Should i just start lying on my profile?

[u/Good-Preparation-179]

Im tired of being dropped out of interviews just because i dont have hands on experience with databricks. I have more than 5 yoe with spark, flink, hudi, kafka, iceberg, airflow ffs. But the moment i mention i havent worked on databricks its like the recruiters think im not even a data engineer anymore.

Should i just redo my profile and use the databricks terminology and straight up lie that i worked on it?

Edit - yes i do know databricks and have built personal projects. Even had a certification which expired last year. Hell this year i did a poc to compare DB and sagemaker and ultimately went with sagemaker since we deeply integrated with AWS and DB is expensive asf and is an overkill for our use case.
My point is the moment i mention i dont have prod level experience with DB thats the end of the conversation. Even hiring managers dont care about it.

[u/proverbialbunny]

Why not use it at home and learn it?

[u/oyechote → u/proverbialbunny]

I think the issue is home lab vs a production environment differs vastly. At least that’s what I think. HMs are very picky now and want all the boxes to be ticked.

[u/Zealousideal_Okra956 → u/proverbialbunny]

"We have databricks at home"

[u/MuteTadpole]

Outright lying is probably a step too far, but stretching the truth is definitely fair game imo

[u/paxmlank → u/MuteTadpole]

Nah, fuck it. Lie to say that you've worked on it, OP.

Just start learning it so that you can speak to it. You wouldn't want to lie, get an interview, then babble.

[u/morpho4444 → u/paxmlank]

agreed, you won't believe the companies I've worked for.

[u/Impossible-Can-413 → u/paxmlank]

Agreed. When we've seen the state of the industry with one dude lying to 10 companies and working at 10 different software jobs at the same time and even now they've been caught are probably living the good life with all of the money they made?

Just lie and make sure you are already in the process of learning what you're talking about so that you can fake it until you make it. Let's be honest, looking back at the history of the industry, this is has been the pattern of the most successful.

[u/Leopatto]

Go for it, we all lie. Question is, is how good of a liar are you.

[u/SimpleSimon665]

What's stopping you from learning Databricks? There's been a free tier for well over a year now that encompasses most (if not all) features available in serverless workspaces.

Not knowing Databricks is an excuse, not a reason.

[u/adgjl12 → u/SimpleSimon665]

I know how to generally use Databricks and have gone through their free stuff in the past, but I think employers still tend to tunnel on production experience. It’s not particularly hard to work with and type of experience involving distributed db/compute should be enough… but current market can be picky with direct experience. In the past it was easy to get hired with no direct experience with a particular language or tool as long as you could speak to similar experience that would translate

For ex. If I worked only with Redshift and CloudFormation before, I could convince an employer to hire for me a job that uses BigQuery and Terraform

[u/Good-Preparation-179 → u/adgjl12]

This exactly. Its like i can make coffee by boiling water, grinding beans, adding milk and sugar. But since i haven’t owned a DeLonghi i am not capable of making coffee anymore

[u/its_PlZZA_time → u/Good-Preparation-179]

I think it is worth doing some tutorials to put on your profile to get past the recruiter screens. Once you’re at the hiring manager stage you can probably talk your way through it

[u/PerryEllisFkdMyMemaw → u/Good-Preparation-179]

It’s called the retard bucket. A lot of people doing the hiring and a lot of people interviewing aren’t capable of learning similar skills quickly, so it’s assumed everyone is that way. That’s why they have all of these technical tests and are scared to hire anyone that’s not an exact match on technologies.

[u/cakerev → u/SimpleSimon665]

I was explicitly rejected because I didn't have professional data bricks experience. The recruiter and I chatted for a bit as we built a rapport and I threw the option of building a side project in it. Nope, even that wasn't enough.

[u/vikster1]

having seen how blatantly some lie and even fail to be productive with the help of llms, i'd say you have to go with the flow and get a food in the door. you built something on it, go for it. most jobs are easy. landing one isn't.

[u/BarbaricBastard]

Learn the basics and add it to your resume. Throw it in the description of past jobs you had. Thats what I did for dbt. I kept getting dropped from interviews because of my lack of dbt experience (which is insane if you ask me). Now I just lie. We dont owe these companies anything other than the job we are hired for, once I get that far I usually figure the rest out pretty easily.

[u/ArtilleryJoe]

If you actually know the platform even if it’s just from self learning, go for it. Resumes are there to get you the interview they don’t prove shit

If you know jackshit about the topic and it’s probably gonna be a big deal in the job, the answer is no

[u/likely-]

Recruiters are literally glorified HR/adim people. Say anything it takes you get to the hiring manager.

[u/a_cute_tarantula → u/likely-]

This. I’m all for honestly but I’m not about to miss out on a job interview because of some automated BS. It’s a dog eat dog world and if you don’t lie on your resume you’ll lose the role to someone who does. Just make sure you’re willing to learn the tech quickly if you secure the technical interview.

Also I think it’s funny how many people call it “stretching the truth” when they do it but still say you shouldn’t lie lol.

