it is also clear to me that you possess attributes that would make an excellent employee - talent, enthusiasm and dedication. I would have no issues with offering you work if I were able to get XXXX to that stage... I am more than happy for you to put me down as a reference for any job opportunities, as I would highly recommend you to any employer.Now whether the guy was just politely fobbing me off or he actually meant that I'm not entirely sure half the time. I've never particularly thought of myself as `talented` when it comes to code. `Persistent` like a retarded dog who doesn't know when to stop, sure.
When you can't practically give yourself away and you again decide you really want stable cash what do you then? 'I know! I'll look for a *well paying* job. What a shrewd and cunning plan!'
As I'm starting to get reasonably fluent with python, not needing references every 10 seconds, I naturally looked for jobs using that. There were however none available that didn't require `3 years experience` and `knowledge of finance` etc. The `python` keyword did however turn up another interesting advertisement.
We're a Richmond-based software development studio specialising in web technologies such as Flex and Ruby on Rails. We are looking for a passionate and energetic developer to join our team of three.
We're more interested in what you can do than what you say you can do. So prove yourself with your attitude and with your code.
We're looking for someone who's spent their evenings and weekends working on their own projects, and has something to show for it. We have a particular love of open source collaboration, and you should too. Tell us about the projects you watch, and the projects you contribute to: do you have accounts with Github, SourceForge, or RubyForge?
We want to be floored by your enthusiasm to work with new products, programs, and languages. Dynamic or functional languages like Python, Ruby, Actionscript, Erlang, and Haskell are looked upon favorably. We're not interested in your academic transcript, your 2-day ScrumMaster black-belt, or your Microsoft certificates, but we are interested in real talent, sharp skills, and unmatched motivation.
You must send through a cover letter describing your pet projects or open source projects, example source code from the project, and your resume to recruitment@silverpond.com.au. We won't consider any applications which don't have all three.
Normally I wouldn't have even bothered applying for something like that but I thought, if that guy will give me a reference then I may as well try it. I didn't really have much time to create an application or research the position all that much as I was away on a trip helping my father with a building project. Being an unfit person who would normally spend way too much time on a computer, after a days work I was quite tired in my poor fitness. I mostly reused an old application for another Job at a game development firm.
I was somewhat suprised when I got a positive sounding response from the recruiter/director of the company "I'm free to chat late this week or early next week, so I'm looking forward to hearing from you"
We eventually had a chat a few days later, which I wasn't exactly well prepared for. There was some initial awkardness with some nerves causing to me blurt out "good thanks and yourself" completely out of phase. It then smoothened out somewhat and I was happy to find the team was a group of 20 somethings and that it wasn't an issue I didn't have any experience with the technologies they used. I didn't really have many decent questions prepared ( it was actually my first job interview! ) but regardless at the end I was left with the impression it went well enough. The recruiter wanted me to come in a few days later for some facetime with the rest of the team.
As it turns out I never got that opportunity. Someone else had done their homework and really impressed them so well with their phone interview they got the job solely on that. I found this out as after as I asked the recruiter for any particular reasons the other candidate was chosen (over me). I was very appreciative with the email he replied with:
Overall, I have mixed feelings. I'm somewhat disappointed that I didn't have greater time to research the company more and also that I didn't make better use of the time I did have. The biggest disappointment is the fact that I missed out on a job where they didn't care that I lacked a degree or even any real experience with their tools of choice. "I don't really know ruby.." I had said. "It won't be an issue" was the reply. Similar conversations re: git / rails / flex. However it's somewhat encouraging to have made the short list from 80 candidates. That I feel pretty good about.
1) The candidate we chose asked questions about the projects we're doing and suggested improvements to them
2) The candidate also outlined what he could contribute to the team, and offered a timeframe to do them in.
Of the 80 of so applicants it was between the candidate, one other person and yourself. Your energy and enthusiasm is highly commendable. I'll touch base with you later in the year, say November, and see where you're at.
Will I continue investigating ruby / rails? My only concern is that it seems somewhat wasteful to walk away from my python experience ( It's the libraries stupid ) for a language so similiar. My `next language` to learn has always been planned to be C then possibly assembly.
I wonder if I would learn much from ruby about programming in general coming from python. Perhaps the similarities would be actually a boon to recognizing core concepts and distilling an understanding, compared to something radically different where you have no reference? I'm not really sure and I doubt I could really know for myself unless I tried. However, at the end of the day; there *does* seem to be a lot more work available for ruby/rails as opposed to python.
I can't shake the nagging suspicion I have just been "It's not you it's XXXX"d twice.
I posted on facebook, "didn't get the job and wonders why he marginalizes himself learning obscure tool-sets". A friend commented:
And don't focus on tool-sets - focus on your general problem solving abilities, There are a million different ways to solve any programming problem these days. Key thing is to be adaptable.I agree with the notion that general problem solving ability is more important than any particular toolset. However, if you had said ability *and* a proficiency with a particular toolset it would make sense to use them where possible. Using the `right tool for the job` is part of solving problems.
Python isn't exactly an `obscure` toolset, however if you are unwilling to work with PHP you definitely are marginalized. I have a very low pain threshold in general. PHP is painful. I don't like pain. Nuff said.
Of interest to me was that the recruiter during his `wish you all the best` phonecall mentioned that the ruby community met once a month (in my home city) Perhaps learning some ruby/rails and getting involved would at the least yield some freelancing contracts. Never really been to any geek meetups. Surely beer is involved?
