How To Get Hired
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How To Get Hired
Last week, Joel on Software had a short series on hiring developers. There were three parts (One, Two, and Three) that covered different aspects of how you might go about finding great developers and convincing them to work for your company.
One of the things Joel talks about is the really great developers never apply for jobs or appear on the market. I'll let you read the article and get your opinion, but I think that it's a similar situation for DBAs as well. If you are really great at your job, then likely someone will offer you a position before you are actually looking for a job.
Since most of us, including myself, aren't necessarily "great" DBAs, we end up looking for jobs, sending resumes, etc. this means that most of us probably should pay attention to how we go about performing the search for a new job.
Part 3 talks about how resumes are sorted at Fog Creek Software. I wouldn't think that most companies are this particular, usually because someone in HR does the initial sorting, but there is some good advice. The biggest one I'll mention here is the "English" section.
Too often I've seen resumes with grammatical or spelling mistakes, or just a mess to read. While it's good to have some keywords and certifications listed to get past initial screens, at some point a person will look at your resume and if it doesn't read well or is difficult to follow, they may just toss it. After all, they've likely got 10 or 100 others to view.
Put your resume together carefully and have one or two friends review it and give their opinions. You don't have to take their advice, but hopefully they'll catch some mistakes or explain why some section is hard to read. Also run it through a grammar checker. After all, this is your first impression for a new employer. And it's important, more important than some email you send your boss.
Or some random editorial 🙂
Steve Jones
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Yes, absolutely right, Steve.
In the same way that you put your best suit on for the interview, you should be displaying your best spelling, grammar, etc on your CV or application form.
On the subject of HR, at one company I worked for we discovered that the applications hadn't just been sorted by them, they had also been filtered. We never saw any that were scruffy, coffee-stained, or otherwise unpresentable - in the opinion of HR! They were just thrown away!
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Whilst I obviously agree that you want your CV and covering letter to be as accurate and impressive as possible, I was a little surprised over the very narrow band of people that Fog Creek software accepted to interview. I don't think I'd want to work there, I think it must be a very dull place full of nerds and techno-geeks. There is an additional aspect to job hunting, above and beyond the job itself, the salary and benefits. Are you the job-seeker going to enjoy working there? Do you think you want to be in an environment where your colleagues' main hobbies are attending coding competions and learning Ruby? Wow, what a dull place!
Secondly, speaking as someone who looks at CVs and hires people, I look for keeness and character as much as qualifications. I don't care how good a degree they have or how much experience of coding C++ in their spare time if they don't have the personel skills to work in team environment, and to contribute to that team on a personal level as well as a technical one. Hobbies outside of computing are a must!
I myself have an arts background and I have met many IT professionals who didn't study mathematics, computing or science. Does this make them less valuable as IT professionals? Not in the slightest. In fact, someone with an arts background often has a more lateral approach to problem solving and can look at things with a different perspective. I would recommend that every team has at least one of these people.
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OK Steve, you went "a fishin" and you hooked me, so here goes Bubba...
First, and I don't mean to offend the one or two that are really good at their job, but most human resource people are idiots, period! They have a set of industry tested rules that have nothing to do with programming and productivity that they apply to most of the resumes that come through the door. I'm talking basically the same set of rules are applied for the janitor, the production worker, the IT professional, or the CEO.
Next, Joel is clueless about hiring programmers, and his assumption that all the "great" programmers never have to look for work is crazy
Why do I say this? Companies are not in control of their future. They must respond to market pressures. The CIO at a given company may have his job because of friends and not really know what he's doing. So, if you have a failing company that must lay off people and stop expensive projects to keep the doors open, jobs are going away! If the CIO is an idiot and revamps the IT group, many will recognize this and go looking for new jobs. Some, those who fit the interview process well, not those who are the best at their jobs, will find employment elsewhere.If there is high demand in the job market, then it is easier to get a job. If the company is successful and makes a good profit, it is easier to keep your job. However, if you do not produce good results with your assigned responsibilities, it will eventulally catch up with you and you will loose your job. Don't be frightened, I've seen it take many years to recognize people like you, and you know who you are
My son was hired by one of the big banks to be a programming tech lead on a project. The tech lead was leaving under some pressure and had to be replaced. The project had been budgeted at 275 thousand dollars and when my son took it over, 2.1 million dollars had been spent. Was it the former tech lead's fault... Probably not
However, after the project was finished, I thought to ask my son how his boss had the wisdom to hire someone that could get the job done for him? He said the man was clueless... He liked his resume and after some casual conversation that had more to do with communication skills than programming tech lead skills he was hired. Almost no discussion about past experience, or how he would take this "failed" project and complete it successfully. What a LUCKY manager this gentleman was... With his hiring skills, he could have hired an idoit and not known the difference.
