James Briggs, Senior Perl/C/SQL Programmer

Resume

Microsoft Word Format

Sample Code Links

Perl CPAN Author JBRIGGS (since 1998)
Winecalc
OpenWebmail

Job Interview Policy

As an experienced programmer (over 15 years) and occasional consultant, I get invited to a lot of job interviews. Unfortunately, often the new company is unprepared, which wastes both their time and my time and sours a potential business relationship permanently.

To avoid such problems in the future, here is my job interview policy:

• Your interviewers are responsible for reading my sample code links above before the interview.
• I do not sign NDAs (or any other documents) for interviews, so please don't tell me your supposed trade secrets.
• I do not travel outside the SF Bay Area unless we have already agreed there is serious interest by both parties and I have talked to the hiring manager on the phone.
• I do not draw architectural diagrams of past projects. That's confidential.
• I do not do programming quizzes, although you may ask a few questions about Perl, C, SQL and Unix/Linux commands.
• I do not do linked-list programming in Perl, so don't ask about it. Hashes are more appropriate.
• I do not do whiteboard programming. That's lame - I program at a computer.
• Employment terms that I negotiate are to be honored in the first week.
• I work on numerous Open Source projects, and will not be restricted from doing so.
• All managers say that their company is unique and special. That is unlikely.

FAQ

• My current specialties are Perl (8 years), Unix (15 years), C (15 years), Win32 API (7 years), MySQL (5 years), RFCs, Nagios, MRTG, email marketing, linux performance tuning, Unicode, and web and email i18n (5 years).
• I have worked as a Perl programmer for companies such as Yahoo, Netscape, eBay Payments, Xilinx, Incyte Genomics, Bell Canada, the Royal Bank of Canada, hereUare Wireless, and ActionMessage
• I use vi and do not like color syntax highlighting.
• Like Linus Torvalds, I often use Redhat at work and Suse at home.
• Citizenships: USA, Canada
• Languages: English, passable Indonesian, some French, a little Japanese.
• Commercial Airplane Pilot: CP-ASEL-IFR, PP-AMEL, tailwheel endorsement. Preparing for CFI.
• LUGs: sv.pm.org (co-founder), IMUG, SVLUG
• I am very interested in working at Yahoo, Cisco or in 1i8n.

Thank you for respecting my wishes,
James Briggs
james@ActionMessage.com
cell 408 242 3817