In Job Postings, What Is .NET Programming?

Question

My latest contract project successfully concluded a couple of weeks ago, and I've been pounding the job sites looking for new work. It's been six or seven years since I last really looked at these sites, so maybe the phrase, ".NET Programmer," or variants, has come to mean something. But, danged if I know what!

My primary language is C#. When developing web functionality, I use that along with ASP.NET, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. So, from my perspective, I have over six years of experience as a ".NET Programmer." Employers, or at least their HR departments, however, don't see it that way.

During initial phone calls, in response to how much .NET experience I have, I'll say six years of C# and ASP.NET. In the majority of cases, the interviewer responds with, "Yeah, but how much direct .NET programming?" At that point, I know I'm not going to get a substantive interview, because the screener and I aren't speaking the same language.

To me, .NET comprises the Framework and the Common Language Runtime. I am doing .NET programming when I use some language, in my case C#, to make use of the Framework to create an application, utility, or some web-functionality. And, the code I write runs in the CLR. If ".NET programming" means something beyond that, then I think of developing/updating the Framework classes and the CLR. So far as I know, however, that work is MS's exclusive domain. (Not speaking, of course, of inheritance, extension, overriding, etc.)

So, if not C# (or VB, J#, etc.) and ASP.NET, what does ".NET Programming" mean?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I usually take it to mean programming on the .NET framework, ie: anything that runs on the .NET CLR.

Answer 2

You're being more precise than they're asking for. They're requiring familiarity with a language or framework whereas you're focused on the purpose or task.

Look at it from another angle, "ANSI-C programming". All it means is that you've used the language, nothing more. Nothing's saying you did it in *nix or Windows, or that you wrote hardware controllers or business applications.

Human Resources typically have a checklist they're going through. They need (want) to hear the keywords that meets the items on that list. ".NET Programming? Check." It's once you're in the interview that you can elaborate.

Answer 3

To me .NET programming could be any language that uses the .NET framework (ASP.NET, C#, VB.NET, J#.. etc). I'm thinking this is the result of the people who need a developer not being specific enough to the people in charge of hiring said developer who probably have little to no programming knowledge. Maybe you could say "I use the .NET framework with C#"?

Answer 4

It's been my experience that HR departments rarely have a clue about anything other than HR regulations and rules, insurance information and company policies. As far as having a real technical know-how, I have yet to talk to anyone in an HR department that was really up on current programming technologies, so they have to rely on the buzzwords and requirements given to them by the departments that are in need of employees. Sometimes the managers aren't all that up on it either.

That said, your first goal is to get the interview (the one with the folks that actually have a vested interest in your skills) and so if they ask if you've got .NET experience, then I'd say (given what you've written here) that you do. HR departments often work for companies with a number of job types and I wouldn't expect them to know the ins and outs of each of the types. I suspect sometimes they are just checking off things that match the provided checklist of skills.

Once you get the interview with the technical folks, you can talk about your experience and they'll get it - or they should! HR departments have to deal with all sorts of resumes and in the current environment I'm sure the quality of the candidates vary widely. We've had a lot of folks interviewing at my shop lately. Fortunately our "HR department" also slings code all day, so he has a clue. ;-)

Answer 5

C# programming + asp.net is clearly part of .net programming.

What I don't get is why you are fighting the system, getting stuck at the wrong part of the process.

When they say "Yeah, but how much direct .NET programming?", given your experience you say: "I have over six years of experience in .Net Programming".

Update: If you keep getting that, why don't you say right from the first question "I have over six years of experience in .net programming", and if they ask which language(s) you tell "c#".

Answer 6

Some of these screening people are remarkably dense when it comes to computer terminology. Best thing to do is just tell them what they want to hear and move on to the real interview where you can talk with someone that has at least a baseline understanding of what you're talking about

Answer 7

Well.

You should have asked that to the SCREEENER directly. So it would be worth while asking something like "What is .net programming to YOU as my future employer" of course in a very polite manner.

We don't get to know what non-technical people think about some tachnical topics.

Sometimes people making screening interview don't have a clue.

I've seen job posting like:

Java Programmer,  required: EJV's, JSP, PHP and Visual Basic.

he he

Answer 8

That is one clueless recruiter. I'd say just ignore their ignorance and answer the question by giving them the total number of years that you have been using any .NET language or technology. It's not worth lecturing them.