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I tried the discussion approach instinctively in most of the interviews I performed. I tried to look at it as if both the interviewee and I are evaluating each

I tried the discussion approach instinctively in most of the interviews I performed. I tried to look at it as if both the interviewee and I are evaluating each other to see if we're a match. Kept the conversation light hearted and mostly focused on general technology trends relevant to the job. Same as if you were at a meetup or something and had just met someone new. The only difference is that I would drill into specifics in certain areas, but keeping it conversation-style so that it doesn't feel like a pointed question. Usually I found it to be pretty easy to see a persons level of knowledge because they tend to hit a certain depth where they aren't able to keep the conversation flowing, so you have to pull back up into their more familiar territory. The only drawback with this approach is that I have to be really mindful about potentially being biased. Pointed questions aren't as much fun but they're easier to approach from an objective viewpoint.

nickjj 5y ago
This is exactly how I would approach interviews too. I say "would" because I mostly do contract work and sometimes sit in on interviews when other companies are trying to hire someone. I've always thought to myself almost exactly what you wrote. I think having a low pressure conversation with someone can get you almost everything you need to be comfortable hiring someone or at least trialing them out with contract work to begin with. You can absolutely get a good sense of their tech skills from just chatting and you can also get a decent feel for how they communicate in general which IMO is more important than tech skills once you reach a certain point.
grvdrm 5y ago
> Kept the conversation light hearted and mostly focused on general technology trends relevant to the job. Same as if you were at a meetup or something and had just met someone new. I like your phrasing. I'm not in tech and don't interview folks for tech jobs, but do interview plenty of people for technical roles in financial services (for me: insurance industry). There are lots of ways to dig into their technical skills - white-boarding, take-homes, etc. but I am often digging instead for fit. By fit I don't mean whether a candidate has the skills. I ask questions about interests. What does the person do with their free time? Is there something they are obsessed with? What would their friends tell me they talk about way too much? What topics eat at their brains at all hours regardless of time of day. What do they do to feed their interests? Have had the most success with candidates who come alive (or more alive) answering those types of questions. They show their drive and passion with their hand motions, facial expressions, tone, and more. It's awesome, but importantly, it IS a discussion. It's no longer Q&A to me. And if those folks fit my other needs (e.g. tech skills, requirements for job), I hire them.

nickjj 5y ago

This is exactly how I would approach interviews too. I say "would" because I mostly do contract work and sometimes sit in on interviews when other companies are trying to hire someone. I've always thought to myself almost exactly what you wrote. I think having a low pressure conversation with someone can get you almost everything you need to be comfortable hiring someone or at least trialing them out with contract work to begin with. You can absolutely get a good sense of their tech skills from just chatting and you can also get a decent feel for how they communicate in general which IMO is more important than tech skills once you reach a certain point.

grvdrm 5y ago

> Kept the conversation light hearted and mostly focused on general technology trends relevant to the job. Same as if you were at a meetup or something and had just met someone new. I like your phrasing. I'm not in tech and don't interview folks for tech jobs, but do interview plenty of people for technical roles in financial services (for me: insurance industry). There are lots of ways to dig into their technical skills - white-boarding, take-homes, etc. but I am often digging instead for fit. By fit I don't mean whether a candidate has the skills. I ask questions about interests. What does the person do with their free time? Is there something they are obsessed with? What would their friends tell me they talk about way too much? What topics eat at their brains at all hours regardless of time of day. What do they do to feed their interests? Have had the most success with candidates who come alive (or more alive) answering those types of questions. They show their drive and passion with their hand motions, facial expressions, tone, and more. It's awesome, but importantly, it IS a discussion. It's no longer Q&A to me. And if those folks fit my other needs (e.g. tech skills, requirements for job), I hire them.