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The real questions are: What would be better than sending a resume? Should the job ask for a resume as well as have every applicant submit a project somewhere,

The real questions are: What would be better than sending a resume? Should the job ask for a resume as well as have every applicant submit a project somewhere, one which will be "unit tested" automatically to filter candidates? Should they just ask for the project? Should there be something other than a resume like a timed coding test or something (where the applicant needs to take half an hour and write a program to do X in the language that they will need to work in, probably something really simple)?

nissimk 12y ago
There's a great book which answers your first question: http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Send-Resume-Other-Contrarian/dp/0786865962 http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Send-Resume-Other-Contrarian/dp/0... It's a good collection of advanced marketing techniques for job searchers.
wallflower 12y ago
A friend of mine made it through the initial interview stages at SoundCloud. He was then given three days to build an iOS app using the SoundCloud API that showed off his experience and skill. I like that approach because three days is a nice length of time to build something you can be proud of. He was interviewing for the iOS team, of course.
- Iftheshoefits 12y ago
  Was he paid for his work? If he wasn't, he's part of the problem in hiring processes in our industry.
  - marktangotango 12y ago
    Agreed, I did a coding exercise for the Nerdery once, I epended about 8 hours on it, no one even reviewed it. Total waste of time. Yes I am naming them intentionally, I felt that behavior was antagonistic and exploitative.
    - Iftheshoefits 12y ago
      This industry is filled with what I've come to call the "Naive Narcissist". There is a very large percentage of developers who are so eager for "kudos," renown, and other intangibles that they will happily subvert their own livelihoods and contribute to the culture of relegating programmers to second-class commodity labor in the pursuit of overcoming a (usually arbitrary, artificial) challenge. I come from academia. I know what its like to work toward a goal for the sheer pleasure the challenge brings without expecting (much) compensation. But that's academia. This is (typically) private, for-profit industry. There is no good reason to not demand fair compensation and respectful treatment that includes not being given unpaid monkey-work to "show off" for some ass with a superiority complex.
- jacobr 12y ago
  That filters for people who have three days to spend on a coding challenge with no guarantees at all. If you're unemployed, straight out of school, or very dissatisfied at your current job (perhaps due to conflicts), you're much more likely to take such a challenge than if you have a lot of experience but a full time job and a family. You might not mind that filter (hiring cheaper but talented young people), but it's surely a bias.

nissimk 12y ago

There's a great book which answers your first question: http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Send-Resume-Other-Contrarian/dp/0786865962 http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Send-Resume-Other-Contrarian/dp/0... It's a good collection of advanced marketing techniques for job searchers.

wallflower 12y ago

A friend of mine made it through the initial interview stages at SoundCloud. He was then given three days to build an iOS app using the SoundCloud API that showed off his experience and skill. I like that approach because three days is a nice length of time to build something you can be proud of. He was interviewing for the iOS team, of course.

Iftheshoefits 12y ago
Was he paid for his work? If he wasn't, he's part of the problem in hiring processes in our industry.
- marktangotango 12y ago
  Agreed, I did a coding exercise for the Nerdery once, I epended about 8 hours on it, no one even reviewed it. Total waste of time. Yes I am naming them intentionally, I felt that behavior was antagonistic and exploitative.
  - Iftheshoefits 12y ago
    This industry is filled with what I've come to call the "Naive Narcissist". There is a very large percentage of developers who are so eager for "kudos," renown, and other intangibles that they will happily subvert their own livelihoods and contribute to the culture of relegating programmers to second-class commodity labor in the pursuit of overcoming a (usually arbitrary, artificial) challenge. I come from academia. I know what its like to work toward a goal for the sheer pleasure the challenge brings without expecting (much) compensation. But that's academia. This is (typically) private, for-profit industry. There is no good reason to not demand fair compensation and respectful treatment that includes not being given unpaid monkey-work to "show off" for some ass with a superiority complex.
jacobr 12y ago
That filters for people who have three days to spend on a coding challenge with no guarantees at all. If you're unemployed, straight out of school, or very dissatisfied at your current job (perhaps due to conflicts), you're much more likely to take such a challenge than if you have a lot of experience but a full time job and a family. You might not mind that filter (hiring cheaper but talented young people), but it's surely a bias.