Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by EECS 5508 days ago
I'm sorry if this sounds rude but I can't agree that you have high integrity. If you did, you would have never considered a lie (white or not) just simply because you felt you needed to, regardless of any reason.

I much rather have someone be honest with me, tell me they don't know, but that they will do their best to pick things up fast and learn without hindering the team, and work hard at being the best they can be than someone pretending to know something, try to pick up pieces and then still not be great at what they're supposed to know. Honesty goes a long way and I've never turned anyone down because they lack something but I've certainly turn away countless number of people who've lied even the slightest.

BS meters are easier to trigger than you may think. And honestly, there's no integrity if this was ever a passing thought.

Disclaimer: I've hired many people for my own company as well as have a slew of friends who've hired many people for their own companies/startups. This isn't something new.

1 comments

Since when has the computer science industry been able to claim higher integrity than any other industry — certainly sounds to me like you, being someone in a position to hire others think highly of yourself? I'd be able to bullshit you simply because I'm able to do what I'd be lying about, but not be able to back it up with a real-world example.

You're probably no better than anyone who hires anyone else... probably on a power-hungry ego trip. Sure you can tell yourself that you can sniff a lier in an interview, but then do you hire shit employees? Probably one or two... and they're bullshitters, don't you know.

I'm not after a lecture in morals and integrity, I want to grasp the general opinions of people who've found themselves needing to perhaps lie in order to get themselves in a better position in life/job.

1. I never said anything about the CS industry and I don't see why that matters, regardless of what industry this is part of. I never said CS was of higher integrity than others nor was that ever part of the discussion.

2. I don't think of myself more highly than anybody else. You made a statement, I had a counter point of view, and I gave my opinion.

3. Considering my last company scaled up and was successfully acquired, I think its safe to say in defense of the great team we've had, that they're not shit employees. Say and think what you want but I think its clear you're the person speaking out of anger right now. And don't let your personal anger at me for what I said out of personal opinion be the reason for you to talk smack about the team I've worked with, of which you know nothing about. They don't deserve that. You can think I'm on an ego trip all you want, I'm not.

4. I wasn't trying to give you a lecture. I gave very concise advice on what I personally look for and what I think others (including those I know) look for. Whether you value that opinion or not or believe others look for that or not is up to you. There are many companies out there that will gladly hire the right person base on their personality, culture fit, and skills irregardless of past experience (another advice you can choose to ignore if you like). Seems to me you're bent on this past experience thing base on an assumption rather than trying to see if you'll be able to land the job as a value to the company you'd be applying for.

Whatever the case may be, you can choose to disagree with me all you like. I'm not here to brag or put you down. I merely disagreed with your statement and whether you liked it or not, it's something I stand by.