Re: Fifty years' experience in C programming; 20 in VB...

Neil Truby wrote:

> Another drawback of recruitment ads, particularly for some reason US ones,
> is the requirement for a computer science degree. No other discipline will
> do. I think this is quite short-sighted: one of the best techies I ever met
> was a history graduate, and I myself am a technical colossus but have a
> degree in theoretical physics.
>
> "Daniel Morgan" <dmorgan_at_exesolutions.com> wrote in message
> news:3CD2A981.F880942B_at_exesolutions.com...
> > aztek wrote:
> >
> > > Hi there,
> > >
> > > I completely agree with you on job adverts asking for ridiculous amounts
> of
> > > 'expertise'! I've been studying various programming languages and of
> course
> > > the other essential theory ingredients for 3 years, got diploma, doing
> > > degree and can't even get an interview - and yes, my marks are
> excellent.
> > > Here in Australia, not only do employers / head hunters list what seems
> like
> > > an impossible number of skills from both networking and programming
> areas,
> > > but in addition, a junior seems to be considered someone with 2-3 years
> > > experience!!! IMPOSSIBLE!!!
> > >
> > > Well, that's all I had to say. Good luck to the original poster and to
> > > everyone in my situation!
> > >
> > > Rachel
> > >
> > > "Kyralessa" <ryan_lundy_at_spamless_hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > > news:s8jA8.240$7r7.120058891_at_newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
> > > > "Daniel Morgan" <dmorgan_at_exesolutions.com> wrote in message
> > > > news:3CD18D9D.25533570_at_exesolutions.com...
> > > > > Developer wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > I'm looking for a contract job in one of areas of my experience:
> > > > > > [snip]
> > > > > > Mail: art_of_proramming_at_seznam.cz
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Detailed CV upon request.
> > > > > > Working languages: English, German, Czech.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Based on the e-mail address noted above, I'd say at least one of those
> > > > languages needs a bit of work!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > [snip]
> > > > >
> > > > > No one is competent in as many things as you have listed. I'm not
> > > > saying that
> > > > > you don't know them to some extent. But in the current marketplace
> > > > people look
> > > > > for experts, not generalists.
> > > > >
> > > > > If you want to be successful I would urge you to decide what it is
> you
> > > > want to
> > > > > do and apply for each position with a resume that reflects your
> > > > experience in
> > > > > that area and that area alone. When I see a resume that looks like a
> > > > to-do list
> > > > > I just toss it aside and so do most recruiters.
> > > > >
> > > > > Daniel Morgan
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > So why, Daniel, do so many companies post such enormous laundry lists
> of
> > > > skills on their websites for any one position? The impression I get
> > > > from most job postings I've looked at is that companies ARE looking
> for
> > > > someone who's mastered more than is humanly possible: Five to seven
> > > > years experience in at least fifteen of some twenty different acronyms
> > > > listed. Maybe if companies didn't advertise their jobs this way and
> > > > were more honest about what essential _core_ skills were required for
> > > > each job, job-seekers wouldn't feel the need to make resumes like
> this.
> > > >
> >
> > Your posting reminded me of a phone call I got from a recruiter looking
> for
> > someone with expertise in migrating Oracle 8 to Oracle 11i.
> >
> > It is still good for a laugh ... hopefully at the expense of HR
> departments
> > (something Scott Adams does frequently in the Dilbert cartoon strip).
> >
> > Daniel Morgan
> >

I agree. But I also know that it is almost always ignored when equivalent experience is demonstrated. Some of us in the industry are older than computer science degrees. ;-)

But the request is another example of companies trying to take advantage of the current marketplace.

Daniel Morgan Received on Fri May 03 2002 - 12:57:51 CDT