This tag is for hiring questions. There is also an "interview" tag for interview related questions.
14
votes
8answers
3k views
KPI's for Programmers [duplicate]
Do you know any Key Performance Indicators for Developers? What should be measured and monitored?
3
votes
3answers
360 views
Where can I hire local programmers with very specific skillsets? [duplicate]
I have been browsing the site and haven't found a exact fit to this question so I'll post it but if its already answered(since I'm sure its a common problem, then let me know).
I have a business and ...
3
votes
6answers
343 views
How should I assess answers to the programming assignment I use for hiring
After our phone screen, but before a face to face interview, I ask our candidates to complete a short programming assignment. It involves writing a small command line program in C, which should run ...
16
votes
10answers
4k views
How relevant are Brainbench scores when evaluating candidates?
I've seen many companies using certification services such as Brainbench when evaluating candidates. Most times they use it as a secondary screen prior to interview or as a validation to choose ...
10
votes
7answers
2k views
Will You Use an Online Technical Skills Test to Hire a Senior Developer? [closed]
There are online services such as IKM that offer skills tests in many areas, including programming.
Would you use these kind of tests when hiring for a senior developer position?
What about just ...
11
votes
6answers
758 views
How productive is an excellent developer compared to an average one?
I believe that I read somewhere that Google has a rule of thumb that an excellent developer is around 300 times more productive than an average one. Does anyone have any rules of thumb used by large ...
13
votes
9answers
1k views
How can I let prospective employers know I'm a great developer?
I've recently read through Joel's guide to finding great developers, and I feel really strongly that I am smart and get things done. The problem is, I didn't learn how to get things done until about ...
4
votes
5answers
768 views
OO Design related questions in technical interviews
I've been attending quite a few interviews recently and have been asked by companies to answer "design a [insert model]" questions more than a few times.
Is this normal in the industry nowadays? ...
9
votes
5answers
524 views
Asking potential developers to draw UML diagrams during the interview
Our interview process currently consists of several coding questions, technical questions and experiences at their current and previous jobs. Coding questions are typically a single method that does ...
20
votes
10answers
2k views
How to add a new developer to the team
I run a small company composed of only 2 developers. We are building a very big application for one of our clients. Development on this project has gone on for 1.5 years.
Now this client has secured ...
33
votes
9answers
8k views
Hiring a Junior Developer, What should I ask?
We are currently hiring a junior developer to help me out, as I have more projects than I can currently manage. I have never hired anyone who wasn't a friend or at least an acquaintance. I have a ...
15
votes
11answers
1k views
Hiring Developers - Any tips on being more efficient? [closed]
I represent a software company that is in process of building a large software development team. We are picky in who we hire and have really good retention rate (most of the devs have been here for an ...
2
votes
9answers
431 views
Under which circumstances (if any) does it make sense to work for a startup, for free? [closed]
I've been bumping around the startup world for a while, and most startups I've seen seem to have (amongst other things) two things in common:
A lack of money
An inability to, reliably, hire good ...
3
votes
4answers
720 views
Best sources to find your go-to programmer [closed]
After exhausting many resources, time, interviews etc, I cannot seem to find the correct programming talent for our company. Any other resources you suggest besides Dice, Linkedin, Craigslist, ...
75
votes
20answers
4k views
Choosing between two programmers: experience vs. passion [closed]
I am in a position where I have to hire a programmer and have the option of 2 candidates, the first has experience but he doesn't have a passion for coding and he says so while the second doesn't have ...
2
votes
4answers
295 views
Problems hiring someone on elance or similar sites [closed]
I am assigned to hire some developers/designers in these kind of sites, and I'm looking for war stories about problems with this strategy. All I found so far are tips about getting more jobs as a ...
5
votes
1answer
531 views
Testing Git competence
I hire a lot of programmers for tiny tasks. I very clearly specify that the tasks can only be completed by making a pull request on GitHub. Unfortunatelly, so many programmers do not know Git and ...
26
votes
17answers
2k views
5 years of university education vs. 5 years of work experience - Which would you pick if hiring? [closed]
Say you need to hire a programmer. You have two candidates at your table: one has studied 5 years at uni (and holds a Master's degree, of course), but has no work experience; and the other holds no ...
4
votes
2answers
733 views
How valid is ITJobsWatch data?
(I've been wondering all day whether to ask this question here - my biggest concern would be that it would be seen as off-topic, or not relevant. It's not relevant to the US, this is true, but it is ...
6
votes
8answers
2k views
Would Java programmers hire C# programmers?
I learned and used Java in college. After graduating, I got a job in C#. Two years after, there are a lot more positions in Java. Would I have a good chance to be hired as a Java programmer? What ...
101
votes
31answers
14k views
How old is “too old”? [closed]
I've been told that to be taken seriously as a job applicant, I should drop years of relevant experience off my résumé, remove the year I got my degree, or both. Or not even bother applying, because ...
14
votes
11answers
2k views
Any tips on getting hired as a software project manager straight out of college?
I graduated with a BS in compsci last September, and I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to find a job as a project manager ever since.
I fell in love with software engineering (the formal practice ...
11
votes
2answers
879 views
Are code screening services worthwhile?
I've seen websites that screen programmers by their ability to write code. It's a service that you enter a programming question into and then send out a link. Job candidates program their solution to ...
-1
votes
4answers
199 views
Should I contract someone to help me with an existing project?
I have a paid Android app that I made by myself this past summer and I've been working on it throughout the year. The app is geared toward a professional niche market (but there are people all around ...
3
votes
2answers
121 views
Open Source sponsored feature development
I am considering to sponsor a development of some particular features in some Open Source tools. I would like the results of the work to be available publicly, and if possible, to be included in the ...
