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At my company: Inteviewer: So you are a carpenter? Carpenter: Yes. Inteviewer: Can you make a start fixing that leaky roof over there? We will monitor your s
by pasta 9y ago
At my company:
Inteviewer: So you are a carpenter?
Carpenter: Yes.
Inteviewer: Can you make a start fixing that leaky roof over there? We will monitor your skills and might hire you.
Carpenter: Done.
- THz-cascade 9y agoThis is the way to go. Still do the usual screening and interviews (hopefully without incompetent recruiters in the middle) but then pay the developer fairly for a small project and see how it goes. Repeat if necessary. The only problem I've seen with this approach is where the applicant is legitimately pressured for time by their current work or family issues. Being understanding and working out how to extend the trial period will get you through most of these. In countries (like mine) that don't have at-will employment it amazes me that employers don't insist on this approach. Instead - weird filtering by recruiters, overly specific interview questions and then disappointment when recruiting goals aren't being met and stress when developers who aren't a good fit are stuck with the team for years.
- gaius 9y agopay the developer fairly for a small projec You will not hire anyone currently employed like this. You would be unlikely even to hire a contractor.
- rootlocus 9y agoSo you always have leaky roofs at your company? And if you don't like what he did, you just keep the repairs? Sorry for being picky, but you could've used "make a dog house" or something like that. I hope you don't put patches from interviewees in production code.
- wpietri 9y agoI should add that it's illegal, at least in California, to have somebody do productive work and not pay them. So if somebody is using work on a production system for an interview, you either must pay them for their time or you must throw away the code.
- pasta 9y agoSince a code review is done why not use a good patch in production and hire the programmer?
- Chris2048 9y agoInteviewer: We've decided not to hire you. Carpenter: I'm breaking your roof.
- emerongi 9y agoInterviewer: Hey, John? John: Yes? Interviewer: Can you fix the roof by tomorrow? This interviewee that was supposed to fix it really fucked it up.. John: But.. I've got to make this architectural blueprint for... sigh fine.
- martijn_himself 9y agoI think this is a great way of hiring people. With certain caveats of course: your company must give candidates, preferably one at a time, an honest chance and not exploit them to get leaky roofs fixed for free.
- marcosdumay 9y agoI really got the impression the GP was talking about paid contract work. Not selective tests.