Comment On The Designer's Cover Letter, Temporary Web Siter, and Scaring off Female Candidates

I am calling BS on the spandex story. Girls in IT, no such thing, we've covered this a million times before.

The faxed cover letter actually reveals some expertise with lettering. The designer used a square-tip marker or pen. Several of the letters are beautifully formed -- the capital D and G, and the lowercase g in "applying" in particular.

Pawel23:

I especially like this one from the resumes:
http://livelyarsenic.deviantart.com/art/architecture-resume-97693668
Yep, it is printed and shoot on a wooden table. Priceless. :)

Should be. Considering it doesn't actually exist.

biggeek:

Q: How many women does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: How many can you fit there?

'While she was in the interview, one of the interviewers casually joked, "so, how do you feel about working with men wearing full-body spandex suits?"'

Maybe she thought you meant that she would be required to wear the body suit. This is where careful phrasing becomes important.

I know this sounds really dudley-doright corporate drone, but interviewers really shouldn't make "jokes" like that because it could be taken as harassment. If it got back to HR what was said she could prolly get $50K without ever starting the job...LOL

Bicycle Pirate:

Arrrr, why do those douchenozzles have to wear sponsor-laden spandex while riding their bicycle to work? I am ashamed to be a bicyclist when packs of them ride by. Nobody is sponsoring them either! Seriously, normal shorts or jeans and a t-shirt work just as well. Even if you're cycling 50+ miles you don't need spandex or any of that junk.

I agree spandex is the invention of Satan -- especially on the geriatrics who seem to have an odd affinity for it. But I've found that biking shorts (with padding) and underwear, and the jerseys tend to reduce rubbing and wick away sweat better than cotton clothing.

action roommate:

When it came to hiring a new developer, we found that rarest of gems: a qualified female candidate.

Did anyone else do a double-take at this phrase?

"Wow, would you believe we someone with a vagina who can program! I know! I thought they weren't allowed to leave the kitchen!"

Dude, even if it's true it's a tasteless thing to say.

Obviously not true, but it seems like IT departments, depending on the specialty, are still about 75% male. Seems like there's more maleness in the aresas of sysadmin and programming, where "webbie" stuff and databases have slightly more female representation.

What do you all think? True, and if so why?

foo:

We (those who know what we're doing on a bike) are also ashamed of you, when you ride with no lights at night, wobbling all over the road, jumping traffic lights, and almost hit old ladies on the pavement. You are to cycling what Paula Bean is to coding.

</rant>

Brillant! LOL....

ogilmor:

action roommate:

When it came to hiring a new developer, we found that rarest of gems: a qualified female candidate.

Did anyone else do a double-take at this phrase?

"Wow, would you believe we someone with a vagina who can program! I know! I thought they weren't allowed to leave the kitchen!"

Dude, even if it's true it's a tasteless thing to say.

Obviously not true, but it seems like IT departments, depending on the specialty, are still about 75% male. Seems like there's more maleness in the aresas of sysadmin and programming, where "webbie" stuff and databases have slightly more female representation.

What do you all think? True, and if so why?

I don't doubt that it is true that many people will find the statement offensive. But I nevertheless find it bizarre that stating a fact which is easily proven to be true is considered offensive. Surely there are plenty of statistics that indicate that relatively few women are programmers. We could debate why this is so, but why is it offensive to state the fact?

ogilmor:

action roommate:

When it came to hiring a new developer, we found that rarest of gems: a qualified female candidate.

Did anyone else do a double-take at this phrase?

"Wow, would you believe we someone with a vagina who can program! I know! I thought they weren't allowed to leave the kitchen!"

Dude, even if it's true it's a tasteless thing to say.

Obviously not true, but it seems like IT departments, depending on the specialty, are still about 75% male. Seems like there's more maleness in the aresas of sysadmin and programming, where "webbie" stuff and databases have slightly more female representation.

What do you all think? True, and if so why?

I've worked in the safety critical industry all my life, coding to the very highest standards for military and aerospace applications. I can honestly say that I have NEVER worked with a female software developer - not ever. Don't get me wrong, I fully assume that they exist, but from my experience they don't tend to work on the cutting edge of software development. On the other hand, I have known plenty of female testers, if that tells you anything.

