I am a project manager at a small software company in NJ. Most of our projects are "train wrecks" - a company has tried to write a large system and it doesnt work. They come to us and say "help us please!" assuming that there are only a few core problems that simply need identification, and then, once identified, are usually easy to fix. They're usually correct. They assume that they can get back on schedule by by throwing a team of "guns for hire" programmers to help search for the bugs. and again, they're usually correct. Thats what we do - throw programmers at their code simply to identify the bugs. Not even fix them.

That means we hire/fire people depending on the volume of train-wrecks at hand. We often don't plan well, and today we find ourselves with more Wreckage than Bodies. My boss emails a resume to me with a tag: "Interview this guy tomorrow". I review his resume.

Twenty-something guy. Three years programming experience doing light-weight big-fixes. Thats ok, because, we only AUDIT the client's programs, we don't actually "fix" them. So, we don't require hard-core skills.

Previous employment: Manager at the local SuperFresh for 8 years since high-school. Hmmm. Ok, well, if he's got this kind of ambition then I'm happy to give him a break.

Education: High school diploma. Some college. No problem. Same education as yours-truley.

Says he attended some "Learn Java Quick" classes. Doubtful if its worth anything. Still, thats not a deal-breaker, and what the heII, we've hired worse.

Me & the boss interview him on the phone. Quick interview - I ask some basic programmer questions to see where he is at, and plan to increase in complexity to get a sense of his range. He can't answer the simple questions. I coach him towards an answer - on some instances he catches on and comes up with the right answer. He has good attitude. He even has the integrity to answer honestly "I don't have a clue" when appropriate. I like honesty.

Still, he has no confidence. His resume is clearly more hype & fluff than experience. But, if we're going to hire entry-level people, he will be fine. We've hired worse. We conclude the interview. My non-technical boss sums up the call.

"He has good attitude. Reasonable communication. Seems like he's very experienced - he handled your questions. Good interview."

I paused. My boss didn't realize that the guy fumbled nearly all the 'simple' level questions. [I've been interviewed enough times that I know HOW to properly interview - if you can explain/rationalize your answer I'll give you full credit because I'm not looking for a "correct" answer. I'm looking to hear *how* you'd solve a problem]. I was formulating an explanation to my boss, when I realized something...

...my boss has been poking at me to become a full-time employee [currently, I'm a consultant]. I've been cagey about commitment. His view is that my salary requirement would bankrupt the firm, force his children to go hungry, and would set a very bad precedent ...

My boss, sensing my pause, wanted to skip ahead, "Ok Mike, when would be a good start date for him? I think next week."

My eyes were avoiding him. I was absently gazing over the papers on his desk, and they fell on HIS copy of the interviewee's resume. Across the top was a scribbled note "Available Immediately, Great Java Skills, $75/hr".

Holy Sh1t! I just interview a guy who cant answer basic Java questions, doesn't have significant professional experience, and my boss is ALREADY willing to give him $75/hr! Thats MORE than I'm making! And I have over 15 years of experience.

Personal jealousy aside, I was expecting this guy would be getting a comfy $30/hr. Even that would have been "excessive", but we are desperate. Seventy-Five per hour? Thats obscene. We're not THAT desperate. And I'll be dammed, the same guy was suggesting I was going to suck his blood dry for my salary level ! ! !

"Kevin, for what I just heard, this guy can't even answer a $30/hr question. You want to give him $75? You're nuts."

Kevin's eyes darted guiltily towards his note, then he sank with a big "oooops" on his face.

An uncomfortable silence. Then he squirmed, and erupted with a big old grin. "Ah he didn't have enough confidence - I'll keep looking for more candidates"

I would have been blown

msveeay: Dont be so sure! If he had listed his salary requirement as something 'reasonable', he would have the job. We've actually hired ppl who honestly tell us "I cant program, but, have been in the technical fields for xx years". And they get a pretty penny at that!

How can he stay in business with all that? All their programs are crap and they get to spend too much on fixing things. How cool! Do they have a west coast office?

That happens all the time here. We hire all these kids from big name universities, but when they get here all they are is book smart.

Oh, well...at least he listened to you and you can find a better candidate.

Summerz wrote: "How can he stay in business with all that? All their programs are crap and they get to spend too much on fixing things. How cool! Do they have a west coast office?"

Shhhhh..... trade secret: All these "clients" are military. They have more tax dollars to throw at us than you can possibly pay. You dont even want to know how much cash is being burned up over simple problems. Yes, occasionally VERY complex.