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Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

polyfill.work

31–40 of 233 posts

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#31
post #8

Personally, I've never found it difficult. Have 1-2 interviews with a take home or in person coding exercise or however they want to prove to me they can actually code. Pay high, have great benefits, high equity, treat your employees well, and fire those that don't perform up to expectations quickly. It's really not hard to spot talent. Don't make them jump through hoops. If they are talented and get along with your…

Good approach but can't imagine doing a take home unless it was paid.

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#32
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By my mid-30s and having started programming at 9 and professionally at 14, 200k is chump change for a salary. That's what they really haven't caught up to.

200k is not chump change for every other profession. Get off your high horse. You're not special because you know software.

I think the point he is making is in context of software engineer, which matters. When you have several option to get paid twice, 200k does seem like chump change (in Bay Area at-least). It is all relative. Don't think I'm special or deserve the pay I get, but given I've options no way I'd settle for less for same work.

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't write off a company just because they have an unlimited PTO policy. Check out the culture first, some actually respect it. Especially in smaller companies, it's sometimes just easier to judge people based on their output rather than the number of days their butt is behind a keyboard.

> some actually respect it I'm yet to see one or hear from a friend who works in one. I admit there might exist one somewhere, but by and large, they don't. Unlimited PTO = culture of overworking, at least for me. And small companies with unlimited PTO, 3-5 engineer teams (and some other staff, obviously) seem to be the worst offenders. The bigger the company, the higher the chance unlimited PTO might actually work.…

Yeah, I do have to say every company I've worked for with "unlimited PTO" really means "no PTO and if you take any you will be shamed for it and possibly fired."

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#34
post #8

Personally, I've never found it difficult. Have 1-2 interviews with a take home or in person coding exercise or however they want to prove to me they can actually code. Pay high, have great benefits, high equity, treat your employees well, and fire those that don't perform up to expectations quickly. It's really not hard to spot talent. Don't make them jump through hoops. If they are talented and get along with your…

You lost me at "with a take home". I'm not interested in your silly games.

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#35
post #8

Personally, I've never found it difficult. Have 1-2 interviews with a take home or in person coding exercise or however they want to prove to me they can actually code. Pay high, have great benefits, high equity, treat your employees well, and fire those that don't perform up to expectations quickly. It's really not hard to spot talent. Don't make them jump through hoops. If they are talented and get along with your…

Take homes are one of the single biggest turnoffs for experienced talent in interview processes. People don't want to do them. Especially good devs who can land a job anywhere.

> Don't make them jump through hoops

The take homes are the hoops.

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't write off a company just because they have an unlimited PTO policy. Check out the culture first, some actually respect it. Especially in smaller companies, it's sometimes just easier to judge people based on their output rather than the number of days their butt is behind a keyboard.

> some actually respect it I'm yet to see one or hear from a friend who works in one. I admit there might exist one somewhere, but by and large, they don't. Unlimited PTO = culture of overworking, at least for me. And small companies with unlimited PTO, 3-5 engineer teams (and some other staff, obviously) seem to be the worst offenders. The bigger the company, the higher the chance unlimited PTO might actually work.…

This comment is intesting. I've experienced unlimited PTO in a couple of big companies and it was amazing. There was never any push back on taking 'reasonable' time off (1-2 weeks at a time) and being able to take off without counting hours was fantastic

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#37
It's because software is both a highly technical and creative endeavor. There are few people who can do it, and even fewer who can do it well. As hard as software development may be, managing it is even harder. This is always where the problem is. We need technical leadership courses to train management teams on how not to shoot themselves in the foot. Recruiting is only a small part of this large problem.

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#38
post #9

Number one reason: You're not offering me enough good reasons to leave my current job. I don't think HR and software recruiting has really caught up to the reality that many developers by their mid-30's are sitting on a million+ in assets and good ones can rake in 200K+ easy. Further we usually find equilibrium with our roles wherever we are even if we have gripes with how things are because most devs are pragmatic p…

>>> many developers by their mid-30's are sitting on a million+ in assets and good ones can rake in 200K+ easy.

What !!!

Edit: I did return to tone down my reaction but I would be interested in any (evidence based) research on the pay scales in and out of SV. I understand it is only the very top tech (FAANG) that pay so highly and mostly though share options.

It's not like that in Europe I am afraid.

But even so, if that's your position by 35, well done you.

Re: Why is recruiting developers so difficult?

#39
post #8

Personally, I've never found it difficult. Have 1-2 interviews with a take home or in person coding exercise or however they want to prove to me they can actually code. Pay high, have great benefits, high equity, treat your employees well, and fire those that don't perform up to expectations quickly. It's really not hard to spot talent. Don't make them jump through hoops. If they are talented and get along with your…

Good approach but can't imagine doing a take home unless it was paid.

I've never been asked to do a take home interview assignment, but I actually have the opposite attitude. I would much rather spend a few hours putting together that I feel good about than spend 10x the time cramming interview prep.
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