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Oof, this is pretty antithetical to hiring. Author seems pretty frustrated. I hope this guy takes a long vacation. If I’m a candidate, I’d say this guy is cl
by choppaface 7y ago
Oof, this is pretty antithetical to hiring. Author seems pretty frustrated. I hope this guy takes a long vacation. If I’m a candidate, I’d say this guy is clearly way overworked and I’d bail. Good points, but the volume of negative sadly speaks louder than the rationality of the points.
I see there being two parts to an SWE interview:
1) What experience does the candidate bring? Do they have compatible core competencies? If yes, then what’s novel about their experience—- will they help the team grok unknown unknowns? (And if the team’s burning issue is not unknown unknowns... then how does the candidate’s background add to the team’s creativity?)
2) How well does the candidate adapt on their feet? How effectively can they communicate? (If English is not a primary language, can they still get an idea across, perhaps using code instead of prose?). Can they code their way out of a paper bag?
The interview session is the interviewer’s responsibility to make the strongest case possible for the candidate. Let’s say that again: the interviewer needs to play doctor and adapt to the candidate. The interviewer is getting paid, not the candidate. Only once that sample has been taken properly can a hiring manager (who might very well be the interviewer..) begin to make an effective prediction as to how the candidate might do on the job.
Folks, demand for SWE jobs far outweighs supply. And it’s gonna be that way for at least another decade as universities catch up. It’s time to stop discriminating for the wrong reasons.
- GordonS 7y agoThis is mostly agreeable, but you do need to actually test the competencies the candidate says they have. As someone that's done aot of hiring, I can concur with the author that there are many poor candidates out there, many who grossly "stretch the truth" about their capabilities and experiences. Unless you want to be lumbered with a dud, some kind of practical test is a must. > It’s time to stop discriminating for the wrong reasons I wasn't sure what you meant was the discriminating factor here?