Re: not enough real programmers? (was Re: Byte Magazine: 18 Vintage issues, 1985-1986)

["Ruff Records" <ruffrecords@geocities.com>]

Peter Stephenson wrote in message <37b5c697.7294921@nnrp.gol.com>...
>On Mon, 09 Aug 1999 11:28:27 +0100, Ian Thompson Bell
><itb@techprt.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In my experience many people let themselves down with a poor CV.  In our
organisation we brief the HR people on
>>basic parameters we are looking for - primarily education and skills so
they can weed out the no hopers before they
>>even reach my desk.  Even then I read huge numbers of CVs and I am making
just one decision - shall I interview
>>this person?  I look for two things:
>>
>>1. Is there a reasonable match between what I want and what is on offer.
I do not expect perfect matches because
>>good people can learn new skills quickly and you never know when new
experience will be usefull.
>>
>>2. The person.  There are all sorts of indicators of this.  Quality of
writing is one, age vs experience is another
>>and interests outside work can often be very revealing.  Long CVs are a
definite negative here.
>>
>>I do not expect the criteria I use are very different from those used by
other recruiters so it is worth while
>>reviewing you CV against a particular job with these factors in mind.
>>
>Yeah, but.
>
>But HR don't typically understand the 'basic parameters - as people
>have noted they won't spot the synonyms.

No buts - give them the synonyms.


  That's why I've used written
>papers: HR arrange the test, book a room, give them a paper, take it
>back and send it to me.  They're just about up to that.

This won't work - you need to do some basic weeding out first.

>
>I also don't think that 'primary education' is necessarily a good
>guide (no chip on shoulder, mine's pretty good).  HR typically have a
>degree in needlework or something and think that a degree's essential.

It does not matter what HR 'think' (sounds like an oxymoron to me ;-)) You
tell them what you want - they go find it.  Experience shows me primary
education is a very good guide - it's not infallible but it does prvent a
lot of wasted time.
>


>I'm not sure about 'interests outside work', either. Depends what you
>mean.

Well presumably these candidates work to live not the other way round so
they do waht they REALLY want to do in their leisure time


Ian