Looking for advice on where to find software engineers

[Mark Woodward]

On 01/27/2011 12:00 PM, discuss-request-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org wrote:

As a software engineer who is currently looking for a good gig, I wish 
there were "a" place. There isn't. At my last position, I was 
interviewing people looking for good engineers, and some were good, but 
management didn't like them, and the ones management wanted were dolts. 
So we kept looking.

In my view, I think the role and job of "software engineer," is in the 
process of extreme change. Some people like the changes and others do 
not. Extreme programing, pair programming, and agile, to name a few, 
alter the way in which software is developed around a more social model. 
Old timers like me, and hard core hackers, not always, but frequently 
find these approaches stressful and distracting. My experience with 
"extreme programming" and "team rooms" left a bad taste in my mouth. 
People burn out quickly. Personalities become more important than 
ability. Really bright people may not fit in the social atmosphere. You 
end up spending a lot more "close" time with people whom may not be your 
first choice for social interaction. A bad see can affect the whole team 
quickly.

After the programming environment issue, is the oh too specific search 
criteria. Too often the job requirements are so specific that really 
good people are excluded because they lacked experience with an esoteric 
or ancillary technology. Often times a "good" engineer can pick up the 
specialty quickly and do better than a mediocre engineer who has 
experience. A person with a lot of experience with a lot of different 
technologies has a proven track record of being able to deal with 
different tech. Someone who only has the few things that you think you 
need may be a little less able to adapt.

Where am I heading? Well, you say you want to find software engineers, 
but it isn't that easy. You need to find good people who can do a good 
job, *and* fit into your organization. That last part is key. In the 
Boston area, there are more great software engineers than anywhere else 
I know, but the problem is they are excluded too easily because of the 
assumed glut of candidates on the market. At my last job, it wasn't that 
we didn't get a lot of resumes or couldn't find people, I believe the 
selection criteria used before they were even considered tended to 
filter out the better candidates.

Its hard to find good people who do good work and fit into your 
organization. I don't think it matters much where you look. I think it 
matters more that you look for people who have proven to be flexible and 
capable, especially those who can adapt and apply themselves in new 
ways. Those are the people you want if you want to do something interesting.

> Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:08:41 -0500
> From: Tom Martinson<thomas.s.martinson-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
> Subject: Looking for advice on where to find software engineers.
> To:discuss-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org
> Message-ID:<4D409B69.7030105-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> I am looking for suggestions as to where to go looking for a couple of
> Software Engineers.  Specifically they have to be able to develop on the
> Linux platform.  We (The company that I work for) have tried a number of
> different areas to include recruiters, and even Craig's list.  Any
> suggestions would be helpful.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tom
>