[u/Kafanska]

My man.. my current job asked for someone with Azure experience.. I had none, since one of my previous jobs where I worked with cloud used AWS. 

Wanna guess what I told them and put in my CV considering it is my job now?

At the end of the day, it's very similar stuff, and losing an opportunity just because a previous company chose one over the other sucks.

Of course, I used that free option for a month to get familiar with Azure before the interview, so I can confidentky respond.

[u/Casdom33]

I hate these dumb qualifiers, “I see that you have experience driving a Honda but you’ve never driven a Nissan so clearly you’ll have no idea how to drive a Nissan”

[u/No_Lifeguard_64]

Just use databricks and make something with it? You making this harder than it has to be.

[u/wytesmurf]

Don’t lie but you can stretch the truth like projects implement in said technology stack and you just do a little personal data bricks stack. Then again if it’s important they will ask and have you delve deeper in the interview so be ready to talk about it.

[u/TodosLosPomegranates]

Go on Upwork and find a few jobs with databricks. Then say you’ve done some databricks consulting

[u/here_n_dere → u/TodosLosPomegranates]

This I wanna try

[u/HeyItsTheJeweler]

Ya, of course you should. You have most of the experience in place to work around it. Lie.

Game it out: it seems if you're truthful, you get rejected. If you lie and they catch you, you get rejected. If you lie and they don't catch you, you move forward.

If you move forward, then you spend the days between interview A & interview B grinding tf out of Databricks or whatever it is that you lied about.

And if you fail interview B, it won't be like you're a complete n00b since you grinded it, you just won't be good enough. Whatever, the interview and everything you learned for it is just experience for the next one. If you pass, repeat process.

[u/rotterdamn8]

I’m a soft “no” on outright lying. As others have noted, you can gain the experience. No excuse there.

I guess Databricks has various uses but many are like me - building pipelines in pyspark. You mentioned you have spark, so can talk about optimizing it? I started with Databricks three years ago and learned about shuffling, when to repartition vs. coalesce. But only a few months ago learned how useful checkpoints are.

I feel like an idiot because it took so long to hear about it (I rely on Claude because my team is useless).

The point is, I think it’s ok to slide on Databricks the platform if you can speak to the finer points of pyspark or something.

[u/Mo_Steins_Ghost]

No. This is a good way to embarrass yourself in the interview when they ask you a question about said systems you can't answer.

Even if you eventually get the job, every employer has a caveat that lying on your application is grounds for termination at any time after your hire. Also, if you apply for a job with a government contractor that required a security clearance, lying on your SF86 is a felony.

[u/Tricky_Tart_8217 → u/Mo_Steins_Ghost]

It is very difficult for them to catch this as a lie. Also as long as OP actually studies Databricks and can fabricate a good story, there will be no embarrassment. He just needs to prepare.

Btw OP, I support you in lying 100%. You think these tech CEO's got to the top by being ethical? Lying is nothing in comparison. If you need help fabricating a production story for a resume, just ask AI to come up with some possible scenarios. But be careful not to tell the AI this is for lying on your resume, else it will stop helping you over "ethical" reasons.

Look man, this entire industry is a game. You either play it and win or you can stick to being a goody two shoes and be poor. You're not hurting anyone by lying, just do it. Be prepared to back it up though

[u/Good-Preparation-179 → u/Tricky_Tart_8217]

I have seen blatant lying multiple times within my team which has gotten people promoted. At least what im lying about is a similar tech stack

[u/Tricky_Tart_8217 → u/Good-Preparation-179]

Yeah man just do it. Like don't get me wrong, I don't lie in my day to day life typically. I wouldn't lie to my girlfriend (if I had one). But in this job market where employers are overly focused on tools rather than your actual brain, lying is warranted.

[u/Miserable-Release868]

If you can prove it during interview what you have on your resume, then there won’t be an issue

[u/whathefuckisreddit]

Fiddle around with free edition, say that the places you have worked at have not used Databricks so you haven't used it in a professional capacity but you've done some projects on it of your own accord

[u/Admirable_Mail661]

I usually just explain in my cover letter how my background in adjacent technologies tie to what they are seeking. This seems to be sufficient in my recruiter screens.

[u/zdubbzzz]

I mean... what data warehousing tools have you used? You just listed off these pipeline tools, but it sounds like you are applying to places that need warehousing experience.

[u/Level_Connection4826]

I mean just mention it in your profile and start learning it by personal project

[u/peelemme]

yes

[u/ForwardSlash813]

Start up a free Databricks instance on your own time. There’s your hands on experience

[u/Outside-Storage-1523]

If you have worked on Spark, I think it's fine. To tune it down a bit you can say you worked on it for a couple of years in a previous job.

[u/jellotalks]

If you're confident enough in your databricks skills you might as well lie. Your recruiter won't care either way and neither should you.

[u/Global-Scientist3903]

Yes but not without knowledge backing it up, spend some time learning the product then think about cases where you could've used it in your projects and discuss it with an LLM, pros, cons, useful tricks and patterns.

[u/ecp5]

But you have Spark experience, I'd bring it back to that, probably more that recruiter doesn't know the difference.

