[bsenftner]

I remember reading his "How to win at College" when finishing graduate school; his first book made me feel smug because I was already doing all his recommendations.

I feel extremely blessed, as I have held a series of "dream jobs": 1) video game studio owner at age 17; 2) graphics researcher working for Mandelbrot on his research in '83; 3) Beta Tester for the original Macintosh; 4) 3D graphics researcher back when how to do 3D graphics was unsolved research; 5) video game console OS developer (3D0 & first PSX), 6) video game lead engineer (15 years), 7) I was one of the first people to get Live Interactive Video working on the Internet (Rotor Communications, '99), 8) VFX digital artist & developer for 9 major release feature films; 9) I pioneered and global patented Deep Fakes back in '08 (trying to commercialize that bankrupted me, I was trying to launch Personalized Advertising); and today 10) I'm lead developer of one of the leading facial recognition systems used by 3-lettered organizations world wide.

I get these positions by being irritatingly enthusiastic, technologically deep when first meeting the interviewers, and I try to get right into what their immediate problems to be solved and try to engage in that solution during my interviews. If given make work for evaluation, I simply refuse and ask them what problems they are actually facing: let's solve one of those. This gets the actual problem solvers engaged and I can judge them and they can judge me in our compatibility when problem solving. I tend to cinch the deal trying to get tje job by including 360 degree financial, long term maintenance, and a schedule for planned enhancements achieving expense reduction when executing whatever solution. I tend to minimize having an MBA, because my development achievements speak for themselves; but when I close with financial managers assessment of the company and act like the prospect of working there will be good for them, they tend make an offer. I never act like I need the job. I act like they need me, and without me they would face me working for their competition. Basically, I act like a force, and they can have me on their team of they want. Yes, this is arrogant; it is intentionally so. In many ways, I find I need to treat management like an asshole peer, and be an asshole right to them, and suddenly I'm their favorite guy. People are strange.

[ta988]

I would not call these last ones dream jobs. More like dream-crushing jobs...

[bsenftner]

I pursued Personalized Advertising because I foresee automated actor replacement as inevitable, and if that is the case why not be it's Edison?

My work in facial recognition is partially because I can do the work at all, few can, and I also do this work to know what it is, it's capabilities and limits, so I'm not in the dark and can influence it's use. I'm an ethical person, and I voice my ethical concerns constantly, insuring the systems cannot be easily abused.

[bumby]

I think it’s a case of different strokes for different folks.

Those “three letter agencies” may offer resources and projects that one would struggle to find elsewhere.

To some people, being a Marine is a dream job. To others, that lifestyle would be soul-crushing.

[mStreamTeam]

That post sound sounds like it was written by someone who dreams of getting power and status. If power us your dream, working for a 3 letter is one way of getting it.

[bsenftner]

I dream of being left alone with a pile of computers and unlimited time. Frankly, I'm a curmudgeon when it comes to others socially. I prefer literature and philosophy discussion.

[Mauricebranagh]

But you don't normally blurt it out like that :-)

I suspect that jobs in a TLA are closer to the Laundry files than James Bond.

[bsenftner]

They are 60-80 hour weeks, over and over and over again...

[moneywoes]

3 letter organization aka NSA?

[voicedYoda]

This is a fantastic representation of how developers should present themselves and work to get their dream jobs. It's hard work up front, but the dividends yield. Kudos

[killtimeatwork]

This guy is an elite researcher, so this approach works for him. Try doing that as a regular backend guy and you'll get a puzzled look from management, followed by a boot to the posterior.

[bsenftner]

It requires past achievements that are beyond questioning, such as working with Mandelbrot, OS developer for the PlayStation, and having written and acquired a global technology patent. I am very aware the unfair game I'm playing when being interviewed. Working in a Capitalist economy is an unfair game, so fuck em and get what ya can. It's all a pointless prestige game anyway.