Re^2: Code Samples and Previous Employers

OTOH, it's not unreasonable to mandate that applicants have some specific free software contribution they can point to as an example. This shows several things. First, it shows that the person is geek enough to enjoy coding on their free time.

Actually, as an architect that is part of the interviewing team, I've found that the best programmers we've hired are people that do have outside interests. When they go to program, they bring the wealth of other experiences with them.

Not only that, but those who spend the majority of their time coding seem to lose social skills which make them a viable part of the team atmosphere we engender at work.

Comment on Re^2: Code Samples and Previous Employers

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^3: Code Samples and Previous Employers by autarch (Hermit) on Mar 21, 2005 at 02:04 UTC
Doing free software work in one's free time is not the same as not having other interests. Besides coding, I do animal rights activism, read a lot, play go, watch films, hang out with friends, etc. So yes, if the only thing the person ever does is code, that might be problematic. OTOH, if coding is purely a day job, and not something they enjoy enough to do in their free time as well, they probably aren't going to be as good a coder as the person who pursues it out of sheer interest.	[reply]

Replies are listed 'Best First'.

Re^3: Code Samples and Previous Employers
by autarch (Hermit) on Mar 21, 2005 at 02:04 UTC

Doing free software work in one's free time is not the same as not having other interests. Besides coding, I do animal rights activism, read a lot, play go, watch films, hang out with friends, etc. So yes, if the only thing the person ever does is code, that might be problematic. OTOH, if coding is purely a day job, and not something they enjoy enough to do in their free time as well, they probably aren't going to be as good a coder as the person who pursues it out of sheer interest.

[reply]