Time for another Job Advertisement Dissection!
Hi, I’m looking for qualified Ruby on Rails developers to work on a
client web portal project in Midtown Manhattan for a large financial research company.
“A large financial research company”. Would it, by any chance, have a name? It’s incredibly smart (right up there with Einstein, Hawking & Co.) to name the company you’re advertising for! Also this helps people to go “Oh look! A reputable company!” or the other way which we won’t talk about 
Ruby / Ruby on Rails developer with strong object oriented programming
background. Good understanding of model driven architecture, MVC, RDBS and data modeling.
No need to repeat yourself three times! “Strong object oriented programming background” and MVC comes standard with Ruby on Rails.
- BS. in Computer Science (or closely related field)
Personally I don’t see why people want a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or . What does this prove? That they have the money to do a course that probably didn’t teach them a single thing about Ruby on Rails? That they have large amounts of money to throw around and, instead of spending it on that nice Audi A6 they saw a few weeks ago.
- 1+ years of Ruby on Rails or 2+ years predominantly using the Ruby
language
It’s a bit hard to use Ruby on Rails without using Ruby! Here you repeat your need for a Ruby on Rails developer for a 4th time.
- Demonstrated experience/knowledge building high-volume and customer facing database-driven web applications.
Buzzwords! generates mental image of PHB
Web applications is a favourite of mine. I’d still prefer to call them “web sites”, but I’m just old school.
- Experience building n-tier Internet applications in Ruby on Rails
Repeated for a 5th time, the need of a Ruby on Rails developer is.
- Strong object-oriented design and development skills
And 6th!
- Good understanding of test-driven development methodology
Should come standard with any half-decent Ruby on Rails developer. If they aren’t writing tests they are a fraud!
- Thorough knowledge of relational databases, schema design and implementation, and SQL query design.
Again, any half-decent Ruby on Rails developer knows enough of this to be competent. SQL query design MAY come in handy, but in 99.9% of times Rails can do it for you.
- Hands on experience with Javascript, AJAX, HTTP, XHTML and Web
Services using both SOAP and REST.
Javascript IS Ajax! God. HTTP is a protocol and real programmers don’t interact with it much at all. XHTML should, again (!), come standard. Ruby on Rails follows more of a REST structure, having knowledge of SOAP is good and all, but REST is where Ruby on Rails is at.
- Good ability to translate requirements and functional specifications into working applications with minimum guidance.
“We tell you to do something, you just go away and do it without us having to tell you again.” does a better job I believe. Yes, it’s more blunt, but people in today’s world need blunt wording to get it into their heads.
- Good communication skills and ability to interface with business
users
I speak English. I’ve competently demonstrated that I know English enough to read your posts and interpret it into a way that I can understand, even though English is my primary language, some people massacre it enough to make me wish it wasn’t, although other people using other languages probably do the same to theirs. Prime examples of this include replacing common words such as “you”, “are”, “to/too”, “great” with “u”, “r”, “2” and “gr8” respectively.
I must make fun of the use of the word “interface”. There are 23 synonyms for this word, and you happened to use “interface”. Wouldn’t “work with” or just “interact” be better wording? “Business users” are not robots, yet. We have no method of interfacing with them other than written/verbal communicating. Sticking a USB cable into a “business user” will probably land you in a large court case. Other words include (thanks to thesaurus.reference.com):
collaborate, combine, connect, contact, cooperate, interface, interplay, interreact, join, merge, mesh, network, reach out, relate, touch, touch base*, unite
all linked for your convenience (and my laziness, direct copy+paste)
Majority of work must be done on site at client.
Which is in Manhattan… too bad you didn’t specify what company for. We’ll just have to hop around Manhattan looking for a “large financial company”. I’m sure there can’t be too many of those in New York.
- Compensation: Negotiable: Hourly, daily or fixed price
You mean “Pay rate” right? When I see the word “compensation” I think of it like some fund established to pay victims of a horrible incident.
* This is a contract job.
How long? Any chance of extension?
* Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this jobposter.
My principal was an asshat. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to speak with him. Even the teachers thought he was. (I’m assuming you mean the headmaster, and yes, I’m joking)
* Please, no phone calls about this job!
Damn! I was just about to call you on the number you liste… oh wait! You never listed a number! I guess it was left out along with the description of the company too!
And I’m done. See you next job advertisement post.
