When I started to work in 1977, we didn’t have testers. I wrote tests for my code, code reviewed with other people, and—every so often—tested other developers’ code. We missed lots of errors, both in logic and functionality. That led to a ton of product and project risks. (Yes, plenty of late and unplanned feedback […]
You’re an unemployed agilist. And even if you can find an agile coaching or Scrum Master job, the pay is so terrible, you don’t want to take it. That’s because potential employers think these jobs are staff positions. Your previous managers and potential managers don’t see the value of someone in your position. That’s because
We often think about a succession plan for managers. But, if you’re not thinking about a succession plan for your technical team, you’re falling prey to local shortages, and hiring the same old kinds of people. You’re not getting diverse people. That means you may not be able to create innovative, great products. It also
Have you read The next thing Silicon Valley needs to disrupt big time: its own culture? If not, it talks about hiring processes where companies Hire people “just like us” Where candidates can’t tell they are on interviews Where, if you wear a suit, you might be disqualified, because, hey, we don’t wear suits here.
If you read Thomas Friedman’s interview with Laszlo Bock, How to Get a Job at Google, Part 2, you see that these qualities are the things that Bock discusses: Grit, which I refer to as perseverance Adaptability General cognitive ability, the ability to think and solve problems How does Bock look for those skills? He
I read Technology’s Man Problem in the New York Times this weekend. I thought those days were long gone—but they’re not. Since when is it acceptable to make any comment about anybody’s body part at work? Hello? Are we in the 7th grade? I thought “men” were past that. The gentlemen I know are past
When I was a young developer, my employers were hungry for talent. They hired women, as well as men. Of course, my first employer wanted to know what birth control I used, which was an illegal question at the time. I told them so. Fast forward to the 80’s, when I became a hiring manager.
I say in Manage Your Job Search and Six Tips for Editing Your Resume that you have to fill in the details of your resume. It’s the details that count. Here are four tips that might help: For every line on your resume, what action did you take that added value to the project or
I’m at the SHRM conference in Chicago this week, courtesy of Dice.com. I blog for them, and am working on an agile recruiting series. Watch for it, in the coming weeks. I read this piece, The War for STEM Talent is a Lie. I agree. Until we do all of these things: Hire the people
Did you see Cultural Fit Trumps Competence? I don’t know that cultural fit trumps competence. I know that it’s critically important. For geeks, you need a minimum of technical skills and then cultural fit is critically important. I do agree with Feld that the more senior you are, the more cultural fit is critical. Why?