17 ms·

The problem is "skill on paper" is just that, words. There's tons of java developers but not all the same. References too are pretty easy to game. Alternatively

by sahila 5y ago

The problem is "skill on paper" is just that, words. There's tons of java developers but not all the same. References too are pretty easy to game. Alternatively if by skills on paper you mean open source projects, that's fair but most developers (and certainly most new grads) won't have anything worthwhile to show. The tech screens can show a person's skill. Sure, lots of people are gaming that too and memorize solutions, but that's not most candidates.

dleslie 5y ago
There's a difference between: Foo Corp - Wrote Java on Bar project And: Foo Corp - Designed and developed infrastructure for Baz for Bar project (Java) A resume that doesn't give an idea of what someone did, beyond the tech they used to accomplish their goals, isn't likely to pass my interest test.
- rockemsockem 5y ago
  There's only a very, very small difference between those two things though. I'm not hiring anyone based on either of those bulletpoints or similar ones; no matter how many there are. It's so easy to inflate your role on a project and what you contributed and the people who are best at it are usually also able to talk, talk, talk. The first interview question I ask is so easy that I don't think anyone should be paid to write software anywhere if they can't solve it. And yet, I have candidates with plenty of nice bulletpoints like your second one on their resume who can't solve it or take 30-45 minutes to solve it. Good candidates take less than 10 minutes, very good ones take less than 5.
  - dleslie 5y ago
    Ah, you've got a gotcha bullet point question that you think is a killer technical ability question. But you're asking it in a completely abnormal situation, an interview. All you're testing for is the candidate's ability to answer your clever question in a scenario where their ability and personal value is actively being judged; which is wholly unlike any day-to-day challenge they are to encounter.
    - rockemsockem 5y ago
      The question is not a gotcha. It is not trivia. It is not even a "killer technical ability" question. It's a question I considered not including because I thought it was too easy. Folks I've interviewed proved me wrong and I've come to realize that when I get any signal from it, it's the best question I ask. If you know what a hash map or dictionary is then you can solve it. If you can't answer a problem because you're under pressure then that's a no hire signal on its own.

by sahila 5y ago

dleslie 5y ago

There's a difference between: Foo Corp - Wrote Java on Bar project And: Foo Corp - Designed and developed infrastructure for Baz for Bar project (Java) A resume that doesn't give an idea of what someone did, beyond the tech they used to accomplish their goals, isn't likely to pass my interest test.

rockemsockem 5y ago
There's only a very, very small difference between those two things though. I'm not hiring anyone based on either of those bulletpoints or similar ones; no matter how many there are. It's so easy to inflate your role on a project and what you contributed and the people who are best at it are usually also able to talk, talk, talk. The first interview question I ask is so easy that I don't think anyone should be paid to write software anywhere if they can't solve it. And yet, I have candidates with plenty of nice bulletpoints like your second one on their resume who can't solve it or take 30-45 minutes to solve it. Good candidates take less than 10 minutes, very good ones take less than 5.
- dleslie 5y ago
  Ah, you've got a gotcha bullet point question that you think is a killer technical ability question. But you're asking it in a completely abnormal situation, an interview. All you're testing for is the candidate's ability to answer your clever question in a scenario where their ability and personal value is actively being judged; which is wholly unlike any day-to-day challenge they are to encounter.
  - rockemsockem 5y ago
    The question is not a gotcha. It is not trivia. It is not even a "killer technical ability" question. It's a question I considered not including because I thought it was too easy. Folks I've interviewed proved me wrong and I've come to realize that when I get any signal from it, it's the best question I ask. If you know what a hash map or dictionary is then you can solve it. If you can't answer a problem because you're under pressure then that's a no hire signal on its own.