How to tell if the person you’re recruiting is going to be a good performer.

Audio transcription may not be 100% accurate.

Hi guys, it’s Jasna Čubrić recruiting manager with Ventech Search Group from Phoenix, Arizona. If you are a company owner hiring manager, or any other type of position being in charge of hiring software engineers at least once you ask yourself a question, how can you tell if the person you are recruiting is going to be good or bad performer?

As in every other profession, software engineers are also sometimes they are able to sell themselves better on the job interview than they would perform on the job. So to make sure that you chose the right performer, there are a couple of things to consider before creating your bulletproof technical interview.

It all comes down to understanding the fundamentals. Great software engineer gives a simple solution to a complex problem. Why? Because they understand fundamentals to an extent and fundamentals are all the basic pieces from which you build a solution to a problem.

These are basic data structures and algorithms. For example, if an engineer gives you a certain product as a solution to a problem, if he is really great, he would be able to specify and explain in detail why is that a good solution to a problem where in the other hand, if he cannot, that should be already a red flag to you, and you may consider throwing another scenario at him to double check his abilities and understanding of the solution he is giving at first place. In fact, good engineers are all about simplifying.

You will find them and recognize them, removing complexity whenever possible. They would create thing that the simplest thing that meets the needs, they would use certain framework if it leverages the need. But if it doesn’t, they would even create one that fits good. That’s why they are efficient.

Junior engineers, unlike would create a robust framework for a simple problem. You can find them often creating something that it’s more complex than it needs to be, with features that probably won’t ever be used.

Another thing about good performers is that they know when they’re losing control, knowing upfront what the end result needs to look like. Seeing multiple steps head, they convert them through all in their head. They can confidently tell you about each step of the process, and it did confidence goes under certain below at some point, they would stop and evaluate, consult their peers, and they wouldn’t go for further before getting their feedback.

On the other hand, less experienced engineers they would continue working long past the point they lost control. And that happens because they don’t understand the problem they’re solving. Also, good performing engineer would know to tell you confidently about their weaknesses, and I don’t have to mention to you how beneficial it is to know clearly, what are their strengths and weaknesses before getting them on board.

So to sum all up, you recognize great performing software engineers for their effectiveness, the ability to not waste their time around guessing how to do things, they simply design the solution and execute following that plan, they have the ability to build the simplest thing that has the job.

They love what they do, so find them programming not only when, and what they’re supposed to do their job, but also outside of their work. With that sad, you can expect to get a series of questions with respect to the project you are hiring them for, that’s another thing showcasing a great performer.

That would be all. I hope this was helpful if you need any help or have a questions for me. You can contact me on linked in, or you can send me an email.

Until next time.

Take care.

Have fun.