How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
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How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
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Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#2Thought I'd write a Part II to my first article on questions non technical founders and managers can use if they need to interview engineers.
Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#3Some good questions in here, with one exception:
> Programmers are unique. They're one of the few professions where outside the boundaries of their working hours they choose to do the same exact thing they do at work: programming.
Hiring managers should definitely not be assuming that all programmers do apps in their spare time. It's one thing to expect them to have a code sample (anyone should), but many strong programmers have interests and responsibilities that take them away from computers in their spare time. This doesn't make them less effective or dedicated programmers, so while it's always interesting to hear about the projects of those who have them, it shouldn't be assumed (and you shouldn't consider it 'points off' in an interview if a dev doesn't do side projects)
Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#4Some good questions in here, with one exception: > Programmers are unique. They're one of the few professions where outside the boundaries of their working hours they choose to do the same exact thing they do at work: programming. Hiring managers should definitely not be assuming that all programmers do apps in their spare time. It's one thing to expect them to have a code sample (anyone should), but many strong prog…
For me it varies with how much stress I'm facing at work. When I log out feeling fine, I'm going to develop things in my free time for sure. But when I'm just constantly stressed out, I don't have the fortitude to keep the pace up at work while making things on the side. One of them has to go.
Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#5Some good questions in here, with one exception: > Programmers are unique. They're one of the few professions where outside the boundaries of their working hours they choose to do the same exact thing they do at work: programming. Hiring managers should definitely not be assuming that all programmers do apps in their spare time. It's one thing to expect them to have a code sample (anyone should), but many strong prog…
> Hiring managers should definitely not be assuming that all programmers do apps in their spare time.
It baffles me how much this is an assumption. Like all the developers should not have any hobby that doesn't involve coding.
Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#6> There are countless ways engineers choose to spend their off hours. Some contribute to open source. Others take online classes. Some are tutors, and others work a second job as a freelancer.
It's called off hours for a reason. Being a tutor or a freelancer is a second job.
Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#7I consider myself good at programming in general. But let's say the interviewer was hiring me for a technology stack that I'm pretty much clueless about... let's say assembly language or cobol...
Even then I can bullshit my way past all of those questions, and I'm sure most people who can't program can also do the same too.
Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#8Some good questions in here, with one exception: > Programmers are unique. They're one of the few professions where outside the boundaries of their working hours they choose to do the same exact thing they do at work: programming. Hiring managers should definitely not be assuming that all programmers do apps in their spare time. It's one thing to expect them to have a code sample (anyone should), but many strong prog…
We also should not propagate the caricature of the developer. You know, the all I need is gallons of coffee and I’m off grokking code all day in a hoodie. I’m off to my Kubernetes meetup! Whoops, just dropped my giant math is fun textbook.
Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#9[deleted]
Re: How to Interview Engineers When You're Not Technical – Part II
#10Some good questions in here, with one exception: > Programmers are unique. They're one of the few professions where outside the boundaries of their working hours they choose to do the same exact thing they do at work: programming. Hiring managers should definitely not be assuming that all programmers do apps in their spare time. It's one thing to expect them to have a code sample (anyone should), but many strong prog…
> Hiring managers should definitely not be assuming that all programmers do apps in their spare time. It baffles me how much this is an assumption. Like all the developers should not have any hobby that doesn't involve coding.
but don't you think its a fair guess that someone who hobby is X might be better at X than someone whose hobby is Y.