[ajug-members] cert.

[Steve Finch]

On the subject of interviewing and hiring: "Smart and Gets Things Done",
by Joel Spolsky, is a great book.  It's really just a
compendium/extension of stuff from Joel on Software
<http://www.joelonsoftware.com/> , but it's good to get it all in one
place at the same time.

 

From: Laura Moore [mailto:lkwoody at gmail.com] 
Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 9:56 AM
To: ajug-members at ajug.org
Subject: Re: [ajug-members] cert.

 

Am I the only one seeing a common theme in these posts?   Certs are nice
to have, but what really gets the job is the interview.  That said, I
recommend the following if you are trying to move from a procedural to
OO job:

1) OO is not just a tool, it's a concept, one I've seen practiced by
good programmers everywhere, including cobol, shell scripting, C.
Re-examine your old code.  Did you practice encapsulation and code
reuse?  Did you develop utilities and modules that have life outside of
your own code?  If so, in my mind, you already understand the driving
force behind OO. Explain these experiences to your interviewer.

2) There is Java the language - and then there's Java the ecosystem.
Get to know the ecosystem too, at least on a conceptual level.  Google
the top frameworks, find out what problem they are trying to solve, and
how their particular application stack divides roles and
responsibilities.  I know I will always hire someone who knows if a
Struts Action is Model, View or Controller and why over somebody who
claims to have 'used' Struts but can't answer that question.

3)  OO or procedural the basic truths remain the same:  Change happens,
Computers only do what you tell them to do, requirements are never
complete.   Again, talk about how you deal with these larger issues, how
have you planned for change in the code you've written, how do you test
what you've written, when have you saved your team's bacon by
identifying the missing requirements?

If I were going to hire a procedural programmer to do Java, I'd be
looking for one who can show me first they are a good programmer.  I'd
be looking for them to show me that they will be able to apply their
past programming skills, discipline, and intelligence in Java.  I'd be
particularly impressed by a candidate who could explain their past
experience AND how they would use Java today to solve the same kind of
problems.

That kind of interview would convince me you weren't just looking for a
entry level position where you could get paid to learn to hack Java.  It
would give me confidence that you'd learn what I needed you to learn
quickly, probably far more quickly than some recent college graduate, or
some hired gun consultant.

PS.  www.upsjobs.com  under Information Systems has several jobs listed.
"J2EE Senior Programmer"  is the 'entry' level, but be careful selling
your self short - you might also be just as qualified as a "Web
Developer".  

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