[VieElm]

> Good programmers really enjoy talking about the details of the technology and how they solved challenging problems.

I don't really enjoy talking about anything and usually do so as a necessity. I guess I don't fit in with the extrovert engineers people are looking for. I also contend that not being able to talk well about how you did something doesn't mean that you aren't good at it. Talking about doing something you are good at is a different skill. Being be able to communicate is important sure. Is it the number one thing you're looking for? And candidates have to be happy about the ordeal too?

[hack_edu]

Actually, effective and reliable communication is the number one thing most all companies are looking for in engineers. No one wants a developer that is resistant to daily peer cooperation. A developer that can't clearly explain their decisions to their stakeholders is just about useless. A line item about communication is almost always present on a dev job listing's requirements, much more common than any stack/language flavor of the month.

Code is easy, being able to communicate is not. We engineers love to loathe non-tech people who talk too much while producing nothing tangible. Even more though, effective engineers loathe their peers that don't talk enough.

[brightball]

Isn't there something you've done in your career that you take enough pride in that you'd enjoy explaining it to people who would appreciate it (not including that time you gamed an interview)?

[VieElm]

I don't enjoy doing anything with other people, but it's a necessity given that we need jobs to survive. I could be happy just hacking on something in a basement and never talking to a soul if I could. I can wear a smile if you need me to, but I definitely wont mean it. Sorry.

[brightball]

That's what I mean though. Talk about something you hacked on in a basement.

[vonmoltke]

My problem, prior to my current position, was that I wasn't allowed to explain these things to people.