Coffee vs competencies : how to interview your future developers

The ‘interview process’ and ‘taking time off to attend interviews’ were recently voted by software developers as the most annoying aspects of their job search. With quality developers in such high demand can companies afford to underwhelm great candidates at interview?

Flexibility

The first aspect can be solved really simply; make recruitment a priority and make it really easy for candidates to interview.

Developers with strong Java or Microsoft skills will have multiple opportunities which look similar on paper. There is simply no way that a good developer could take the time off to attend interview with every company who was interested in them. Flexibility on interview times to include early mornings and evenings plus a first stage on Skype or Google Hangout gives you the opportunity to cover the basics and make sure that both parties use their time effectively.

The Interview

Is a traditional interview the best method of selecting and engaging developers? Multiple choice ‘programming quizzes’ may offer comfort to non technical interview panels but do not replicate real life (which developer does not have access to Google, Github and Stack Overflow), whilst competency questions and requests for examples often leave interviewers disappointed and developers questioning the relevance.

Why focus on what a candidate has done or would do, when, with a bit of thought they can show you what they can do. Try:

• live coding tests on a whiteboard in collaboration with some of your current team to test both development and team working skills
• logic puzzles for roles which require heavy problem solving skills
• coding exercises where the candidates talks through their solution with another developer

Have a picture of ‘what good looks like’ and base your decisions on that standard rather than looking for multiple comparisons.

Selling yourself as a great employer for developers

When it comes to engaging developers, take time to show them what working for you is like, this could involve:

• Showing them your codebase and engaging in conversations around this
• Giving them a tour of the office, show them the working environment, break out areas and the quality of the coffee!
• Introducing them to the team
• Talking about what the team is working on at the moment and any future initiatives
• At final stage interview a team lunch or coffee can be a great way for the candidate to ask questions that are important to them but that they may not want to ask their future boss.
• Inviting them to hackathons or team events once they have accepted your offer

In whatever you decide remember that speed of process and quality of feedback are just important so create a slick, engaging process that does not take so long that the best candidates have gone.

Steve Hook, Consultant

All data included in this article has been sourced from the 2016 ‘Developer Hiring Landscape’ UK report by Stack Overflow

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