Re3: Number 1 mistake to not avoid during an interview

[dragonchild]

While I respect your thoughts, I have to point something out - there are those who have stature and those who don't. I'm almost 28 years old. I have been programming professionally for almost 10 years, but only graduated from college less than 5 years ago. I know Perl practically inside and out. I have added value to companies even if I've only been there for 3 months.

Yet, I have a lot of trouble getting interviews. Why? Because my resume seems junior cause I am so relatively young. I need every little advantage I can get. If wearing a suit and tie gives me an extra percentage point in the interviewer's head, I need it. I'm going up against people who have 20+ years in the business.

That's people like you, Abigail-II. You have the luxury of wearing business-casual to an interview because you have a resume longer than you are tall. I don't, and I suspect most people here don't, either. With the IT job market the way it is, I'm lucky if I get an interview. There are thousands of people with 10+, 15+, and 20+ years of experience. They get the interviews, not us young guns.

Now, I don't blame the hiring companies. If I could get a 20+ year professional at a 3-year price, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But, I cannot afford to seem young, brash, and unprofessional for those few face-to-faces I can squeak into.

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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

The idea is a little like C++ templates, except not quite so brain-meltingly complicated. -- TheDamian, Exegesis 6

Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.