Interviewing
Qualities
- knowledge, experience, raw intelligence
- solid understanding of engineering best practices
- being likeable, good listener, conversationalist
- determined, gets things done
- is good in group settings
Questions
- What are you looking for in a code review?
- How do you handle new, unanticipated requirements that overturn assumptions you had made in design?
- What book or article have you read since university that has really changed the way you look at development?
- Have you read any books or articles that you really disagreed with? Tell me about one such case?
- What are you reading right now?
- ”“I'm going to give you five minutes. When I come back, I want you to explain to me something complicated that I don't already know.””
- Give the interviewee a few minutes and ask them to come up with a mock interview in which I play the role of an interviewee. The speed at which they come up with questions and the type of questions they ask can tell a great deal about their experience.
Evaluating
- Someone has to love the candidate. No one can hate them.
- Dig into the candidate's development knowledge – especially knowledge that forms a part of team norms
- Don't use impossible questions but rather make them explain and analyse a design from their past experiences
- Focus on finding people who have a genuine love for their field – especially readers
- Bend over backwards to hire people recommended by people already on your team”