Why hiring rockstars is harmful to your organization
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Shortly after I graduated, I started seeing the second iteration of this technique. I started seeing companies look for a “Rock Star Developer” or “Code Ninja” to join their team in the Web 2.0 era.
"Gotta keep on rockin', that boy has got to stay on top"
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OH... :wtf: This explains why my recent application got rejected. Being a world-class geek isn't that cool after all. :(
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"He heard one guitar, just blew him away"
Someone's therapist knows all about you!
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Do developers really identify with such inane role titles? Or is it flashy startups thinking this is how you attract the best talent? I would never go near a role or company that advertised such role titles. At best it shows a level of vanity and narcissism in anyone who actually does identify with such role titles.
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter
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what is a developer "rockstar"? Putting labels like that IS THE problem. There are in many teams mediocre but super ambitious types, who love to play politics by putting labels like that on the very people who actually do the job. I have such a mediocre idiot on my team. Every time we sit down to discuss something, he completely avoids his part and immediately starts to nit pick and argue about my part. After arguing for around 15 minutes, I tell him to go fuck himself, things get escalated to the boss, we discuss it again, waste another 30 minutes, then we agree to do it my way and I feel pissed off and exausted. Now he goes around and tells everybody I'm the rock star.
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The problem isn't hiring "rock star developers", but the expectations of those who want to. Having interviewed at such companies, more often than not, what they believe software can do and how long it takes to do it are completed at odds with reality.
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Do developers really identify with such inane role titles? Or is it flashy startups thinking this is how you attract the best talent? I would never go near a role or company that advertised such role titles. At best it shows a level of vanity and narcissism in anyone who actually does identify with such role titles.
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter
The generation who views taking dozens of mugshots of themselves daily as normal instead of an indication of extreme narcissism does. /ElphantItImtooYoungToBeAGrumpyOldMan
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt
