Re:Ask HN: What makes a job posting attractive?
by makmanalp on Monday September 13, 2010 @12:11AM
(#1685477)
* No time for bullshit, please just put the salary there. A range that is open to bargain is fine too. Prorated is fine too. We just want some idea as to how much you want us and how much we'll be making. No point beating around the bush. The 5k or so that you might lose from not having bargain space might actually turn a great investment if you end up hiring a better candidate.
* Don't list every technology you may or may not use as required in the job posting. Either post for a specific job or spell it out that you want a fast learner and wearer of many hats, and say "these might be useful".
* Don't require X years of experience. This is as stupid as the drinking age limit: You aren't suddenly much more mature the day you turn 21. What does "experience" mean anyway? Experience in what? Spell out what sort of skills you need.
* What are we going to be working on? What is interesting about it? Hopefully it's something more intriguing than "building a blog engine" for the billionth time. It doesn't have to be cutting edge, but even the most seemingly mundane tasks can have interesting technical aspects if they are nontrivial.
* What sort of environment is it? Can I show up in my jeans and take a break during the day? Do you care what days / hours I work as long as I put in my 40h / week? What are my peers like? Are they young up and comers or grizzled bearded veterans of the unices? What sort of development process do you have? What points of the Joel Test (look it up) does your place pass?
* Don't list every technology you may or may not use as required in the job posting. Either post for a specific job or spell it out that you want a fast learner and wearer of many hats, and say "these might be useful".
* Don't require X years of experience. This is as stupid as the drinking age limit: You aren't suddenly much more mature the day you turn 21. What does "experience" mean anyway? Experience in what? Spell out what sort of skills you need.
* What are we going to be working on? What is interesting about it? Hopefully it's something more intriguing than "building a blog engine" for the billionth time. It doesn't have to be cutting edge, but even the most seemingly mundane tasks can have interesting technical aspects if they are nontrivial.
* What sort of environment is it? Can I show up in my jeans and take a break during the day? Do you care what days / hours I work as long as I put in my 40h / week? What are my peers like? Are they young up and comers or grizzled bearded veterans of the unices? What sort of development process do you have? What points of the Joel Test (look it up) does your place pass?