I don't think it has anything to do with lying. The people who say "right now, I'm working on this one project . . . " are usually sincere in saying so. It's just that there are a lot of people who say that, but few of them have the discipline to even get something that works at a minimum level, much less get to a reasonable standard of functionality.

I once read a book on working as a game programmer. This is a highly competitive field, since making games is a dream job for a significant chunk of programmers out there. It interviewed several noteworthy designers in the industry. More than one of them noted that 90% of the people looking for jobs in their shops are of the "I'm working on Foo" veriety. The remaining 10% may not have completed anything more complex than a Pong clone or even a screen saver, but they often get hired.

It's just that there are a lot of people who say that, but few of them have the discipline to even get something that works at a minimum level, much less get to a reasonable standard of functionality.

Which is really the litmus test that I think those interviewing are looking for. Every applicant wants a job, many show the desired interest and enthusiam, less have the perseverance to actually see the project through to a releasable state (suffering along with that the maintenance and enhancement phases).

This is analogous to the belief that those who completed a degree program or certification are dedicated enough to see things through (whether or not this is an appropriate gauge of dedication is not my point, I think you can see the corelation).


cp
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"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic."