

Ask HN: best-written engineer job posting - donna

I'm writing a job posting for an iPad developer. Does anyone have any suggestions or examples of great job postings that attracted your interests?
======
frossie
Try to aim for exciting but serious (like kls said, no Ninja talk).

My personal bugbear:

Make sure you clearly differentiate from things you are not prepared to live
without (eg. must have written iPhone app currently on sale at the App Store,
or must be prepared to relocate to Outer Mongolia, etc) and stuff that you
would like but are willing to forego for an otherwise attractive applicant
(eg. having already developed on the iPad)

If you aren't specific about the difference between needs and wants, what can
happen is that people who do actually have a realistic grasp of their
abilities self-censor and don't apply. Then you don't find the ideal candidate
and are forced to compromise and hire from a pool of people who think they are
object oriented programmers because they took a class in Java once.

Highlight anything that would be particularly attractive to a developer (above
average compensation, non-moron project manager - rephrase that one - ,
partial or complete telecommute, longevity of the position, high end
computer/laptop provided, flexible hours, etc).

------
kls
Don't use Rockstar or Ninja! OK in all seriousness, For me at least (before I
became a freelancer) talking about the work environment, the people and the
app would attract me more than the gory details of what you expect. Most
everyone that writes apps, knows what is required of them. I would keep it
simple, what you want them to do and what level in their career you want them
to be at.

As well, I would include what you are willing to pay if it is below market
(not that I am saying that you are paying below market) that way expectations
are set before time is wasted on either side.

~~~
donna
Truly helpful thank you. I was considering posting images of the GUI. What do
you think?

~~~
kls
Yep, that would do the trick. It's like porn for some of us. In the end people
want to work with other cool people. Hence the Ninja and Rockstar post, when
you are not cool, the best way to try to fake it is with some Ninja or
Rockstar slang. But in the end posting some shots of the UI and talking about
the people / work environment will reflect a more positive light. Then trying
to "cool up" your job posting.

