Somewhere Java managers are reviewing resumes. One says to the other:
This guy doesn’t look strong enough technically to be a back-end engineer. But hey! I notice he lists html, css, and JavaScript on his resume. Send him to Tyler. He’d probably be a good Web Developer.
There is so much wrong with this. I’ll just talk about the part you need to pay attention to as a job applicant: the web standards trifecta.
But first, a distraction…
I remember reading my first HTML primer. It was 1997 and I was full of teen angst. I used dope html and image maps to make a portfolio site for all my self-absorbed pubescent poetry and song-lyrics. I hoped and dreaded that someone would find my website and notice me.
Back to Your Resume
Just about everyone has messed around with the web. That is, all of the people you are competing with for jobs have. And many of these people list html, css, and javascript on their resume.
I get very skeptical when the only mention of web work is the names of these technologies hanging out at the end of a line of technology buzz words — as if all the technologies are waiting in line for the bathroom during a break at a conference.
Web Development is First Place, not Booby Prize
I hire web developers.
I don’t count a passing reference to web technologies as credible evidence that you are what I’m looking for. Give me a portfolio site, a GitHub repository, a list of results.
At the end of the day, I’m really looking for ambitious people with tech horsepower, so I’d be happy to see solid results in any technical field plus a firm commitment to try out web development. Much rather passion and promise than yet another resume that just lists technologies as if posting poetry on the week-end is the same as building professional web-apps.
