Subject: Libertarian Job search Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:40:29 -0500 To: lpny_discussion , From: Bob Armstrong I have ceased being surprised by the correlations within= various circles among whom I find kindred spirits . Unusual numbers of Left ( sinister ) handed . Astounding numbers ( > 0 ) APL programmers . An APL acquaintance , Brooke Allen , I have known for a quarter century and was surprised to see show up at the NYU's Math= Finance Seminar series recently , but who , so far as I know , is not at= all politically active , is engaged in a search for an APL= programmer in what in many ways is a very Libertarian manner . The thread begins at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dyalogusers/message/315 >=A0We just placed an ad in the New York Times. > >=A0PROGRAMMER--Will Train. NY/NJ area. Enjoyment of Mathematics a= plus, no >=A0prior work experience required. e-mail: trainee@m... > >=A0To this we will reply with a lengthy explanation of our= company, the job, >=A0and a request that they download Dyalog's Language Reference= Manual. This is >=A0followed by a short reading comprehension test in APL. [ Without a functioning APL interpreter , this test is not easy= . ] >=A0A year ago we tried this very same strategy hoping to get a= candidate that >=A0we would hire to learn J. Some statistics: > >=A0400 respondents >=A028 people who downloaded J and read the primer >=A023 people at an open house >=A0about 12 worthy of the job, but we could only hire >=A01 who has been excellent, one of our best programmers in J,= Java, C++ and >=A0C#. > >=A0If you want to see what we respond with, please send e-mail= to: >=A0trainee@m... > >=A0and make the subject line: Ping Brooke's most recent update is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dyalogusers/message/321 >=A0My approach is: >=A01) Cast a really broad net. >=A02) Respond with lot's of information and challenging tasks.= Give people many >=A0reasons to select themselves out due to technical= inappropriateness. >=A03) Give them lot's of info about the job, and what is expected= of them. Give >=A0them even more reasons to drop out. (we're beginning that stage= now.) >=A04) Finally, meet the people who have made it this far. You've= got to meet these >=A0folks, if for no other reason, for what they've been through. The job is in statistical arbitrage aimed at taking money from= people who make irrational trading decisions . Brooke discusses the morality of= that pursuit . All in all some interesting reads ( assuming our interests are= correlated ) . --=A0 =A0Bob Armstrong -- http://CoSy.com -- 212-285-1864 CoSy MidWinter Party : http://cosy.com/y04/MidWinter17.htm Computing Environment : =A0http://CoSy.com/CoSy/ A WTC vision : http://CoSy.com/CoSy/ConicAllConnect/ Liberty : http://CoSy.com/Liberty.htm Restore our Right to Relax : =A0http://ny.lp.org/cgi-bin/petition.cgi?Against_the_Smoking_Ban =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A02004/01/25 2:11:43 PM