3 Hiring Managers On What Makes a Good Candidate for a Software Developer Role
3 more hiring managers weigh in
Last week I shared my interview with
on what he has found makes a great candidate in software developer job interviews, so I interviewed 3 more hiring managers this week.This week’s hiring managers I have kept anonymous, so I will give them nicknames to disguise their identities. So this week’s hiring managers are Sergeant Pepper (SP), Mrs Bouvier (MB) and Colonel Mustard (CM).
I have edited out typos and spelling mistakes, but the answers below are as given:
When looking at a CV what are the first things that make a candidate seem strong enough to interview?
CM: Having specific tasks /areas /projects they have worked on or have been responsible for. Specifically which relevant and specific skills they used to get whatever they need to get accomplished.
A range of tasks /areas /projects that cover not only the technical skills we're looking for but also soft skills that make a good team member.
MB: Whether they have the skills required for the role and the types of roles they have done as well as the companies they have worked for.
SP: His past experiences and potential achievements (e.g. personal projects or participation in renown projects/companies).
When looking at a CV what are the first things that make a candidate seem not good enough to interview?
CM: Lots of grammatical errors, messy structure and dense and difficult to read CVs. This tells me to expect the same quality from the candidate's work, if they were to be hired. They need to have good communication skills and documenting their experience in a clear and effective way says a lot about them.
Lots of vague statements and descriptions of their previous roles. Tasks and roles unclear, level of personal involvement unclear.
Too much irrelevant experience in CV. Experience doesn't have to be 100% about the skills requested in the job spec, but it should be relevant pertaining either to specific tech or industry experience/ skills or soft skills. Basically, empty filler stuff is pointless and if the CV mostly contains this I know it the candidate doesn't have much substance.
MB: Not seeing the key skills required
SP: Skills obviously disconnected with expectations (e.g. Java developer applying to Python offer), lack of meaningful experience or credentials (unless looking for a junior position of course).
I believe any developer can learn any language, my comment is probably not valid in all cases. Typically if I’m looking for an experienced Python developer, I’m not going to give much attention to someone whose CV only talks about Java
What are some things a candidate may do in an interview that makes you think they would be a good developer?
CM: They show a pattern of being a good problem solver. They've gone out of their way to solve difficult problems and actively seek knowledge where they lack it. Not a passive candidate that expects things to be spoonfed to them.
They are a team player and receptive to other people's approaches and ideas. Personable and easy to talk to.
They show examples it being a reliable team member and someone who takes ownership of their work. I need to know that I won't need to chase them for their work and can rely on them to complete it in a timely fashion or to communicate clearly when this isn't possible.
MB: Giving real examples rather than just giving definitions of what the various statements do (for MB I specifically asked about SQL developers)
SP: It’s hard to pinpoint specific things. I guess I’d be looking for someone who will be able to communicate well about their thought process (assuming we’re pairing on a coding exercise for instance) and who will be able to adapt to feedback, ask questions to understand what’s expected of him, etc.
What are some things a candidate may do in an interview that may get them rejected?
CM: Appearing disinterested or disengaged. Not having prepared for the interview. I'm not looking for a kiss ass who learns everything about the company or the job, but they should be interested and open and receptive.
Bigging themselves up too much where they think they're amazing when it's not warranted. Even if they have amazing skills, arrogance and signs that they aren't willing to learn from others are bad.
Being vague with their answers or appearing dishonest about their skills and/or experience.
Giving answers that show a history of lack of initiative and ownership over their work.
Showing lack of problem solving skills or being overly dependent on others to do their own work. When they seem to expect answers from others rather than having the initiative to get them (or at least attempt to) themselves.
MB: Not being able to talk about was on their CV
SP: More on the soft skills side IMHO: inability to accept critics/feedback, boasting too much, arrogance/self-righteousness, racist or misogynistic comments
Thinking of a time you had a stand out candidate, how did they impress you?
CM: When they speak confidently about their skills and experience and value they've added to their companies or teams. Value doesn't necessarily mean money, but also being a team player, helpful, etc.
When they admit to past shortcomings but show how they've learned from them and how they improved themselves.
When they admit to not having a skill I ask about, but explain how they plan to overcome this or how they have in the past. A candidate who is good at learning and is independent is amazing.
MB: Composure, experience and understanding their strength and weaknesses
SP: In a recruiting process, it’s kinda both an absolute and a relative question: there are things that are going to impress you no matter what, and things that are going to stand out compared to other candidates you’ve seen before (i.e. compared to your perception of the market).
First candidate that came to mind when reading your question was someone who, on top of being very technical and really knowledgeable, was also a great storyteller and would communicate extremely well, both in 1:1 and in front of an audience (we had a “public” presentation during the hiring process).
Thinking of an absolutely terrible candidate, how did they put you off?
CM: They failed to answer any or most of my questions in a meaningful way and were very vague.
They acted like the interview was a nuisance.
They were impatient and impolite and seemed disinterested.
They seemed completely inflexible not only in conversation but also when they described their ways of working.
MB: Over confident without having the skills or experience to match
SP: I guess for the ones I can remember, it was because of a real disconnect between what their CV said and the actual (lack of) skills they showed during the interview.
Also had some people who were very low energy, no introspection ability, talking shit about their former employer, etc.
The Power of In-Person Meetups
I have mentioned before that I am part of the small bets community. It’s a fantastic online community where people help each other to make side-businesses or full-time businesses online.
The other day though, I met up with 3 small-betters and 2 more people doing their own thing to discuss the ups and downs of online business in person. The dynamic was completely different, we could talk in real time, people could overhear something they were interested in and chime in with their own points.
I also felt like I was learning so much, as everyone had at least slightly different backgrounds, different approaches to side-hustles and were at different stages in their careers.
The dynamics even shifted during the night, at one point, we had
just describing his process generating sales from cold calls, the whole group was silent, rapt by what he said.3 Great Finds This Week
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Great piece Jack, and it was a fun evening :)