Who’s On Phirst

As a software engineer I often find it entertaining reading the technology job postings. You can learn a lot about a company's values and culture by what they reveal in their job postings. I once had a job interview with a VP of Engineering who was bragging to me during the interview about how much money he saved his company by sending half of his development positions offshore. So I am thinking to myself "if I take this job just how long until my position goes offshore"?

One of my biggest pet peeves is with the postings that say "Entry Level Programmer" and then go on to list detailed requirements that would take 10 to 15 years of experience to accumulate. This type of posting tells me that the company is really cheap and doesn't want to pay for the experience that is required for the position.

Then there are the companies that think they are doing you a big favor by allowing you to Join their world-class team because they are so much smarter than everyone else in the industry. They only hire engineers with advanced degrees and certifications and take great pride in Their superior intellect. A few years ago I had a short stint at one of these companies with "All Chiefs and no Indians". These folks were so smart that it took them over 2 years to get a software release out the door. They just kept arguing about how to do things better and better, and ended up rewriting the same Code over and over again until they ran out of money.

One of the things I like most about working at Phurnace is the "No Punks Allowed" philosophy as Robert likes to phrase it. "No Punks Allowed" basically means we look for people who are mature in how they perform their work and in how they relate to others. It also refers to the notion of egos in check, and a willingness to constructively share ideas and have ideas shared with you. After all it's the quality and character of the people that you work with that makes a job enjoyable or not. So, if you are a developer and you are trying to decide on your next gig, just remember - "No Punks Allowed."

Shawn