I'm planning on hiring a good programmer but I'm getting trouble choosing the best from my applicants. I'm a software developer myself but I can't recognize a great programmer from a bad one. Any ideas?
Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
1–10 of 36 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#2Great programmers have:
1.) Positive Attitude
2.) Great communication skills.
3.) Good time management skills.
4.) Quick learning ability
5.) Broad technical experience
6.) High end user forecast
7.) Team playing skills
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#3[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#4Hiring great programmers is hard. I have been advised that great programmers have great ideas. You can also ask questions (open ended) about coding during the interview.
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#5Hiring great programmers is hard. I have been advised that great programmers have great ideas. You can also ask questions (open ended) about coding during the interview.
Even telling the programmer to create a prototype to solve a certain problem helps a lot. You get to understand the programmer's approach in solving problems
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#6Look for a super-nerd, the guy who tinkers with code for fun. I have recently been through a good hire and a bad hire, looking back the difference is now clear. What the person does on their time off is a good indicator.
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#7The important question to ask is: What does he or she do with their free time? Do they work on side projects? Do they do freelance work? Are they always interested in learning new things? That will let you know everything you need to know.
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#8I recently had a discussion with a very senior developer about a project he'd been asked to do. It's a 6+ month effort and he's just getting started. The project is to be delivered to a customer, but the customer has not been engaged and does not know we are working on it.
I asked the dev how he'd feel if he completed the project and the customer said, 'Nah, not interested, thanks anyway.'
His response: 'As long as I get a paycheck, who cares.'
Not sure exactly why, but that just doesn't sit well with me.
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#9I recently had a discussion with a very senior developer about a project he'd been asked to do. It's a 6+ month effort and he's just getting started. The project is to be delivered to a customer, but the customer has not been engaged and does not know we are working on it. I asked the dev how he'd feel if he completed the project and the customer said, 'Nah, not interested, thanks anyway.' His response: 'As long as I…
It doesn't sit well with me either.
Re: Ask HN: How do you recognize a great programmer to hire?
#10The important question to ask is: What does he or she do with their free time? Do they work on side projects? Do they do freelance work? Are they always interested in learning new things? That will let you know everything you need to know.
A fellow programmer(CEO of a startup firm) used the same tricks and got a great programmer.Some programmers don't want to work and that leads to trouble for them and the firm.