I neglected to mention that Mike “CoyoteBoy” Earls also has quaffed the colored sugar water.  Grats Mike.

Got me thinking about when I was working up in Boston, a guy on a different team that I used to take smoke breaks with went down to Connecticut and interviewed with a little company you may have heard of called WinZip.  They offered him the job.  It was going to be a bit of a commute, and the money was only slightly better, and we were talking about whether or not he should seriously think about it.  In the end, I’m like “dude…it’s WinZip” and he’s like “yeah…it is”.  Seriously.  I look at two resumes, similar years of experience, whatever.  One guy’s last job was Software Developer at Dewey Cheatem and Howe LLP, and the other was Software Developer at WinZip.  I’m 90% of the way to making up my mind, and unless the guy’s an asshole, he’s getting the job.

First of all, there’s something about a pedigreed company on the resume.  If you’re good enough for a big name place, you’re good enough for most others, at least that’s how they think.  It works the same with schools, so don’t act like you don’t know.  Guy with law degree from Harvard gets job before guy with law degree from UF and that’s just how it is.  CS degree from MIT > CS degree from Appalachian State.  It’s about the pedigree.

And in terms of resume pedigree and all around geek cred, Microsoft is number 1 with a bullet, at least where I come from.

Now of course it all depends on your industry and what you’re doing…sorta.  Meaning there are certain companies that could be on your resume that imply pedigree that are specialized to your industry.  For instance, I work in healthcare/biotech, and I have Biogen on my resume.  That carries weight.  People who interview me for healthcare/biotech programming jobs have heard of Biogen.  But even if I didn’t have Biogen on my resume, or any healthcare experience at all, I guarantee I’d be in the running for the same job if I had Microsoft on my resume.

Not only that, but there’s something to be said for working somewhere that is recognized by people other than your boss and peers.  Like your mom.  My parents still don’t really have a grasp for what I do I don’t think.  It’s very not in their wheelhouse “yeah I architect large distributed corporate applications….”.  That’s not a real thing to mom and dad.  Microsoft would be though.

So here’s my meme proposal.  Give it up with your Top 5, Desert Island list of your dream companies.  Companies that, if they offered you a job tomorrow, you wouldn’t have to think about it.  Companies you would absolutely feel like you have reached the peak of your profession if you had them on your resume.

Assume the standard disclaimer.  I love my job, and have no intentions of leaving any time soon.  But we’re talking about those dreams.  Unless you already work at your dream company, it’s no secret that if Company X said “dude, you rock, come code for us” you’d bail in a heartbeat.  This is that list:

Scott’s Top 5 Dream Companies

  1. Microsoft.  This is a no-brainer for me.
  2. Macromedia.
  3. Electronic Arts.Blizzard Entertainment.  Fuck EA.
  4. Amazon.
  5. Google.

So that’s my top 5 dream resume companies.  What’s yours?


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