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Discussion on: I’m sorry, but this “Full Stack” meme makes me really mad/sad

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Chris A. Raymond

Imagine you needed your home's electrical system rewired. Do you want to hire a handyman aka "full-stack tool user" or an electrician? The handyman can replace a light socket. The electrician can make sure your house doesn't set on fire because of bad wiring.

Similarly, look at what sports teams are: a collection of people who have complementary skills and specialties. Point guards and power forwards wouldn't swap positions. Catchers and pitchers wouldn't swap positions. Teams succeed when they are composed of people with complementary specialities. Sure, a pitcher can catch a throw to home. A point guard can rebound. Designers can understand code. Developers can (and should!) understand design principles.

I've been on interviews where the company uses Agile. When I've asked how the person you're hiring for would complement the skills of the current staff, and I'm met with blank stares, it tells me it's a company that hires using a laundry list of "skills" for every job, not one that thinks of building an effective team.