--- created_at: '2017-09-07T10:22:22.000Z' title: If Carpenters Were Hired Like Programmers (2004) url: http://www.jasonbock.net/jb/News/Item/7c334037d1a9437d9fa6506e2f35eaac author: yankcrime points: 260 story_text: comment_text: num_comments: 118 story_id: story_title: story_url: parent_id: created_at_i: 1504779742 _tags: - story - author_yankcrime - story_15190438 objectID: '15190438' year: 2004 --- [Source](http://www.jasonbock.net/jb/News/Item/7c334037d1a9437d9fa6506e2f35eaac "Permalink to ") ![][1] [News][2] | [Biography][3] | [Resources][4] | [Quotes][5] | [Music][6] | [Contact][7] | [Site Information][8] | [Legal Notice][9] | ----- | | If Carpenters Were Hired Like Programmers _Update (1/20/2013) - Out of nowhere this article got read a lot over the past couple of days. Some people liked it, some thought it was stupid, and some carpenters found it offensive to carpentry :). Again, I didn't write this, so I can't take credit for it. And it's also an analogy, so it's not going to be a perfect 1:1 mapping to carpentry (and I'm not a carpenter, so to carpenters out there...well, go yell at the person who wrote the joke in the first place if it doesn't fairly represent your industry!)_ The following joke was posted to an internal [Magenic][10] list. I don't know who actually wrote it, and I'll give credit if someone points out the creator of the joke. It perfectly illustrates what I think developers (especially consultants) have to go through all the time when they're interviewing for the next gig. Interviewer: So, you're a carpenter, are you? Carpenter: That's right, that's what I do. Interviewer: How long have you been doing it? Carpenter: Ten years. Interviewer: Great, that's good. Now, I have a few technical questions to ask you to see if you're a fit for our team. OK? Carpenter: Sure, that'd be fine. Interviewer: First of all, we're working in a subdivision building a lot of brown houses. Have you built a lot of brown houses before? Carpenter: Well, I'm a carpenter, so I build houses, and people pretty much paint them the way they want. Interviewer: Yes, I understand that, but can you give me an idea of how much experience you have with brown? Roughly. Carpenter: Gosh, I really don't know. Once they're built I don't care what color they get painted. Maybe six months? Interviewer: Six months? Well, we were looking for someone with a lot more brown experience, but let me ask you some more questions. Carpenter: Well, OK, but paint is paint, you know. Interviewer: Yes, well. What about walnut? Carpenter: What about it? Interviewer: Have you worked much with walnut? Carpenter: Sure, walnut, pine, oak, mahogony -- you name it. Interviewer: But how many years of walnut do you have? Carpenter: Gosh, I really don't know -- was I supposed to be counting the walnut? Interviewer: Well, estimate for me. Carpenter: OK, I'd say I have a year and a half of walnut. Interviewer: Would you say you're an entry level walnut guy or a walnut guru? Carpenter: A walnut guru? What's a walnut guru? Sure, I've used walnut. Interviewer: But you're not a walnut guru? Carpenter: Well, I'm a carpenter, so I've worked with all kinds of wood, you know, and there are some differences, but I think if you're a good carpenter ... Interviewer: Yes, yes, but we're using Walnut, is that OK? Carpenter: Walnut is fine! Whatever you want. I'm a carpenter. Interviewer: What about black walnut? Carpenter: What about it? Interviewer: Well we've had some walnut carpenters in here, but come to find out they weren't black walnut carpenters. Do you have black walnut experience? Carpenter: Sure, a little. It'd be good to have more for my resume, I suppose. Interviewer: OK. Hang on let me check off the box... Carpenter: Go right ahead. Interviewer: OK, one more thing for today. We're using Rock 5.1 to bang nails with. Have you used Rock 5.1? Carpenter: [Turning white...] Well, I know a lot of carpenters are starting to use rocks to bang nails with since Craftsman bought a quarry, but you know, to be honest I've had more luck with my nailgun. Or a hammer, for that matter. I find I hit my fingers too much with the rock, and my other hand hurts because the rock is so big. Interviewer: But other companies are using rocks. Are you saying rocks don't work? Carpenter: No, I'm not saying rocks don't work, exactly, it's just that I think nail guns work better. Interviewer: Well, our architects have all started using rocks, and they like it. Carpenter: Well, sure they do, but I bang nails all day, and -- well, look, I need the work, so I'm definitely willing to use rocks if you want. I try to keep an open mind. Interviewer: OK, well we have a few other candidates we're looking at, so we'll let you know. Carpenter: Well, thanks for your time. I enjoyed meeting you. NEXT DAY: Ring... Interviewer: Hello? Carpenter: Hello. Remember me, I'm the carpenter you interviewed for the black walnut job. Just wanted to touch base to see if you've made a decision. Interviewer: Actually, we have. We liked your experience overall, but we decided to go with someone who has done a lot of work with brown. Carpenter: Really, is that it? So I lost the job because I didn't have enough brown? Interviewer: Well, it was partly that, but partly we got the other fellow a lot cheaper. Carpenter: Really -- how much experience does he have? Interviewer: Well, he's not really a carpenter, he's a car salesman -- but he's sold a lot of brown cars and he's worked with walnut interiors. Carpenter: [click] * Posted at 10.13.2004 10:38:07 AM CST | [Link][11] * | Blog History [Feb 2014 (1)][12] [Jan 2014 (1)][13] [Jan 2013 (1)][14] [Nov 2012 (1)][15] [Sep 2012 (1)][16] [Apr 2012 (1)][17] [Jan 2012 (1)][18] [Dec 2011 (1)][19] [Nov 2011 (1)][20] [Sep 2011 (4)][21] [Jul 2011 (1)][22] [Feb 2011 (1)][23] [Jan 2011 (1)][24] [Nov 2010 (5)][25] [Oct 2010 (2)][26] [Sep 2010 (3)][27] [Aug 2010 (9)][28] [Jun 2010 (16)][29] [May 2010 (7)][30] [Apr 2010 (6)][31] [Mar 2010 (7)][32] [Feb 2010 (4)][33] [Jan 2010 (4)][34] [Dec 2009 (7)][35] [Nov 2009 (4)][36] [Oct 2009 (7)][37] [Sep 2009 (9)][38] [Aug 2009 (16)][39] [Jul 2009 (5)][40] [Jun 2009 (9)][41] [May 2009 (15)][42] [Apr 2009 (21)][43] [Mar 2009 (43)][44] [Feb 2009 (25)][45] [Jan 2009 (36)][46] [Dec 2008 (32)][47] [Nov 2008 (40)][48] [Oct 2008 (39)][49] [Sep 2008 (44)][50] [Aug 2008 (55)][51] [Jul 2008 (63)][52] [Jun 2008 (48)][53] [May 2008 (50)][54] [Apr 2008 (49)][55] [Mar 2008 (61)][56] [Feb 2008 (50)][57] [Jan 2008 (74)][58] 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