Ask HN: Using vague metaphors as job requirements

6 points·karipatila··5 comments

What comes to mind when you come across a job opening which requires you to be a "CSS rockstar" or a "PHP wizard"? Is this a by-product of a job market so oversaturated with incompetence that the employers must resort to extremes to make sure only people with real talent apply, or should I just disregard the entire thing as a meaningless trend?

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I don't see anything wrong with it if you actually know what all that (being a supposed "rockstar" in a field) entails. It only annoys me when I hear it thrown around in general conversation by folks who have no clue what a "insert-programming-language-or-framework-or-markup-language here" rockstar really is and they're just tossing it around because they've heard somebody else say it.

> "Is this a by-product of a job market so oversaturated with incompetence that the employers must resort to extremes to make sure only people with real talent apply"

I think it might be. I figure folks would still just ask for an "expert" in a job description if that concept hadn't been taken up by a bunch of folks that aren't (in fields everywhere--not just writing code).

Copy written like that are probably from younger companies/startups with less care for rules and being formal. They're just describing the type of people they want and are looking for. Nobody wants someone "proficient in CSS", "experienced with PHP". If the applicant is uncomfortable describing themselves as wizards/rockstars, they're probably unqualified for the position, right?

I read that kind of thing as "only those suffering from severe Dunning-Kruger syndrome need apply".

I would assume that the people you would be working for are kind of corny, FWIW.

Or don't understand the field at all.

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