Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#81

Post by stefkors » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:21 PM UTC

travisjungroth wrote: post #69

Edd314159 wrote: post #10

As a hiring manager, I glance at it and take a brief look at anything interesting. It’s good for talking points at the interview, perhaps to ask the candidate to expand upon and explain the work. If the profile is empty, I close the tab and find something else to talk about. I will never, ever penalise a candidate for an empty GitHub profile. So many people just do not have time for open source and that’s totally fin…

I penalize people slightly for an empty GitHub if they put it on their resume, just out of annoyance. Why did you put this url for me to follow if there's nothing here but a half started React tutorial from 3 years ago?

So many places seem to require a github profile in their form.

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#82

Post by xemdetia » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:22 PM UTC

JshWright wrote: post #73

Edd314159 wrote: post #10

As a hiring manager, I glance at it and take a brief look at anything interesting. It’s good for talking points at the interview, perhaps to ask the candidate to expand upon and explain the work. If the profile is empty, I close the tab and find something else to talk about. I will never, ever penalise a candidate for an empty GitHub profile. So many people just do not have time for open source and that’s totally fin…

While you don't actively penalize folks, it's worth pointing out that candidates with an active GitHub profile often _do_ have an advantage in the scenario you describe.

Yes, I would agree that it helped but only based on the logic that a resume/cv is a document designed to advertise your accomplishments. If your accomplishments are best shown by your GitHub then include it, if it shows nothing don't! It's the same as advertising a volunteer group or something on a resume, a group with high participation and clear commitment to some purpose (if relevant to the job in question) is worth more than a random meetup group that met only once and when pressed the candidate clearly shows that it was invented for the resume. That's potentially 10 minutes or so the candidate could have talked about something else which is an actual strength.

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#83

Post by andrewingram » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:24 PM UTC

The main thing I don't want to see is a bunch of repos where you're just taking a library/framework for a spin. This isn't because these are bad in any way, but it can be hard to tell whether they represent your real coding approach or not, and therefore risk creating unconscious bias. Whereas I'm not going to hold it against you if you don't have a public profile.

Now that Github allows free private repositories, if you're planning to use your profile as part of a recruitment process, you're arguably better off only making your best work public. It doesn't have to be your best code, just something you're proud of and are happy to talk about.

This may run counter to normal thinking, but I have no way of knowing the extent to which my assessment is unconsciously coloured by seeing code that isn't representative of your ability, so I worry about the impact of that.

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#84

Post by eponeponepon » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:28 PM UTC

stefkors wrote: post #81

travisjungroth wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I penalize people slightly for an empty GitHub if they put it on their resume, just out of annoyance. Why did you put this url for me to follow if there's nothing here but a half started React tutorial from 3 years ago?

So many places seem to require a github profile in their form.

There is never anything wrong with writing "n/a" in any kind of form. There was a long overlap during which any form that took contact details already had fields for email address and mobile phone number, but before either of those were as ubiquitous as they are today; nobody processing those forms ever ignored one with "n/a" for email address.

Granted, it might be less prudent to skip some fields than others, of course.

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#85

Post by TaylorAlexander » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:28 PM UTC

For me, my github profile shows my personal interests. I work on a bunch of robotics stuff for fun, and then try to get jobs related to things I like. So if the job is a good fit the github profile serves as an extension of my resume. At the very least it shows my passion for the field.

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#86

Post by jitix » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:34 PM UTC

chimen wrote: post #72

I ask both Github and StackOverflow profiles. In Github I look for code style & quality, tests written, open source project participation (often good indicator of quality code when accepted). In SO I look for issues created as an indicator of one's struggles and overall expertise. Both profiles offer me a strong view over one's position and the data really helps me to filter out prospects. 95% of the times when they…

I’m interested to know what kind of software system you work on that you “need” github code to prove that a candidate is good. IMO your hiring practices need to include processes that can evaluate a candidate based on their talent and experience, and not what do in their spare time.

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#87

Post by walshemj » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:40 PM UTC

beager wrote: post #54

detaro wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It feels kind of weird that large parts of the world have stopped to do profile photos on CVs for fairness reasons, but then you expect people to have photos in the links they put on said CV? EDIT: and re forks: surely regular PRs against other projects would also tell you something?

I definitely would expect real photos of the person on LinkedIn, and everyone I know who hires will look on LinkedIn as a confirmation of the resume. Not sure if this is a vector to enable bias or not, but it’s a reality of hiring for many.

I don't have a pic on my LinkedIn for that reason CV's with photos can be discarded just for that in some countries.

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#88

Post by flurdy » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:41 PM UTC

chimen wrote: post #72

I ask both Github and StackOverflow profiles. In Github I look for code style & quality, tests written, open source project participation (often good indicator of quality code when accepted). In SO I look for issues created as an indicator of one's struggles and overall expertise. Both profiles offer me a strong view over one's position and the data really helps me to filter out prospects. 95% of the times when they…

No. It does not work as a filter.

But if you have a high amount of applications then statistically it may work for you. Same as throwing half of the CVs in the bin, as you only hire lucky people.

Github and SO data is a conversion point, not a filter. Sure I am also suspicious if no public profile, but never exclude as it often has valid reasons.

My personally github code is a lot more slapdash than my commercial github code. Nearly all of my commits in commercial github repos are private repos so not on my profile except in the activity graphics.

I have worked with and hired really good developers with a great public github profile and with lots of SO points. I have also worked with many very experienced and good developers with no github or SO presence. And I have met people with lots of SO points that I never want to work with again.

But if you got too many applicants you can apply whichever filter you want. It just wouldn't work for me, or my location (London)

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#89

Post by your-nanny » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:42 PM UTC

Aeolun wrote: post #4

gargarplex wrote: post #2

As a recruiter I can answer this! I do not speak for all recruiters. As a recruiter who is also a programmer, my approach may be nonstandard. * I want to see thoughtful README files. If the README is whatever was generated default by the framework and not edited at all, that's a huge groan and turn off and you lose tons of strength (credibility) as a candidate. * I want to see your code looking pretty. Consistent ind…

I really don’t see why these things are relevant at all. It’s a personal Github profile. Why would anyone add thoughtful readme’s or a clean coding style if they’re the only contributor? I mean, those things are great of course, but not sure if I’d expect it on Github.

if you are linking to it in your resume than you are showcasing it. if you are showcasing it and it's a scrapheap, folks straight not going to be impressed.

I think the obvious thing to do is create a showcase profile and a scrappy scratchpad profile. keep the former clean and polished

Re: Ask HN: What do recruiters look for in a GitHub profile?

#90

Post by androidgirl » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:43 PM UTC

chimen wrote: post #72

I ask both Github and StackOverflow profiles. In Github I look for code style & quality, tests written, open source project participation (often good indicator of quality code when accepted). In SO I look for issues created as an indicator of one's struggles and overall expertise. Both profiles offer me a strong view over one's position and the data really helps me to filter out prospects. 95% of the times when they…

Stackoverflow seems interesting as an inclusion of that level.

I've always used SO as a "read-only" source, and generally when I need an answer to a question not on there I ask on a relevant IRC channel. My github has quite a few OSS projects though.

Do you find there are any other devs like that?