Over the years I’ve occasionally been involved in the interviewing process, here are some of the ways I’ve been impressed.
Fundamentals
You know the basics of computer science and by the basics I mean you can converse intelligently about things like bits and bytes, branching and iteration in your language of choice, and which programming languages you’re familiar with would best suit a specific task.
I know a lot of people aren’t classically trained computer science graduates, but if you came to the field without a basic understanding of what I consider the fundamentals then I’m just going to be disappointed…
I can report and block users that assail me with the usual moneymaking opportunities, spam, and blockchain propositions — but not companies.
I wrote previously about one of the methods I use to easily detect, and screen out, spam mail in LinkedIn’s nauseatingly exploitable messaging system¹, but the nefarious practices employed by some companies is just driving me to distraction.
Job Hunting via Social Media
I’m not an enthusiastic LinkedIn user by any means and tend to limit my interaction to limited networking within my own areas of interest, keeping in touch with ex-work colleagues I actually got along with, or more rarely following interesting…
We don’t always leave for greener pastures or foosball tables, it’s most often workplace difficulties, undemanding work, or simply neglect.
A Frank Realisation
We’re into the dog days of 2021 and the job market currently favours the employee — such that there are a lot of software jobs around and not many available engineers to fill them.
This is a cyclic phenomena, usually driven by economic factors (or less often by some greater technological event or change), from times where there is a great abundance and selection of jobs to others when there are practically none at all.
I’ve rarely been involved in a software management meeting that was productive. Let’s reflect on why they’re called and why they’re so bad.
If you come from the bedroom coder¹ background like me and got into the game² for the love of computing and its associated fun and games with bits, bytes, and running accidentally past the end of arrays then you’ll most likely not have had a need for many (if any) meetings.
In point of fact the only software meetings I went to before I entered the nefarious world of actually working for a living, after leaving my…
From college you have the bricks and mortar, but from your growing practical experience you start to gain access to the plans.
A Fundamental Foundation
Many computer scientists study computing at university or college, some do a conversion course after their non-technical first degree¹, and others pick up things as they go along.
Disclaimer: I’m not going to get into the debate about whether a degree is necessary for access to the field, as that’s been done to death elsewhere, but I am going to say that you require a solid, basic knowledge of the principles of computer science — however you may…
As the Wolfram Physics Project makes strides toward a fundamental understanding of reality — what fun can us programmers have with it?
Back to the Future
In a previous article I discussed how the Wolfram Physics Project has hypothesised how the underlying nature of reality may consist of huge continually rewriting hypographs.
Interestingly the Star Trek universe may have touched on a similar idea several times. …
LinkedIn is a treasure trove of trash. Let’s dig into why haggling over salary is what you should do and taking inspiration from LinkedIn is what you shouldn’t
Fan Mail From a Founder¹
I often browse LinkedIn² when I need a respite from the tumultuous seas of Reddit. It’s somewhat akin to resting my eyes on an insipid, dank pool in a disused quarry after having stared at length, mesmerised, at the roiling, brightly lit, and glittering ocean.
There really should be a sub-reddit³ of utterly bizarre LinkedIn parables, like the one I’m going to take apart today and draw an actual life lesson from.
For advice should not be taken directly from the frothy, faux-inspirational, sales-driven drivel on LinkedIn. …
I think not, but I do have an approach that works for me born of a lifelong commitment to niche software, maths, and erratic hairstyles!
One of the first programming books I read after kicking off my original computer science degree was “C by Dissection” by Al Kelley¹. Admittedly C wasn’t my first language, unfortunately, as we were formally indoctrinated with the importance of types via an initial course in Pascal. But when we met, it was love at first byte.
Aside: You’re safe with types, but not templates.
There’s something quite pure about Pascal and its type handling that has…
As a progressive, yet cynical, software engineer here are 5 things I’d love to see that I’m unable or can’t be bothered to do myself.
This morning it occurred to me that I’d feel a bit better if I got few things off my chest in terms of irritating roadblocks to my own, what I loosely term, ‘productivity’.
Quote a few items are Mac related, but don’t let that put you off if you’re using an inferior operating system as several may be relevant to you too, just that I haven’t used your platform for anything much in quite a…
There are several ways your career¹ can evolve, but what are the pros and cons and, more importantly, which one will preserve your sanity?
static int job;
You’re in a job you enjoy, it’s both technically challenging and reasonably well paid, but you suddenly realise that you’re the longest serving developer and, worse still, you have been for as long as you can remember.
Just why does everyone have short hair and a beard, hang on — what do you mean functional languages are ‘coming back’, and what’s this agile thing and why is everyone scribbling on Post-its instead of actually doing any…
Dr Stuart Woolley
Worries about the future. Way too involved with software. Likes coffee, maths, and . Would prefer to be in academia. SpaceX, Twitter, and Overwatch fan.
