 3y ago
    "I spent the week creating a typescript interpreter that verifies the type safety of our bash scripts using typescripts string template capabilities"
- Aurornis 3y ago
  "Hyperfocus" comes from the theory that ADHD is not a lack of attention but rather a difficulty focusing one's attention. The idea goes that ADHD people can some times "hyperfocus" on things for very long periods of time. It should be noted that the idea of hyperfocus isn't actually present in the DSM-5 (the standard classification of mental disorders) and largely came from a smaller group of psychiatrists and authors in recent years. Despite being a very popular concept on the internet (merely posting this comment is going to make me a lightning rod, I know), it's rather contentious concept in official diagnostic circles. It's also extremely misunderstood in internet discussions about ADHD with many non-ADHD people misinterpreting it as a sign that they might have ADHD. Note that stimulant medication (a common treatment for ADHD) can often make hyperfocus worse, and hyperfocus is a well-known side effect of stimulant medication being dosed too high. It's also not considered unique to ADHD and is definitely not diagnostic for having ADHD. Specifically, focusing for things for long periods of time by itself is definitely not a sign of ADHD.
  - nicolas_t 3y ago
    I'd add that ADHD hyperfocus is focusing on one thing but that the thing is not necessarily what you want it to be. For example, I've become obssessed for a few weeks on boardgames, to the exclusion of everything else but after that I had no interest whatsoever. Sometimes, it can be useful when I'm focusing on something actually relevant to my career, life. Sometimes, like with boardgames, it can lead to me buying 80 board games, and wasting my time on something completely useless... As regarding to medication, I seldom use my ADHD medication (concerta makes me way too sleepy if I'm sleep deprived and I have a toddler so I'm always mildly sleep deprived) but when I did, it actually stopped the hyperfocus in that it allowed me to think of something else besides my obsession du jour.

electromech 3y ago

Thanks for sharing. I didn't make it past page one (https://app.mentra.com/signup https://app.mentra.com/signup) for similar reasons, and based on your experience it sounds like I'm not missing much. Apparently they figured out the "why" of their mission but the "how" (how they intend to accomplish the mission) is lacking to say the least. The site feels no different to me from other job search boards -- AFAICT, they're just using different words.

TylerE 3y ago
It’s especially bad considering their target audience, of whom I am one.

lIIllIIllIIllII 3y ago

Wanted, ADHD devs because... they can... focus more? Is this a joke?

travisjungroth 3y ago
(Disclaimer that basically all of ADHD is contentious and I don’t want to argue but just explain) Hyperfocus is a symptom of ADHD. This can be someone who spends 14 hours in one go fixing a bug. Downsides are that it’s generally not sustainable, and it’s just as likely to be the wrong thing as the right thing. I know a ton more about air cooled engines but didn’t do my taxes on time kinda thing.
- IggleSniggle 3y ago
  "I spent the week creating a typescript interpreter that verifies the type safety of our bash scripts using typescripts string template capabilities"
Aurornis 3y ago
"Hyperfocus" comes from the theory that ADHD is not a lack of attention but rather a difficulty focusing one's attention. The idea goes that ADHD people can some times "hyperfocus" on things for very long periods of time. It should be noted that the idea of hyperfocus isn't actually present in the DSM-5 (the standard classification of mental disorders) and largely came from a smaller group of psychiatrists and authors in recent years. Despite being a very popular concept on the internet (merely posting this comment is going to make me a lightning rod, I know), it's rather contentious concept in official diagnostic circles. It's also extremely misunderstood in internet discussions about ADHD with many non-ADHD people misinterpreting it as a sign that they might have ADHD. Note that stimulant medication (a common treatment for ADHD) can often make hyperfocus worse, and hyperfocus is a well-known side effect of stimulant medication being dosed too high. It's also not considered unique to ADHD and is definitely not diagnostic for having ADHD. Specifically, focusing for things for long periods of time by itself is definitely not a sign of ADHD.
- nicolas_t 3y ago
  I'd add that ADHD hyperfocus is focusing on one thing but that the thing is not necessarily what you want it to be. For example, I've become obssessed for a few weeks on boardgames, to the exclusion of everything else but after that I had no interest whatsoever. Sometimes, it can be useful when I'm focusing on something actually relevant to my career, life. Sometimes, like with boardgames, it can lead to me buying 80 board games, and wasting my time on something completely useless... As regarding to medication, I seldom use my ADHD medication (concerta makes me way too sleepy if I'm sleep deprived and I have a toddler so I'm always mildly sleep deprived) but when I did, it actually stopped the hyperfocus in that it allowed me to think of something else besides my obsession du jour.