Ask HN: Apply to dev jobs with little experience of the language required?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6971325

by MonkoftheFunk • 13 years ago

3 7 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Is it worth trying? Should you show at home learning and dev of the Lang? Do you only apply as intermediate or junior regardless of other development experience?

thenerdfiles2• 13 years ago

Depends. Startups likely will not have the flexibility to allow for R&D. Large companies likely will have the financial flexibility for R&D, and will expect you to publish/share your discoveries.

There's also all sorts of circumstantial conditions for which anyone would hire you, for instance, if you have a radically unique background that no one could possibly let walk out the door.

MonkoftheFunk3• 13 years ago

So unique experience may trump skill requirements, just need to make it clear how it can benifit them, thanks

thenerdfiles2• 13 years ago

Indeed. If you've solved a generally applicable problem of computer science, you can leverage that. If you've solved a generally applicable problem of computer science within a tech stack that aligns with the [EDIT: company in question], all the more power to you and the likelihood that they will want to hear what you have to say as an expert on the subject.

ghostdiver2• 13 years ago

Look for explicit statement in job offer or just send question before applying, I did that many times and usually got some response. If you don't get any response then it means that it was not worth applying anyway. :)

MonkoftheFunk3• 13 years ago

What kind of statement, and question? Thanks for your experience on the matter.

ghostdiver2• 13 years ago

"Java or C++" is such type of key phrase/statement, but there are other ones, depends on job profile you are looking for. Front end devs should rather avoid job offers, which mention some particular javascript library as an must have requirement.

Question is simple: I don't have a lot of professional experience in required language/technology, but (here goes something interesting about you), should I apply to your job offer?

Ask HN: Apply to dev jobs with little experience of the language required?

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