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> I have meet very few developers that can deliver a product who where not able to adapt to the way a team builds a product once they are in the door or adapt t

by coffee 15y ago

> I have meet very few developers that can deliver a product who where not able to adapt to the way a team builds a product once they are in the door or adapt the team to their process if it is seen to be superior. Good point, and I totally agree. But how does one figure out the history of a developer delivering products? Or how does a developer let others know that they deliver products? Sure, references are great, but they must be taken with a grain of salt. No one is going to provide a reference that is negative. And if you sleuth a reference on your own that comes up negative, you have no context as to why it was not positive (personal differences, the reference you found is genuinely a bad egg, that person was intimidated by the skill level of another, etc...). I see a lot of people try to overcome this limitation with the "provide a link to your github account" statement. But that shows nothing of a persons ability to deliver software they have created for various companies who don't expose their code bases publicly. To me, this is a very strong, yet unmet need to be filled...

nireyal 15y ago
Couldn't agree more with coffee's comment and am waiting for someone to figure out how to fill this need.
kls 15y ago
For me, what I do, and what other in the industry advocate is to look at something they have built. Have them walk you through the functionality of using the software while narrating the code. Ask them questions, what part of the code base are you most proud off, what was the most difficult. How did you keep from stomping on other team members code. People are very forth coming when they talk about stuff that they know and passion and mastery show up pretty quick as in this format. Now I do understand that there are developers that for whatever reason do not have anything to show. When I run into this case, I look for nothing more than passion, if they have it I will offer them a junior role at a junior rate, if they claim to be a senior I tell them that I will match their rate (with back pay) that they are looking for in 30 days time, if it is proven to be the case once they are in the door. In 30 days I have my teams evaluate whether they qualify as a Senior. For references I look for nothing more than I am a developer at X and I think s/he is good. To me it is a vote by someone that claims to know software. I look at the applicants Linked-in profile and see how many developers they are connected to. If I struggle to find a few technical people, then I get the feeling that something is wrong. Conversely if they are connected to a good deal of developers then it is an indicator that they are at lest mildly respected in development circles. It's not a science, but I bat a pretty good average when it comes to hiring. My theory is that passion + above average intelligence + the proper environment = good developers, my job is to create that good environment, which I see as circular, an environment filled with passionate, intelligent people can be the seed of a proper environment. I think people overcomplicated it because development is complicated, but hiring developers is not that complicated for a technical person, they just have to abandon some biased views that the industry reinforces. The first being never hire for a position, if you are looking for a senior developer but a passionate junior walks through the door, don't loose the opportunity (assuming you are not totally boot strapped and can't afford it). Conversely, if a Senior in your or your teams network becomes available pick them up. If one of your team members respects them chances are they view their skills as at a peer level. You should accept your technical talents, technical judgment if you don't they have no business working on your technical systems at a senior level.

by coffee 15y ago

nireyal 15y ago

Couldn't agree more with coffee's comment and am waiting for someone to figure out how to fill this need.

kls 15y ago

For me, what I do, and what other in the industry advocate is to look at something they have built. Have them walk you through the functionality of using the software while narrating the code. Ask them questions, what part of the code base are you most proud off, what was the most difficult. How did you keep from stomping on other team members code. People are very forth coming when they talk about stuff that they know and passion and mastery show up pretty quick as in this format. Now I do understand that there are developers that for whatever reason do not have anything to show. When I run into this case, I look for nothing more than passion, if they have it I will offer them a junior role at a junior rate, if they claim to be a senior I tell them that I will match their rate (with back pay) that they are looking for in 30 days time, if it is proven to be the case once they are in the door. In 30 days I have my teams evaluate whether they qualify as a Senior. For references I look for nothing more than I am a developer at X and I think s/he is good. To me it is a vote by someone that claims to know software. I look at the applicants Linked-in profile and see how many developers they are connected to. If I struggle to find a few technical people, then I get the feeling that something is wrong. Conversely if they are connected to a good deal of developers then it is an indicator that they are at lest mildly respected in development circles. It's not a science, but I bat a pretty good average when it comes to hiring. My theory is that passion + above average intelligence + the proper environment = good developers, my job is to create that good environment, which I see as circular, an environment filled with passionate, intelligent people can be the seed of a proper environment. I think people overcomplicated it because development is complicated, but hiring developers is not that complicated for a technical person, they just have to abandon some biased views that the industry reinforces. The first being never hire for a position, if you are looking for a senior developer but a passionate junior walks through the door, don't loose the opportunity (assuming you are not totally boot strapped and can't afford it). Conversely, if a Senior in your or your teams network becomes available pick them up. If one of your team members respects them chances are they view their skills as at a peer level. You should accept your technical talents, technical judgment if you don't they have no business working on your technical systems at a senior level.