3 ms·

That's kind of interesting to me, because my questions are exactly like mindcrimes and I would never ask the kinds of questions you're interested in. I sometim

That's kind of interesting to me, because my questions are exactly like mindcrimes and I would never ask the kinds of questions you're interested in. I sometimes say in interviews that I'm actually not that interested in the big picture of the company, I'm much more concerned with the day-to-day issues of software construction. Also, you seem to have a specific kind of company in mind. Your questions fit a new web startup but I can't imagine how Google (or a Wall street bank, accounting firm, consulting firm, etc.) is supposed to tell you the three biggest things they need to accomplish and when they're due. Lots of places are just looking for smart developers because there's lots of things to do rather than looking for somebody to fulfill a specific task. Some companies have great high-level vision but terrible low-level infrastructure/culture and vice-versa. If we had to choose between the two, I suspect the two of us would make completely different choices.

Swannie 14y ago
"Lots of places are just looking for smart developers because there's lots of things to do rather than looking for somebody to fulfill a specific task." That. If you are that company, I don't want to work for you. You have to have a mission. The big hairy audacious goals guide your week to week work. If they don't then "You're doing it wrong". If you don't know what I should be working on, then I am unlikely to be able to move you forward in a meaningful way. Sure, Google as a whole may not have a "thing" for me to work on, but each department will have it's key thing... again, if they don't, what the are they adding to google? Is my job secure? Or will I get axed in the next product that doesn't serve to organise the worlds information?
- derefr 14y ago
  But even the biggest, hairiest, most audacious (audacious-est?) goals a company has will eventually get 'solved' to a satisfactory extent; that feature of the product you were hired to get working will be essentially "done" and go into maintenance mode, etc. Then what will the company do with you? Are they even sure you're good for anything other than the one problem they hired you to solve? Hiring for general problem-solving ability means being able to rely on the same already-meshed team of people for your next big hairy thing.

Swannie 14y ago

"Lots of places are just looking for smart developers because there's lots of things to do rather than looking for somebody to fulfill a specific task." That. If you are that company, I don't want to work for you. You have to have a mission. The big hairy audacious goals guide your week to week work. If they don't then "You're doing it wrong". If you don't know what I should be working on, then I am unlikely to be able to move you forward in a meaningful way. Sure, Google as a whole may not have a "thing" for me to work on, but each department will have it's key thing... again, if they don't, what the are they adding to google? Is my job secure? Or will I get axed in the next product that doesn't serve to organise the worlds information?

derefr 14y ago
But even the biggest, hairiest, most audacious (audacious-est?) goals a company has will eventually get 'solved' to a satisfactory extent; that feature of the product you were hired to get working will be essentially "done" and go into maintenance mode, etc. Then what will the company do with you? Are they even sure you're good for anything other than the one problem they hired you to solve? Hiring for general problem-solving ability means being able to rely on the same already-meshed team of people for your next big hairy thing.