28
votes
6answers
797 views
Should companies consider remote employees or stick to local employees?
Elite developers can be 10x more productive than an average developer.
Clearly it's easier to find an elite developer around the whole world than in a company's backyard.
If a company is not ...
1
vote
5answers
358 views
How do I prove I'm a capable full-time hire after 3 years of a CS degree & lots of summer experience? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How can I let prospective employers know I'm a great developer?
I'm in kind of a strange predicament. There have been family ramifications that I've had to leave ...
1
vote
3answers
569 views
How to effectively find, hire and work with contractors?
I know there are some questions that are sort of similar to this one, but I don't think any of them really ask or answer my set of questions.
A bit of background:
Approximately 6 mos ago, I went ...
11
votes
9answers
930 views
Hiring at start-ups vs established companies [closed]
I have always wondered about this and perhaps experienced folks here can comment on this. I always read that big established software companies such as Google, Microsoft, etc are always wary of hiring ...
12
votes
0answers
760 views
Can a developer move into a fast-paced career later in life? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How old is “too old”?
Most developers I know pushed really hard to get ahead in their careers early on, then maybe slowed down about 10 to 15 years in to ...
13
votes
10answers
826 views
What to look for in Startup employees [closed]
I am an engineer but don't have a computer science background.
I am proficient with Python, Django, use Mongo and know a bit of C++ / C#. Dabble with NGinx here and there.
My weekend project, a nifty ...
25
votes
19answers
2k views
Are there reasons other than budget for hiring “entry-level” programmers?
Are there reasons other than budget for hiring "entry-level" programmers?
89
votes
22answers
6k views
Do job postings exaggerate their requirements? [closed]
I feel like a reasonably qualified programmer, but a lot of job postings I run into make me feel otherwise. Almost all of them separate qualifications into requirements and desirables, but even the ...
3
votes
3answers
408 views
What's an assessment day and what kind of individual & group based programming activities are involved?
The only things that I know:
An assessment day is much more than a simple interview. Actually 1 or more interviews are just a part of it.
Both individual and group based programming activities are ...
8
votes
8answers
1k views
How long of a trial period do you use with programmers - how quickly can you tell if they are talented and a good fit?
It seems most jobs that I've been exposed to come with a 3 month trial period, during which the employer decides whether the employee is doing good enough work, and is a good fit.
3 months seem like ...
13
votes
5answers
1k views
Importance of bitwise thinking
I take interview for my company. During interview I've faced many candidates having 1 to 3 years of experience in their field. Typically, they had experience in C#, Java, J2ME, iOS and similar ...
4
votes
2answers
837 views
Contract-to-hire - determining rate? [closed]
I'm in discussion with a company for a full-time web development position. Since the position would require telecommuting or a relocation of my family, we've agreed on doing 2-4 weeks of contract work ...
3
votes
3answers
548 views
What do you absolutely have to know about a candidate before hiring him? [closed]
What essential questions do you have to know the answer for, about a prospective software development candidate, before hiring him/her?
I'm not seeking specific interview problems (e.g. sort this 3D ...
0
votes
4answers
2k views
How do I find someone to build an app for me? [closed]
I have an idea that I would like to develop as an app. I have no programming skills though.
-Can someone point to some resources on how I can hire a reputable company to do the job for me.
What are ...
1
vote
5answers
206 views
Hire for the job/project or hire for the future? [closed]
I'm at a pivotal point in my small software company where I have reached the critical mass of too much work and need to hire someone.
Simple question: Do I hire someone who is simply qualified and ...
8
votes
7answers
739 views
Is a request for a code sample after a job offer common?
I was verbally offered a job and the manager insisted that I start the day after the following day from the interview; so two days after the interview. I left the interview unsure of the offer the ...
6
votes
1answer
271 views
Remote Working & Relocation [closed]
Sorry if this question is a duplicate, I did some extensive searching and found nothing on quite the same topic (though a couple on partially-overlapping topics).
Recently, whilst on holiday in ...
13
votes
8answers
2k views
Best ways to recruit developers
What are the best ways to find qualified developers for my company?
We've had some limited success with traditional routes like posting to job sites and hosting open houses, but I'm trying to find ...
5
votes
5answers
710 views
Choosing the right programmer among a class of undergrads
I am a CS undergrad but I landed a programming job last year and I like it a lot. We are currently 3 programmer in the development section of the company and we have to work with pretty much anything ...
14
votes
13answers
2k views
How to retain student/intern programmers?
We have a small team in our department and typically employ 1-3 students/interns. The problem we have is retention. We like to hire a student that will stick around as part of the team for more than ...
7
votes
8answers
513 views
Train for the job or train for the skill?
I'm in charge of hiring for a small java shop. We have a very limited hiring budget so we tend to pickup fresh grads cheap and spend time training them. I have found colleges and universities do quite ...
2
votes
3answers
427 views
Resumes: Open-Source Projects, Reinventing the Wheel?
When writing a resume, should I be concerned that certain open source projects I've created might be a hindrance to me because they would be perceived as reinventing the wheel? I've created a few ...
5
votes
8answers
631 views
Can anyone explain Developer Twin Syndrome?
I realise this is a fairly odd question to ask but in recent rounds of hiring we have noticed a rather odd trend in new developers that spectacularly fall short of our expectations. So much so that ...
16
votes
2answers
780 views
How do you measure the effectiveness of your hiring & interview process? [closed]
Although I've seen many discussions on how to do an interview and develop your brand, I haven't seen many discussions on how to determine if your hiring & interview process is actually working ...
9
votes
5answers
366 views
Experience With Similar Technologies: Convincing HR People?
Let's say that a job posting asks for experience in technology X. You have no experience in X but you do have experience in technology Y, which you're convinced is similar enough that the learning ...
