> Asking about previous work or interests in and out of software feels too subjective to compare candidates to one another Yes, this is a problem in subjectivi

> Asking about previous work or interests in and out of software feels too subjective to compare candidates to one another Yes, this is a problem in subjectivity, but I don’t think there’s any better way to judge a cadidate than their past experience. Experience is an important factor in determining leveling, etc. > we once talked to a candidate with an interesting background and all the right buzzwords in their social network who did not even pass the screening challenge Yes, and I did recommend giving a programming test. It sounds like your process worked if you were able to disqualify them early. Behavioral interviews, when done properly, are not something they can easily BS through. In fact, I find I get far more details about how they work through this process than white boarding sessions. Programming is not the only aspect of a job, understanding how they resolve conflict, disagreements about API design, how to design higher order interfaces, who they talk to and how they determine what to include in designs, how they deliver software into production, what they consider MVP; these are all things that can be discovered through behavioral interviews, and many people don’t represent these well on resumes.