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Ask HN: Would you employ a C# programmer who pronounces it "see hash"?

3 points| andrewstuart | 15 years ago | reply

Someone just called me on the phone and said that they are looking for a job as a "see hash" programmer.

Someone else spoke to me the other day about a C++ job and said that they are a "C double plus programmer"?

Does it matter?

UPDATE: here's another question - would you employ someone for a development role IF THEIR NAME IN THE EMAIL ADDRESS WAS ALL IN CAPS? Does that matter?

12 comments

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[+] stonemetal|15 years ago|reply
On the one hand you aren't hiring them to speak about the language so it doesn't really matter how they pronounce it. On the other hand it displays an unfamiliarity with the language and community to not know how it is pronounced. It would make me suspicious but not immediately disqualify them.
[+] andrewstuart|15 years ago|reply
That's the direction I am thinking. How much verbal discussion has a person done with experienced programmers if they mispronounce the name of the programming language?
[+] mhd|15 years ago|reply
As long as they know how to optimize a squeal database for a sexy ride. (NB: Wasn't intended to come out this double-entendre-ish)
[+] andrewstuart|15 years ago|reply
Or clean up their front end with ajax and back end with soap.
[+] brockad|15 years ago|reply
It could just be a language issue. I don't believe that it's grounds to deny them a shot at a technical interview, nor do I think it's a reason not to employ them if they pass that interview.
[+] brockad|15 years ago|reply
Just the email address in caps? I think that's safe enough, could be a convention they fell into. AS long AS he isn't USING caps to emphasize THE wrong WORDS it should be fine.
[+] sirwitti|15 years ago|reply
that depends on what kind of developer you´re looking for. if you´re looking for a very experienced pro (which costs you a lot) i doubt those are the right ones.

but if you´re looking for someone who can learn things from your (hopefully) existing team, and who costs you less, you could call them for interviews.

[+] lzw|15 years ago|reply
You should be able to evaluate someone's ability to program without ever asking them to write any code, or without them ever having even heard of the language you're going to have them programming in.

I've never met a programming language that I couldn't learn and be competent at in about a week. Everything about programming has nothing to do with particular languages.

The "you need 5 years of java experience" is the kind of requirement that HR robots and hiring managers who aren't programmers look for. They look for someone having already done the job as proof that they can do the job. Yet, someone with 5 years java experience is going to be as good of a C# programmer as they were a Java programmer, even if they've never heard of the language before being hired.

PS- Please don't take this personally, I'm assuming your an engineer, but if you're a designer or marketing guy and are not sure how to hire a programmer, don't take this as derogatory at all. Programming is like driving a car. It is an ability, that is improved with learned skills, but it is not specific to the particular language. IT is like thinking a woman who owns a volkswagon bug can't drive a fiesta because she's got 5 years of "bug experience"

[+] lukesandberg|15 years ago|reply
I largely agree, competent programmers should be able to pick up new tech/languages/tools fairly quickly....

However i think in order to evaluate someones ability to program, you do need to ask them to program. The language may not matter too much but the ability to think coherently and organize a solution is a skill that can't get easily picked up in a week.