The measure of a programmer is his ability to write good programs. But we're talking about job-seeking... and the measure of a job-seeker is his ability to get good jobs. There is no fundamental relationship between these activities (though for most of us there is a circumstantial relationship), and they are, in fact, quite different... not least because job-seeking is an essentially competitive activity, while programming isn't.
So in your estimation, given your experience with the world, tell me: does competence actually trump confidence, purely in terms of getting the best job? I'd be surprised if you said yes. It'd be as much as saying that there was a whole class of people in business who looked beneath the surface, who understood what was important and could recognize it. Brighten my day... say it's true.
My suggestion was not that confidence makes you a better programmer; it was that confidence is very useful in seeking jobs. Since people respond positively to confidence, and seeking jobs is principly about influencing people, it's a pretty good guess that confidence can be very helpful in job seeking. Companies need Brian Kernighans, but given the choice, I'll bet they hire P. T. Barnums.
Now the danger exists that I may be taken for suggesting something crass: that anyone, especially a programmer, should regard themselves purely as a job-seeker. To bring up context again, I'd point out that we're human beings before we're job seekers, and I'd suggest that the measure of a human being is his moral bearing. The ideal job seeker would not be hindered by the desire to deal with his potential employers honestly, or to exchange value for payment. I hold people who approximate this ideal in contempt.
But there's no reason for honest, competent people to sell themselves short, either. I see nothing wrong with, for instance, applying for jobs even though you don't have all the listed qualifications... assuming you represent yourself honestly. Let them know what you know, and what you don't know, and then let them decide whether you'd be helpful to them. As ESR (amongst other people) realized about Linux, even really good things need sold. If you're talented and determined, but not yet competent, people may still want to hire you. I see no reason to worry, as the questioner did last night, about finding some credential to prove your worth. Spend your time worrying about becoming a better programmer.
In reply to Re: proverbs re. confidence
by Petruchio
in thread proverbs re. confidence
by mkmcconn
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