Lycra or spandex is practical cycle wear.

It's the stupid sponsorship crap that gives me the irits.

Oh look, it looks like I'm being sponsered by GlobalFirm.



(For short rides, T-shirts and loose shorts are good enough.)

I just got a disturbing message on IRC that reminded me of this article:

<somebody> hi can you do a successfull website for me i pay the money

Sure...

I think a computer programmer can show off on their cover letter too... One time a clever friend of mine applied at a big company as a java programmer. His cover letter was like a java console, white letter on black background, full of variables, etc.... Of course he never got the job.

Roberty Burlow
<a href="http://www.dimensionsguide.com">Gallbladder Dimensions</a>

I think a computer programmer can show off on their cover letter too... One time a clever friend of mine applied at a big company as a java programmer. His cover letter was like a java console, white letter on black background, full of variables, etc.... Of course he never got the job.

Roberty Burlow
Gallbladder Dimensions

PS: I'll try an intimidating cover letter :D

Steve H:

Being female, she was pretty much guaranteed a job offer as soon as she sent in her résumé

That's pretty much the Real WTF right there, not least because it's true.

Seconded. I've never been "guaranteed" a software engineering job due to my gender. I get them because I'm qualified and interview well.

Anonymous:

I've worked in the safety critical industry all my life, coding to the very highest standards for military and aerospace applications. I can honestly say that I have NEVER worked with a female software developer - not ever. Don't get me wrong, I fully assume that they exist, but from my experience they don't tend to work on the cutting edge of software development. On the other hand, I have known plenty of female testers, if that tells you anything.

Hi! I'm a female software engineer. I've worked for the military as well as the insurance, financial, biotech, and health industries as well as various software companies. And I do indeed work in the "cutting edge" of software development.

I guess I'm a purple unicorn. :)

Jay:

I don't doubt that it is true that many people will find the statement offensive. But I nevertheless find it bizarre that stating a fact which is easily proven to be true is considered offensive. Surely there are plenty of statistics that indicate that relatively few women are programmers. We could debate why this is so, but why is it offensive to state the fact?

It's true. I'm usually the only one on any development/engineering team. I wouldn't find it offensive to state. I find it more offensive when women are treated differently not due to qualifications but due to gender.

Anonymous:

I am calling BS on the spandex story. Girls in IT, no such thing, we've covered this a million times before.

You're a funny guy! Yeah, we exist.

nerdy girl:

Seriously, though, I think my response would be that it depends on the man. If the guy is really dedicated enough to cycling to justify that bodysuit, I'd say it would be more a benefit than a deterrent. Also, don't tell anyone I told you, but yes, some of us females find fresh man-sweat to be enticing, too. At least, those of us who haven't been socialized out of every single biological response by the unrealistic depictions in entertainment and the media.

I work with two other guys who sometimes bike to work (and I do so sometimes myself). Both change when they get here and head to the gym to shower. We also have strict dress codes, so spandex wouldn't be acceptable. ;)

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"A rare gem"??? You obviously haven't worked in the field very much/for very long if you have not come across many first class female developers! Or maybe you are in an Amish development house?

You must be fudging kidding me! This shows a complete lack of knowledge about cycling, have you ever tried cycling with soaking wet denim jeans vs wet lycra? Hell vs bliss in comparison.

Adriano:

OldCoder:

Jeans? You obviously don't live in a climate which includes rain.

If you get rain while cycling, you're fucked anyway. Or are you going to tell us that spandex is so much better than denim to hold out water?

meh, previous comment missed this out...

captcha: minim, that was a real minimum comment before..

action roommate:

When it came to hiring a new developer, we found that rarest of gems: a qualified female candidate.

Did anyone else do a double-take at this phrase?

"Wow, would you believe we someone with a vagina who can program! I know! I thought they weren't allowed to leave the kitchen!"

Dude, even if it's true it's a tasteless thing to say.

I dunno, either we can speak candidly in this world or we can close our eyes, suck our thumbs and hope it goes away.

More and more I find the latter to be a pathetic state of affairs for the human race. Regression.

you mad bro?