Ask HN: Share your interview / hiring practices?

#1

Post by icey » Fri, Jun 03, 2011, 2:26 PM UTC

What does your interview process look like? How do you decide if someone is the right fit?

We do a phone interview to cover the basics, a tech screen + tech interview and a "do at home" coding exercise. This combination ends up cutting out more than 90% of the people we talk to, but bad seeds are still making it through. In the future, we're going to change our process to have an "in-office" coding exercise, but I would like to be considerate of people's time.

How do you assess the people that apply with you in order to improve the chances of hiring well?

Re: Ask HN: Share your interview / hiring practices?

#2

Post by petervandijck » Fri, Jun 03, 2011, 3:11 PM UTC

I think that a) people need to make time when you're hiring. Like 20% of their time. and b) firing quick.

Hiring isn't foolproof, and if it's a priority, then yes, it'll eat in people's time.

Re: Ask HN: Share your interview / hiring practices?

#3

Post by baggins » Fri, Jun 03, 2011, 3:11 PM UTC

I'm also interested in this, but as an interviewee. Personally, I like in person interviews better than phone interviews, which I've found to be very formal and unpleasant.

Re: Ask HN: Share your interview / hiring practices?

#4

Post by rawsyntax » Fri, Jun 03, 2011, 3:58 PM UTC

I wrote about the other side of it (the interviewee) here http://rawsyntax.com/post/6112439871/interviewing-for-progra...

FWIW, I don't think coding exercises help. I think the employer should require and example project that runs, and the source code to it. Many good developers have a side project that they can show off.

Re: Ask HN: Share your interview / hiring practices?

#5

Post by pavel_lishin » Fri, Jun 03, 2011, 4:15 PM UTC

rawsyntax wrote: post #4

I wrote about the other side of it (the interviewee) here http://rawsyntax.com/post/6112439871/interviewing-for-progra... FWIW, I don't think coding exercises help. I think the employer should require and example project that runs, and the source code to it. Many good developers have a side project that they can show off.

Many good developers have a side project that they can show off.

And if they don't, it's probably not a great sign.

Re: Ask HN: Share your interview / hiring practices?

#6

Post by baruch » Fri, Jun 03, 2011, 7:43 PM UTC

rawsyntax wrote: post #4

I wrote about the other side of it (the interviewee) here http://rawsyntax.com/post/6112439871/interviewing-for-progra... FWIW, I don't think coding exercises help. I think the employer should require and example project that runs, and the source code to it. Many good developers have a side project that they can show off.

I've interviewed many people who looked great on the resume and failed to do even a trivial coding question. The good developers quickly wade through such a question without a winch which leaves plenty of time to discuss interesting projects and see how they think.