What is Code Anthem?
As a job-seeking developer, I was always astounded at the large volume of bland, soulless job posts. I wasted a lot of time mass-applying to “relevant” job postings before I learned to target the companies that had a high technical barrier to entry. If a company required a technical test I would almost definitely apply, because it meant I would be working for and with smart people there and also that since they would have a smaller applicant pool, I would be valued more. One thing that was frustrating was having to take a different coding test or technical exam at each company. It’s very time-consuming and only a small part of the interview process.
As a hiring manager, I was shocked at the low level of competency demonstrated by potential hires. Programmers with 5+ years of experience in Java would come in to take a basic Java coding test and not even be able to finish. Worse, mentioning a programming test in the phone screen or job post scared away a large percentage of candidates. Where were the coders who could write code?
This was a big problem for both programmers and companies, but repetitive job boards and clueless recruiters were not solving the problem. In my career, I prided myself on solving complex problems with straightforward, even elegant, solutions.
So Code Anthem was born. There are good developers out there who would like to be hired and paid according to their skill level. There are companies out there that are starving for highly skilled and productive programmers. Code Anthem is how we match them up.
Our goal at Code Anthem is to make developer skill transparent. From this one goal, we can solve many problems. Programmers can finally get the status and recognition for their talent. Programmers can attract companies and get pay commensurate with their skill level. Companies can find qualified programmers without having to waste a ton of time screening them, testing them, interviewing the unqualified ones.
Code Anthem is the anti-Dice.
Code anthem is a tribute to skilled developers everywhere.
Code Anthem is not just a solution, it’s a movement. I hope you’ll join us.
This is interesting. I’m looking forward to seeing what it becomes.
I am enjoying the articles. However, the anonymity and the stealth-mode is a little weird. I think using real names would give your company and site a lot more personality.
That’s a fair point; it’s sort of a “pardon our dust during renovation” type thing. We’re coming out of the closet very, very soon.
Interesting. There is an aesthetic to good code, so anthem is appropriate.
And you seem to know who good programmers are. Even stranger, but you must be a team of them.
As a non technical individual who has the remit to recruit software developers, I am delighted with the insight that the comments & topics are giving me.
Ignored by others in organisations due to lack of mutual understanding, it is hard to see past the ‘teccie’ front to the often ascerbic wit and ‘artistic’ core that lurks beneath. Some of us on the dark side are actually trying to reach out and learn more – hopefully this will help.
There will never be a perfect way to judge and recruit good programmers… It will always be a trial and error thing. If programmers are not going to spend time giving certification tests, why would they spend time on your site? And how does doing whatever antics on your site count as plausible background? What makes you better than a certification company? Or linkedin? Or dice? Or Stack Overflow? Or hunting people with open source contributions? All your hype is generating a lot of expectations. Best of luck.
@sucmaroosta
“All your hype is generating a lot of expectations.”
Thank you. That is the point.