Ask HN: "Rockstar" job listings, yay or nay?

Re:Ask HN: "Rockstar" job listings, yay or nay? by cageface on Saturday June 19, 2010 @10:33AM (#1444696)

I always groan when I see it in job listings. The handful of real "rockstar" programmers don't need to scan job boards.

I'm guessing what you're likely to attract with this kind of post is a lot of arrogant code cowboys that don't play well with others.

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Re:Ask HN: "Rockstar" job listings, yay or nay? by chime on Saturday June 19, 2010 @11:39AM (#1444800)

> The handful of real "rockstar" programmers don't need to scan job boards.

The handful of connected real "rockstar" programmers don't need to scan job boards. One could be a completely awesome programmer at a company which does not realize his/her potential and could be looking for a new job. Of course, mentioning the word "rockstar" doesn't really mean anything if the pay/benefits are no different from average. My point is not every rockstar programmer has a fan-following, famous blog, and tons of open-source projects. Corollary, not every programmer with a fan-following, famous blog, and tons of open-source projects is a rockstar.

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Re:Ask HN: "Rockstar" job listings, yay or nay? by gojomo on Saturday June 19, 2010 @01:55PM (#1445039)

not every rockstar programmer has a fan-following, famous blog, and tons of open-source projects

This is a problem with the term. 'Rockstar' has pretty strong connotations of fame and confidence. 'Rockstar toiling in obscurity' or 'underappreciated rockstar' are contradictions in terms.

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Re:Ask HN: "Rockstar" job listings, yay or nay? by keefe on Saturday June 19, 2010 @12:51PM (#1444914)

Not only that, well developed analytical skills often correlate with poorly developed social skills.

I hate the term myself, except that it seems to indicate a certain cluelessness that may be exploitable.

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Re:Ask HN: "Rockstar" job listings, yay or nay? by adrianwaj on Saturday June 19, 2010 @01:06PM (#1444941)

Exactly. David Bowie doesn't scan job boards. But he does do drum programming on his own tracks, on a Roland 707 http://www.discogs.com/David-Bowie-Outside-Earthling-Hours/r.... Even if he did know Haskell, one doesn't see him responding to job ads. Real rockstars have too much of their own thang going on.

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Re:Ask HN: "Rockstar" job listings, yay or nay? by bkrausz on Saturday June 19, 2010 @11:00AM (#1444743)

Agreed...I don't immediately discount the company because everyone seems to do it, but I wish it would stop, since that does nothing to inform me of what kind of company I'm looking at.

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Re:Ask HN: "Rockstar" job listings, yay or nay? by AmberShah on Sunday June 20, 2010 @12:22AM (#1445868)

Under that theory, there isn't any point in using job boards, since there aren't any good programmers. Sure plenty of great programmers use networking, but plenty use job listings too. My best hire ever was from a free 5-line job post on craigslist.

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