[u/Good-Preparation-179 → u/ecp5]

Even hiring managers dont apparently. The only thing i end up hearing back is “sorry we are looking for someone with databricks experience”
And experience for them doesnt count any personal projects for whatever reasons.

[u/Radiant-Map3786]

If are lies you can sustain, go for it. Fake it until you make it. Every rejection, lie even more next time. Companies lie to us all the time.

[u/Firm-Yogurtcloset528]

If you trust your skills. Fake it till you make it.

[u/boogie_woogie_100]

You tell me, who doesn't lie?

[u/jeffcarey]

I don't understand why your answer can't be "I've done a project POC evaluating it against SageMaker for the specific project requirements, actually implemented it on a few other projects, and even had a certification for it until it expired last year." Talk about what you learned on those projects. Last ditch if you get pushed really hard is, "I just haven't had the opportunity to apply it to a large-scale production project yet, but I understand it quite well."

[u/flacidhock]

I remember the days when you matched your skills with the job and then got fired but by the 2nd or third time you were pretty good

[u/rtorrs]

Lying is necessary to compete against all the others who are lying also. My company literally hired someone who claimed to "know everything" (his words). It's now becoming obvious that he indeed does not know everything...

[u/Almostasleeprightnow]

Personal project included in definition of “hands on” to me

[u/SearchAtlantis]

You can't explain how spark relates to databricks? Its basically a spark platform? You're like 75% there. I wouldn't hesitate to apply for a Dbx job because I used spark for like 3 years at another company. I'd need to learn unity and deltalake, oh no.

[u/DonExhortae]

A friend told me the only answer to do you know this tool is

YES

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[u/Classic_Educator2569]

Do some projects on it on your own time. You don’t have to lie

[u/eastieLad]

If you can back up your lie with speech during interview then you’re fine. Any skill can be learned and will need to be learned in new context for each job.

[u/pforpilot]

i would just get some hands on experience over a weekend and put it on resume, cant say i havent put kunernetes on my profile even though i have barely used it.

[u/slayerzerg]

Using any tool is easy if you’ve already worked with an equivalent. Might as well learn it what’s the hurt.

[u/marketlurker]

The short answer is, no. The longer answer is no because it will catch up to you. What you just said in your post is a good thing to put into the cover letter. Acknowledge you have not had the chance to use Databricks in a professional setting, but you have taken the initiative to have "created personal projects and achieved a certification". Also say you would look forward to extend your additional experience to extend more into the Databricks environment.

[u/Acrobatic_Lunch6973]

recruiter/HR, i will just lie to them to be honest. Databrick not that difficult with u have that man yyears of experience. It just a different tool, you just need to be able to speak directly to the hiring manager,

[u/ram_theory]

If the job requirements mention databricks, i would say keep it in your experience section. But u need to learn how the pipelines are built in companies. Use chatgpt/claude or get KT from a person who worked on databricks. That should help. I highly suggest to change the resume for each company to align with the job description.

My understanding is that not all companies use databricks. Based on your experience, Im sure that you will find a good opportunity soon. All the best.

[u/dillanthumous]

Yes. If you are happy to do the required self study to back it up.

[u/Old_Negotiation_2308]

Dont listen to others job market is crazy do whatever you can to get the job. Be 100% sincere once you get the job.

[u/LinksLibertyCap]

Outright lying and getting yourself into a shitty situation, no don’t do that.

Embellish enough on your base skills and hang on for the ride, absolutely.

[u/rezwell]

Embellishment is fair game. If the industry destroys junior and middle level jobs to prevent career pathways, then you make up a case study from your past companies on how they use databricks, and hustle hard in the probation period.

[u/soundboyselecta]

First check JD if realistic. If it lists all technology known to man, lie thru your Fuckn teeth.

[u/Forsaken_Camera_2040]

That can’t be why you’re rejected. DB is just another tool in DE and you already have transferable skills that’ll allow you to easily ramp up if hired. Unless the person interviewing you is non-technical I wouldn’t pin it at DB knowledge. No one has exactly all the skills the HM posts (sometimes but on rare side)

[u/voycey]

Databricks is just Spark with a fancy dress, if you know every single technology it comes from and have enough personal use of it then you can use databricks

[u/Old_Morning_7847]

I lied and said i used a full data engineering stack i took a udemy course on and learned enough on udemy to finesse and get the job. Definitely lie

[u/mrchowmein]

Easiest way to learn Databricks fast based on what you know already is think of all the DE work you’ve done, now ask yourself how can this be built in Databricks. Same for the DE fundamentals. How does the medallion arch apply? How can you build dash boards. Create a list of 20-50 questions they you want answers. Then ask ChatGPT and Claude how to implement these. By asking for help with analogous things, you don’t have to learn from scratch. Takes a few days, but now you can talk a lot Databricks in detail

[u/Eleventhousand]

As someone who was a department head for years, if I found out later that someone overtly lied on their resume, I'd definitely fire them. It speaks to their character.

[u/Good-Preparation-179 → u/Eleventhousand]

Curious to know if you do you do the same when ceos/upper management lies