---
title: If carpenters were hired like programmers
date: 2024-02-19T16:07:00-08:00
author: Ben Seigel
canonical_url: "https://versastudio.com/blog/if-carpenters-were-hired-like-programmers"
section: Blog
---
## Blog

# If carpenters were hired like programmers

 This amusing exchange shows the frustration felt by web professionals when clients ask all the wrong questions. 

The following exchange is provided courtesy of [Jason Bock](http://www.jasonbock.net/jb/News/Item/7c334037d1a9437d9fa6506e2f35eaac).

**Interviewer:** So, you're a carpenter, are you?  
**Carpenter:** That's right, that's what I do.  
  
**Interviewer:** How long have you been doing it?  
**Carpenter:** Ten years.  
  
**Interviewer:** Great, that's good. Now, I have a few technical questions to ask you to see if you're a fit for our team. OK?  
**Carpenter:** Sure, that'd be fine.  
  
**Interviewer:** First of all, we're working in a subdivision building a lot of brown houses. Have you built a lot of brown houses before?  
**Carpenter:** Well, I'm a carpenter, so I build houses, and people pretty much paint them the way they want.  
  
**Interviewer:** Yes, I understand that, but can you give me an idea of how much experience you have with brown? Roughly.  
**Carpenter:** Gosh, I really don't know. Once they're built I don't care what color they get painted. Maybe six months?  
  
**Interviewer:** Six months? Well, we were looking for someone with a lot more brown experience, but let me ask you some more questions.  
**Carpenter:** Well, OK, but paint is paint, you know.  
  
**Interviewer:** Yes, well. What about walnut?  
**Carpenter:** What about it?  
  
**Interviewer:** Have you worked much with walnut?  
**Carpenter:** Sure, walnut, pine, oak, mahogony -- you name it.  
  
**Interviewer:** But how many years of walnut do you have?  
**Carpenter:** Gosh, I really don't know -- was I supposed to be counting the walnut?  
  
**Interviewer:** Well, estimate for me.  
**Carpenter:** OK, I'd say I have a year and a half of walnut.  
  
**Interviewer:** Would you say you're an entry level walnut guy or a walnut guru?  
**Carpenter:** A walnut guru? What's a walnut guru? Sure, I've used walnut.  
  
**Interviewer:** But you're not a walnut guru?  
**Carpenter:** Well, I'm a carpenter, so I've worked with all kinds of wood, you know, and there are some differences, but I think if you're a good carpenter...  
  
**Interviewer:** Yes, yes, but we're using Walnut, is that OK?  
**Carpenter:** Walnut is fine! Whatever you want. I'm a carpenter.  
  
**Interviewer:** What about black walnut?  
**Carpenter:** What about it?  
  
**Interviewer:** Well we've had some walnut carpenters in here, but come to find out they weren't black walnut carpenters. Do you have black walnut experience?  
**Carpenter:** Sure, a little. It'd be good to have more for my resume, I suppose.  
  
**Interviewer:** OK. Hang on let me check off the box...  
**Carpenter:** Go right ahead.  
  
**Interviewer:** OK, one more thing for today. We're using Rock 5.1 to bang nails with. Have you used Rock 5.1?  
**Carpenter:** \[Turning white...\] Well, I know a lot of carpenters are starting to use rocks to bang nails with since Craftsman bought a quarry, but you know, to be honest I've had more luck with my nailgun. Or a hammer, for that matter. I find I hit my fingers too much with the rock, and my other hand hurts because the rock is so big.  
  
**Interviewer:** But other companies are using rocks. Are you saying rocks don't work?  
**Carpenter:** No, I'm not saying rocks don't work, exactly, it's just that I think nail guns work better.  
  
**Interviewer:** Well, our architects have all started using rocks, and they like it.  
**Carpenter:** Well, sure they do, but I bang nails all day, and -- well, look, I need the work, so I'm definitely willing to use rocks if you want. I try to keep an open mind.  
  
**Interviewer:** OK, well we have a few other candidates we're looking at, so we'll let you know.  
**Carpenter:** Well, thanks for your time. I enjoyed meeting you.  
  
NEXT DAY:  
  
*Ring...*  
  
**Interviewer:** Hello?  
**Carpenter:** Hello. Remember me, I'm the carpenter you interviewed for the black walnut job. Just wanted to touch base to see if you've made a decision.  
  
**Interviewer:** Actually, we have. We liked your experience overall, but we decided to go with someone who has done a lot of work with brown.  
**Carpenter:** Really, is that it? So I lost the job because I didn't have enough brown?  
  
**Interviewer:** Well, it was partly that, but partly we got the other fellow a lot cheaper.  
**Carpenter:** Really -- how much experience does he have?  
  
**Interviewer:** Well, he's not really a carpenter, he's a car salesman -- but he's sold a lot of brown cars and he's worked with walnut interiors.  
**Carpenter:** \[click\]