Re:Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired
by musesum on Sunday December 26, 2021 @07:11PM
(#29697648)
> I've been a professional software interviewer (600+ interviews) and have seen most very experienced software developers do quite poorly during interviews.
It seems that -- to use some old AI jargon -- the difference is between "forward chaining" vs "backward chaining". Forward chaining is all about the set of tools and techniques to work towards a variety of problems. Backward chaining is all about starting from a specific problem and and curating the best tools and techniques.
Very experienced programmers will have spent most of their time Backward Chaining. New programmers will have spent most of their time focused on Forward Chaining.
Here is where I see the disconnect: it may take days to learn a new tool or technique. However, it can take years to learn how to curate the best tool or technique. Long term thinking is undervalued.
It seems that -- to use some old AI jargon -- the difference is between "forward chaining" vs "backward chaining". Forward chaining is all about the set of tools and techniques to work towards a variety of problems. Backward chaining is all about starting from a specific problem and and curating the best tools and techniques.
Very experienced programmers will have spent most of their time Backward Chaining. New programmers will have spent most of their time focused on Forward Chaining.
Here is where I see the disconnect: it may take days to learn a new tool or technique. However, it can take years to learn how to curate the best tool or technique. Long term thinking is undervalued.