Tech Hiring Process

Having a well-defined hiring process for technical employees is the essential first step in having a great development organization. I don't think this is anything really new or surprising to say, but what exactly that process looks like may not be so obvious, especially for people new to hiring for technical positions.

Here is a basic structure that you can use to make your own process:

1. Initial screen email
2. Phone screen
3. Written test
4. Interviews

The initial screen email is just to cover real basic issues like whether the person can legally work in the US, whether they are really looking for full-time work, whether they need to relocate, and other such issues. You'd be surprised how many people send out their resumes without really reading certain details about the position. And be sure to ask about salary expectations or last salary earned, if you don't put a range for the position on the initial ad. I think you need to know where someone is with salary before even talking to them because you really do not want to be surprised later on. It can also be a bad sign if someone does not want to answer a question about salary or just says that it is negotiable. In this situation, you are more than likely dealing with someone who is not that serious. Good people know what they want and aren't bashful about saying where they are with pay.

The phone screen should be short, about 20 minutes. There should be 4-5 technical questions that cover basic knowledge required for the position. You should ask the same questions of everyone so you can hear the differences. You should also ask a question about what they're working on to get a sense of how they communicate. This should weed out a lot of candidates.

The written test should make the candidate do something that they would be faced with on the job. There are some differences in opinion here, but I believe that trying to simulate real work problems that come up in the position is the way to go, even to the extent of giving them a recent problem or issue faced by your team. When the candidate finishes the test, you can go over it with them and get an understanding of how they tackle problems. I think this gives you the clearest picture of what the person would be like if they came to work because, really, you gave them a little work to do.

The final interviews are with team members and I think it's a good idea to prep them with questions. They can ask what they want to, but make sure they have access to questions so they don't have to worry about it. Personally, I don't like the brain teasers.