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Comment by dehrmann | Hacker News Reader

> they look more like models than software engineers

I worked with someone (she was on the sales team) who looked like a model. Her mom was a model--go figure. So while unlikely, it does happen.

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I remember filtering programmer resumes about 20 years ago and one listed modelling as a prior job and her packet included a headshot. We flew her out and interviewed her and she aced the written test and interviews; we made her an offer but she had multiple to choose from and our starting salary was not competitive.

> one listed modelling as a prior job

We had the near opposite experience. We were looking to hire a "Modelling and simulation developer" for Matlab. And some ladies would somehow only see the "modelling experience desired" part and ignore the other technical requirements and flood us with their portfolios of various photo shoots.

I'm sure the hiring guys hated it.

I distinctly remember thinking - this is odd, but whatever, we had to look at so many resumes we had to concentrate on looking at grades and outside projects and anything else to distinguish between candidates to get to the phone screen stage, it was just me and a senior producer (might be called product manager nowadays), I cannot remember everything but we were looking at new grads for a couple of years to expand a little.

Reminds me of an incident twenty+ years ago when a magazine looking to recruit models temporarily rented office space above the local comic book shop.

Sounds like people applying to thousands of positions based on only keywords to stay competitive.

If you work at somewhat prestigious companies, you've probably worked with ex or part time models. Not many people make enough money off of modelling that they won't need another career, but being model material makes everything else in life, such as job interviews, easier.

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