Ask HN: Is there no place for people, who are average at something? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Is there no place for people, who are average at something?

23 pointspks01620 comments

For applying to a company or college or anything, everyone need best people from the crowd. And that's logical. But what happens to people who are average at something? Do they have no chance in anything? or Do they just have to get better at what they are doing?

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Most companies say they need the best people. In practice:

1. Most companies deliberately choose not to pay at the top of industry pay range, instead aiming for 70th percentile or 50th percentile or whatever.

2. Majority of programmers are employed. By definition more programmers are average than "the best". So in practice most companies hire average programmers and it's just fine.

3. "Average" is a misleading concept. Programming (or any job) has a wide variety of skills, and is basically a group effort. Most programmers have strengths in some skills, weaknesses in others, and that's OK, because they work as a team with other people.

So, don't worry about it.

1. Most people drastically overestimate the talents and abilities of other people 2. Most people drastically underestimate their own

Be that as it may, the best ways for an "average" or even below average people to reach the above-average arena:

1. Education 2. Experience 3. Combining two different skills or knowledge bases or passions to create scarcity. Example, I have a friend who is an average web designer. He uses pagebuikdwrs and wouldn't know what to with an API if it was punching him in the nose. He is also passionate about cigars. So he targets cigar shops as client s. Competitors pitch more complex and pretty designs and Stripe integration and such. He walks in and says "wow, looks like you got a box of Cigar X! How exciting, those will sell fast since there were only 200 boxes produced. Really interested to see what Maker Y did with that new leaf for the wrapper. Should be a nice smooth taste and slow draw compared to their other release..." who do you think wins the business?

*I obviously know nothing about cigar lingo but that's not the point.

> 1. Most people drastically overestimate the talents and abilities of other people 2. Most people drastically underestimate their own

Ehm, sorry, what's your source for that claim? (c.f. the Dunning-Kruger effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect)

His gut flora

Most people are average, thats kind of the meaning of average. I consider myself an average programmer advancing on an average career path and had plenty of recruiters contact me with interesting opportunities recently. Sure its not Google or Facebook, but so what, I wouln't like to work for a mega coorporation like that anyway. If you doubt yourself because you consider yourself average, consider that the constant talk of excellence, highest skilled people and so forth is mostly HR PR bullshit. Sure, there are extremeley talented people out there, but they are pretty rare.

Interesting video, that touches the issue: "The myth of the genius programmer"[0].

[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SARbwvhupQ

You'll find average everywhere - that is rather the thing about average after all. Every startup or small company that claims to recruit the best is usually more about not recruiting the mediocre. Or canning them as quickly as possible once identified - recruitment is a very imprecise art after all. Regardless of what hoops and whiteboard games take place.

Everyone is average at some things, even most things, on average (sorry)! Equally everyone has some things they can excel at and be above average - those are the things to focus on and develop. And subsequently highlight.

Mediocrity seems to survive better the larger the company and especially so in the huge consultancies. You might think of a huge corporation as where the mediocre can go to hide.

Sure. That place is called "corporations".

They might say otherwise and of course they can't really say: "If you're average at anything come join us." but not only is it very unlikely that the majority in a 10,000+ employee company is above average, big corporations - traditionally at least - optimise for mediocrity and consistency rather than excellence and creativity.

Average at what? Tests? Scores? GPA? Coding? How do we know the difference? You can be successful without being #1 at school. In fact, there are more successful people in life than top students. Plus, most of the top students aren’t that successful in life. That applies to schools, companies, sports, etc.

Yeah, it's funny. I recently attended a school reunion and a few of the real high fliers actually ended up doing OK but not in line with expectations. On the other hand there were the low fliers who never stood out who went on to do amazing things!

It's fine to be average, see other comments

If you want to raise above, you have three options:

1. Become very good in one particular skill 2. Become good at multiple skills 3. Choose a niche or something new where due to lack of competition you are already very good

1. is hard, especially in popular, well paid areas 2. + 3. are much easier to accomplish.

Often times one can be average at two different things, but the combined skills make them above average.

A classic example is someone who is an average engineer and an average salesperson. This type of person is highly sought after and can make serious bank.

Average could mean "average of all people on the planet", which, for any given activity, means "not very good".

But average could also mean "average of all people who engage in that activity", which is good enough. For example, if I'm average for a professional computer programmer, then I'm good enough to be a professional computer programmer. In fact, half of them are worse than me!

Then there's the distinction between "average" and "average at X". I can be a very average person in almost every area, but still exceptional at one thing. (I only need one. Two is a bonus, but one's enough.)

Everyone is average, at some point. Some folks forget that.

The key is, to "human" well, and work to improve your life. Small bits at a time. This goes for vocation, as well as character.

Don't be content to remain average.

Well, actually it's more like there are not that many average people. Let me explain...

When you hear that an average family earns $50k/year, what (I think) is really happening is that many earn under $25k and few earn over 100k.

I think same thing applies to individual people.

I used to work as CNC machinist, and most of my coworkers were either really good or ok enough to not get fired.

I as a developer now feel I'm below average, and I've met many like myself. Then there are really good devs out there I get inspired by.

Just my 2c.

Income reports almost always supply a median and a histogram though.

average income is typically a median, with 50% of people following above and below the median. it's specifically used because outliers can't throw it off.

A Freemason told me the Freemasons are for average people in all walks of life.

A possibly no-more-helpful contribution: Harvey Pekar's classic "Average is dumb!" American Splendor cover:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-qF6CbJo2vY/TD0odctqvYI/AAAAAAAAI7...

I'm average. I've had no problem building a successful career. I've had some great jobs and a successful freelancing business too. Stop worrying about "being average" - you are almost certainly above average anyway, and get down to some hard work! :)

What's best . I always had this issue when I work with someone, in the initial weeks I find him/her best and smart but as time goes buy I just see them as average or below average just putting up a facade or may it's me - I just suck at judging people. So the point is best is very misleading thing to look for and very referential

There are projects that need bodies in seats and that's a pond average people can be big fish in.

You're describing niches. Look at nature, it's a field of niches (among other things).

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