The machine tells us when we’re wrong
There are two types of developers. The first group allows the compiler to tell them that their code is syntactically broken. The second group makes an effort to write perfect code and then passes that code to the compiler to create an executable file.
I dare say the large majority of developers in the US today are of the first type.
We use the compiler to tell us if our code is correct. We try things until they work. We guess and allow the machine to act as a feedback agent. We like change, new things, and we’re constantly asking, “What’s the worst that could happen?”
We’re used to instant success or failure; theories proven or disproven at light speed; we’re used to results that are as black and white as ones and zeros.
We’re comfortable with test-first programming and test driven development because they are built on tight feedback loops. We like Agile methodologies and automated tests because they give us results quickly.
The machine tells us when we’re right and when we’re wrong.
So what happens when the machine isn’t there?
How do you know if you’re right or wrong then?
When we try a new endeavor, like finding a new job, why should it be any different than programming? Shouldn’t there be a tight feedback loop somewhere?
Finding that instant result can be challenging. But it is no more challenging than the most difficult software issue you’ve fixed.
Like any other system, the job market is built on inputs and outputs. While the inputs are clear, sometimes the outputs are like unreadable characters.
We submit an application and don’t get feedback. We have a networking meeting and have no idea if it will pay off or if the contacts we made from it will help. We talk to an HR person on a phone screen and don’t hear back. What was the error number for that? What did I do wrong? Was it syntax or did I miss a requirement? Did I not handle an exception properly?
This Is A New API
When we submit resumes, we have no idea what goes on behind the scenes! It may take hours or months to hear back. Sometimes we don’t hear back at all. If we’re lucky, we may have a contact on the inside that tells us they were concerned we didn’t have enough AJAX experience or that one of the interviewers thought we were lacking experience for this position. Most of the time, however, we get no feedback and that’s uncomfortable.
Let’s be honest, with many APIs most of us don’t read the documentation first. We’d rather learn it the hard way. The system will tell us we’re wrong… right?
What I see that’s so different about the Career Transition API, is that while a perfectly average software engineer would try many different permutations and combinations of actions to get a computer to give him the results he wants, that same individual won’t change his input (resume, networking attempts, interactions with recruiters, soft skills, etc.) to the job market. Instead, that completely sane human will continue to try the same things over and over expecting different results.
As a software engineer, we’d eventually read the API’s documentation, right? If not, we’d ask someone who is an expert what he thinks.
A Looser Feedback Loop
With a feedback loop this loose how are we to know the results of our actions? It takes too long to find out what works and what doesn’t. What would you do with your code if you wanted quicker results?
Threading Your Job Hunt
We can’t afford to be single-threaded with our job search. We’ve got to run multiple algorithms in parallel and we can’t wait for the results to come back before starting the next algorithm. We’ve got to multi-thread our job search.
We’ve got to try as many different methods as possible at the same time. If your friend found success with one method, try it, but try other things too.
Remember how threading works, as long as you manage your resources properly and don’t over extend yourself, you’re fine.
Threading your search should help. But there will still be many actions you try that receive no feedback. Don’t be discouraged. This system is gigantic. Just because you don’t see the output, doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Someone is seeing it… someone will take note, and at some point, the machine will tell you that this test has turned green too!
