When people use "minimum" or "maximum" and then follow that with a range. - eviltoast

I once applied for a job where one of the requirements was “minimum 5 to 10 years experience in X”. My friend told me to submit a CV saying I have 3 to 6 years experience in X and see if they shortlist me.

  • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    12
    ·
    8 months ago

    I don’t agree. I’m currently looking for a developer with 5-10 years of experience. I don’t want a guy so green he’s grass, I also don’t want someone that has so much experience that he’ll be super expensive and or stuck in their ways. I want someone who knows what they’re doing, but can still learn more.

    • B0rax@feddit.de
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      25
      ·
      8 months ago

      But then you say 5-10 years experience. Not minimum of 5 to 10 years.

    • zaph@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      8 months ago

      “5-10 years experience” is a range of time anyone can understand. “MINIMUM 5-10 years” is a range that makes absolutely no sense. Imagine if the speed limit signs in your area said “maximum 35-45 mph” and tell me how fast you’re allowed to drive.

      • hedgehog@ttrpg.network
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        Speed limit signs with ranges would make sense if given some additional clarification by the issuing authority. For example:

        • The upper bound is the limit in perfect conditions; the lower bound is the limit when the weather is bad in any way
        • The upper bound is the limit when there’s no traffic. The lower bound is the limit when there’s substantial traffic.
        • The upper bound is the limit normally. The lower bound is the limit during school hours.

        Even without a clarification drivers could probably assume it’s some combination of the above.

        (A job description could have the same clarification but probably doesn’t, as “minimum” is just an error on the part of the person writing it. But they could say “5-10 years minimum experience, depending on level and nature of education,” and then a reader could infer that a person with a relevant Master’s degree might need 5 years of experience; a relevant Bachelor’s degree - 6 years minimum; a major in something else - 8 years minimum; only a high school diploma - 10 years minimum.)

        • ElderWendigo@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          4
          ·
          8 months ago

          Those clarifications are in the driving manual you should have studied to get your license. The posted limit is only accurate under ideal conditions, often being affected by weather and local conditions. In most places you can be ticketed for speeding by driving at the limit during rain or other weather events. Posting a range of numbers would just add clutter and limit readability, the range is implicit on the road because it is explicitly laid out in elsewhere through regulation.

    • Lvxferre@mander.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      8 months ago

      I also don’t want someone that has so much experience that he’ll be super expensive and or stuck in their ways.

      In your case 10 is the maximum. There’s no contradiction, as in the OP.

    • asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      IMO the “stuck in their ways” isn’t about experience at all. It’s about good or bad devs. I’ve seen green devs stuck in their ways.

      Sometimes managers or devs who don’t know any better think that knowing the right thing to do is the same as being inflexible, because they don’t understand the rationale since they aren’t experienced programmers.