On Joel, I purchased his DVD about the summer interns because I like a lot of what he writes. I know this should sound professional, because it's going to be seen by professionals, but what a piece of crap
It told me absolutely nothing about what was done that summer to find the good interns and eliminate the so, so interns. These young men could have been working for Burger King or McDonalds and most of the material would have fit right in with the hype in that DVD! Joel mostly bragged about what a great company he has and how they make a bunch of money and can do things like have summer interns. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Joel fan, but he is a man, a successful business man, he doesn't walk on waterI've ranted long enough, and I've got to get back to productive work, so I'm not going to take the time to run this through my spull chicker. However, if you want my resume, it has had spell checking run on it and most of the words are real English...
Oh, bottom line... It's not how great you are... It's not how big your salary is or if you run a successful business like Joel... Do you go in each day and do the best job you can! If your a slacker, in your heart you know it, even if you've fooled everyone around you. Why don't you change and give it your best! That's all anyone can do, and that is what makes you GREAT
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Steve,
I disagree with the statement "great developers never apply for jobs".
As an DBA that works primarily in government on short term contracts, I am constantly sending my resumes out. Not to toot my own horn, but I do exceptional work and consider myself a cut above the rest.
The reality of the job market is that most of my client base do not understand database technology to begin with. When I show up, they are in a mess. I clean up the mess, leave them a stable platform and move on to the next crisis.
Perhaps your original statement referred to "employees". The truly great "employee" developers may never send resumes but then again how great can they be while strapped to somebody else's corporate millstone?
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First, thanks for the comments, especially William. Knew we'd get you one day
Second, I think corporate development is much different than shrink wrap. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I doubt that really great developers who have accomplished something that stands out, Apache developers, Jim Grey, etc. probably don't apply for jobs. They likely have standing offers from multiple companies.
That being said, I'm sure there are people like me that are applying for jobs all the time. I think I've been very successful as a DBA. At least I've been paid that way
However for one reason or another, I've had 6 jobs in the last decade and interviewed for many more. I tend to get offers almost everytime I interview, but I still have to search out those jobs. Not sure how it might be for developers, but I'd assume similar.
When Joel says "Never apply for jobs", I think he means that they switch jobs, but they get a new one through friends. Sure they send a resume and interview, but they don't respond to an ad or post on Monster. Instead they cherry pick jobs from networking or standing offers.
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hmmm .. on 'how to get hired'...
as unsatisfying my response is....
I'd go...
Top 5
5) Know someone
4) Nepotism
3) Know someone
2) Sleep with owner
1) Know someone
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GPF is on to something there - networking is definitely a good idea for our field and helps in getting a job. The more we talk with people in our field, the more our name can get out. #2 and #4 could work, but it could also lead to some sticky situations. And more and more, I'm seeing companies with anti-nepotism clauses, so that option is slowly disappearing.
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"Instead they cherry pick jobs from networking or standing offers."
I'm still waiting for you to make me an offer steve... and I hope I won't have to sleep with you to get it
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Finally an editorial that addresses my pet peeve - language!!!
I read Joel's articles more for his writing style than content though the latter is equally above par. Back when I had the dubious pleasure of interviewing new hires I came across many resumes that made me cringe. I give you an excerpt from one of them...
"Attended several Joint Application Development sessions to illicit user requirements"
What spell checker is going to catch this ?!?! Unless, of course, it was the user who was illicit - or maybe even the requirements - in which case I owe the guy an apology!!!
It is distressing that most of the people who have such poor communication skills come from countries where English is the only language spoken...after all, if you had a "were" clause in your SQL statement "where" would you be?!
ps: Remi - I sincerely hope that you won't have to go through option #2 & GPF - if YOU do, I hope for your sake the owner is of the opposite gender - "not that there's anything wrong with that"..
**ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI !!!** -
If you are not willing to take one for the team.. how dedicated really are you...
and pm me if you need my illicit user requirements...
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Sue you shoud know better. The real boss is always the other half of the man
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Clearly the bottom half
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Why am I trying not to understand that one
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