Re:Why are there so few good developers?
by neilk on Friday September 17, 2010 @12:53PM
(#1701804)
It just occurred to me that there's another reason: in programming, it is relatively easy to detect a bad programmer.
Consider another complicated profession, like securities analysis. As long as they know the jargon and have some reasonable-sounding opinions, you cannot determine who is skilled and who isn't with a five-minute interview.[1] It might take years to separate skilled people from the lucky, or even the unlucky!
So it may be that in other professions they have similar difficulties hiring good quality workers. It's just that it's impossible to know with a five-minute "fizzbuzz" type test.
[1] I'm just guessing here; maybe a Wall Streeter can set me straight?
Consider another complicated profession, like securities analysis. As long as they know the jargon and have some reasonable-sounding opinions, you cannot determine who is skilled and who isn't with a five-minute interview.[1] It might take years to separate skilled people from the lucky, or even the unlucky!
So it may be that in other professions they have similar difficulties hiring good quality workers. It's just that it's impossible to know with a five-minute "fizzbuzz" type test.
[1] I'm just guessing here; maybe a Wall Streeter can set me straight?