An Engineer's Perspective on Hiring
15 days ago
- #engineering
- #interview-process
- #hiring
- Most companies are inefficient at hiring, wasting time and failing to distinguish skilled programmers from unqualified candidates.
- Current hiring processes often disadvantage skilled interviewees who perform poorly under stress or don't fit traditional interview molds.
- Good interviews should accurately reflect job duties, respect applicants' time, and assess long-term fit rather than just immediate skills.
- Common interview methods like live coding (leetcode) and take-home assignments fail to measure actual job performance or generalist skills.
- Alternative methods like architecture design interviews and 'meet the team' sessions have their own limitations but offer better insights in some areas.
- Extended essays and work samples, as used by Oxide Computer Company, provide deep insights but require significant time investment from both parties.
- Code review interviews reverse time asymmetry, offering a collaborative and efficient way to assess candidates' skills and interpersonal abilities.
- A proposed better interview process combines code review with live discussion of work samples, emphasizing collaboration and mutual respect.
- Including an interview with the future manager is crucial to assess fit and prevent future dissatisfaction.