Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Why are Java developers so boring?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 23 posts

Re: Ask HN: Why are Java developers so boring?

#11

Post by bhousel »

Maybe you're asking the candidates boring questions?. Try asking them moderately probing, but non-boring questions like:

  "What made you want to go into software development?"
  "If you weren't a developer, what other job would you want to do?"
  "What features do you especially like about Java?"
  "What was an interesting problem that you've solved?"
  "What was the most challenging bug that you've fixed?"
  "Why do you want to work here, as opposed to some other place?"
  "If you could change the Java language, what would you change about it?"

Re: Ask HN: Why are Java developers so boring?

#12

Post by triviatise »

there are multiple types of candidates, most likely the ones you are getting are active job seekers and you need to be finding the passive job seekers. The passive job seekers are secure at their job, do a great job, but might jump ship for the right opportunity but tend to get jobs through recommendations and referrals. The active job seekers as a pool have a high rate of crap. If your company has a bad recruiting department they probably just arent finding good candidates. We can't afford a great recruiter so we screen about 200 people to hire 1 (product manager)

Re: Ask HN: Why are Java developers so boring?

#14

Post by SethBroomer1 »

There are a couple reasons that you might be getting bad candidates. Since you are working for a large company, you will be getting candidates who are more interested in stability then anything else. i.e. your 9-5ers.

Your posting could just be to generic and focused on Java. i.e. throw some of the other technologies that you use into the job posting, JSP, Tiles, Struts, Ajax, etc. Hopefully the candidates will have some experience in the full stack then.

Secondly, be picky on who gets through your candidate selection. My process was to scan their resume for keywords that showed me they had experience in what I wanted (the full stack). I would then have HR ask them 10 tech questions over the phone. If they seemed to do alright with that I would have them brought in. The very first thing they did was take a technical test based upon the desired skill for the job. If they passed I would meet with them, if not I would send them packing.

The key is to not waste your time on interviewing all the 'ok' people but interview only the good people. You have to have them jump through some hoops before you meet them face to face.

Re: Ask HN: Why are Java developers so boring?

#17

Post by HedgeMage »

SethBroomer1 wrote: post #14

There are a couple reasons that you might be getting bad candidates. Since you are working for a large company, you will be getting candidates who are more interested in stability then anything else. i.e. your 9-5ers. Your posting could just be to generic and focused on Java. i.e. throw some of the other technologies that you use into the job posting, JSP, Tiles, Struts, Ajax, etc. Hopefully the candidates will have…

I'd be shocked to find anyone I consider a great dev willing to jump through all those hoops for a consulting gig in big, boring corporate-land. For us, the hiring process is as much about a company proving itself to us as the other way around. Procedural red-tape and long talks with non-technical HR drones are huge red flags that will send many (most?) great devs heading in the other direction.

Re: Ask HN: Why are Java developers so boring?

#19

Post by bartonfink »

jread wrote: post #18
rdouble wrote: post #15

Why do you need interesting people for a consulting position at a large online auction company?

We are developing a new application that operates separately from the auction software. The team is small and we all have fairly diverse roles.

What carrots does the position offer that would entice an applicant who, presumably, is skilled enough to get an enterprisey job nearly anywhere?

Re: Ask HN: Why are Java developers so boring?

#20

Post by bricestacey »

bhousel wrote: post #11

Maybe you're asking the candidates boring questions?. Try asking them moderately probing, but non-boring questions like: "What made you want to go into software development?" "If you weren't a developer, what other job would you want to do?" "What features do you especially like about Java?" "What was an interesting problem that you've solved?" "What was the most challenging bug that you've fixed?" "Why do you want t…

I'm surprised this is the only comment potentially criticizing the interviewer. My guess is that the questions are poorly asked and applicants never really get a chance to shine.
Post reply on HN