The process of matching students with companies is as follows

How does Company <=> Student Matching work?

The matching system we use for the allocation of students is based on the “Stable Marriage” algorithm. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stable_marriage_problem).

This is how it works….

If Company X picks Bob as their 1st pick and Bob picks Company X as his 1st pick then that is the best match possible.  Bob and company X are taken out of the pool of available matches.

Now what happens if a company doesn’t get their top pick.

If Company Y choose Bob and but Bob choose Company X then the algorithm will fail, and algorithm will and try match Company Y with their 2nd pick and it will continue until it can find a possible match. eg. Jim picked Company Y as his 1st pick and Company Y choose Jim as their 2nd pick then thats a match (Given Company Y’s first pick was already allocated) , and both are taken out of the pool.

The ranking of BOTH companies and students is taken into account by the algorithm. The algorithm will allocate the “best” matches for both students and companies.

Why is it called stable marriage?
Well the concept is this.  If you have 10 males, 10 females, and they rank each other.  The matches which result from the process should give “stable marriages” in that, there should be no male, who wants to be with a female other than his wife, who would want to be with him, more than her current husband.  In which case, his desire for another woman is left only at that.  The other woman prefers her husband over the would be stray.  Interesting concept eh…  Obviously doesn’t take into account for general dislike for the current spouse and leaving… Nor for people outside the control population… but you know, it’s a concept.

Back on topic, I was late to the interviews.  I apologise for the inconvenience of my blunder.  Totally snowed under and hadn’t set a reminder for that morning.  My fault entirely!  So I was late, which added students to the bottom of our list, keeping them longer.  I am sorry.  THEN the fire alarm went off sending us outside for 20 minutes.  Well done to Raja and Ruth for keeping it all under wraps.

We have submitted our ranking and will be waiting on the algorithm to give us the good news!!

It is a stressful time for all.  This year there is about 80 students in the system gunning for a job.  Last year I was one of those students but now I am at the other side, trying to select a student for our projects for [business:Made From New Zealand].

I wish all the students the best of luck.  If your not in the process of getting a job this year under Summer of Code, don’t fret there are still a couple things you can do to get a job, very simple.  Promise.

Something I wasn’t aware of, well not entirely, when I was a student was what it is like to hire someone.  We currently need another developer for [business:Made From New Zealand] and I have no idea where to look for one.  I don’t want to go through an agency, I don’t want to post ads.. I just want a developer.  Earlier this year we had more need for a new developer (as I was the entire dev team) and I hired a very good mate of mine from Uni.  That was a lucky fluke.  My point is, it is WHO YOU KNOW! People who know people hire those people…

If you want a job then jump on the internet and start surfing.  Big or small, hit up companies and try to meet them personally.  Don’t do the boring, here is my CV, if you like it get back to me.. No no no.  Email then and setup a meeting over a cup of coffee.  Get in their face!  Meet them, talk to them.  Work for free.  I promise you’ll get a job if you try.  You have to stand out.  To do that, you must meet them.

Say it with me.  Setup a meeting.  Work for free.  Get into that office and do something.  You will meet people.  People will remember you, people will hire you.

It is near impossible to get a job currently thanks to USA and its economy (yes I blame the states).  Nobody wants to risk hiring a newbie because money is tight and hiring people is risky! (not easy to fire as it is to hire).  So, gain trust.  Get in there, work for free.  Do the boring stuff.  Work your way up to paid work.  The worst that will happen is you will make contacts in your industry of work, you’ll gain work experience and you might gain some confidence for your next interview.

Go out there, get some work.

If you are a company in Wellington and need some cheap labour (don’t worry Students, you are paid very well.  Government helps out here) over the summer on some R&D then get involved in Summer of Code. Check out some information here.

Why Summer of Code?

1. There is smart young talent in our Universities that are struggling to make a living.
2. There is plenty of R&D opportunities that New Zealand IT companies need exploit to get through this recession.
3. Job Agencies don’t care about you, there care about themselves.  Summer of Code is about you.
4. Summer of Code is about you.  You learning, gaining experience, getting contacts.
5. Summer of Code is win win.  You win, Businesses win, New Zealand wins.

Head over to Summer of Code and sign up!  Why are you still reading? Students Sign-up Here.

What do you get?

1. Free stuff.  Bags, hats, t-shirts.  Thats right, free stuff.
2. Free talks.  Smart people in the industry come to talk to you.
3. Free Seminars.  Smart people teaching you real solutions to real problems.  You gets hands on experience with real world technologies, not just the made up University ones!
4. Did I say FREE SEMINARS! Yes.  These are worth joining the program alone.  Of course the well paid job experience is good too.

Who runs this whole shebang?  [person: John Clegg] of [business:ProjectX Technology] runs [business:Summer of Code].  He is a great guy, get into the program and you’ll get to meet him.  He has helped me tremendously with my career and I know many many others.  He has been in the industry long enough to know what you need to do to get where you want to get.  No Job Agency is going to help you in the way Summer of Code will help.

Get in there, get signed up!  Get a job!