undefined | Better HN

0 pointsaaronbrethorst16y ago0 comments

Proving that you can do everything—and that you understand a business' lifecycle—is going to be incredibly valuable in an interview, especially in a smaller company (but certainly not limited to them).

Being able to point to a real product being used by real people who had paid me real dollars for it has made a significant difference for me in job interviews in the past, especially for my first real job out of college at Microsoft.

Today, I'm a startup co-founder. If I'm looking to hire a developer, and I see that a candidate knows how to not only create software, but also market it and sell it, AND that they recognize the value in those other two steps, I'm significantly more likely to call them in for an in-person interview.

And besides, with any luck you'll generate enough money off your own software that you can tell all those companies you're looking to for a job to piss off ;)

0 comments

rue16y ago

Yeah, I am sure it is good to have. Just not necessary, particularly if mistaking it to be causes failure, stress or paralysis. One should strive to have something up there. If it pays, I guess that is a bonus.

It is not your fault, but overemphasis on "monetization" or whatever the preferred word may be is really unappealing to me here.

aaronbrethorstOP16y ago

I'm sorry you find it distasteful, but it's important to me, and likely to you too. Monetization comes in many forms, including the paychecks you might collect every two weeks, or the grad student stipend you might collect at the beginning of the term, or in many other forms.

Paying rent and being able to eat are nice, and they're the direct result of monetizing something

pyre16y ago

I think he was referring to your insistence that showing an actual working product to someone in no way demonstrates your job potential as a programmer unless you already have a business running around the product with paying customers. The idea that paying customers demonstrates one's programming abilities is laughable. "If you build it, they will come," is a phrase best left in the theaters.

Not to mention creating a product that is great does not in and of itself generate a customer base. You have to use your business/marketing acumen to get that. And in a lot of cases, you can cover up your lack of programming skills by over compensating in the business or marketing areas.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse