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Welcome to 'Better Hiring Practices for Fun and Profit.' We are here to tackle the hiring process in tech once and for all, with the hope of never having to discuss it again. But before we dive in, I want to run through a few housekeeping items.
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First, feel free to comment about the panel using the RailsConf hashtag. Additionally, I will be checking the #HireRails hashtag throughout the session, specifically looking for questions or comments from the audience. We may have a Q&A session approximately ten minutes before the end, but my goal is to gather audience questions as the panel progresses.
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You might notice that all of our Twitter handles are displayed on the slides. If you wish to contact any of the panelists, please feel free to do so. Now, let’s take a moment for everyone to introduce themselves. I’ll start: I am the moderator, and I am extremely passionate about bringing people into tech, which is why I wanted to discuss hiring practices.
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Let’s move on to our panelists. Hello, I'm Heather Corallo, and my company is called CTO. We help organizations with agility transformations. Essentially, we work to improve company cultures and discuss workflow, processes, and how to map talent with product and engineering strategies.
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Hello, my name is Justin Herrick. I am a developer, consultant, and teacher, and I've been doing these throughout my entire career. I'm also a founder of Lunar Collective, a software consultancy that focuses on training and building custom software. My goal is to set good examples and practices that can be shared within the industry.
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I'm Pamela Vickers, working as an engineering manager at MailChimp in Atlanta, Georgia. I collaborate mainly on career development and internal processes within our engineering team.
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To begin, I’d like to hear from the panelists about the worst job interview experiences they’ve had, whether they were the interviewer or the interviewee. I encourage the audience to join the conversation using #HireRails. I'll share my memorable experience: I was interviewing with a small startup that had little experience with interviews.
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They decided to do a whiteboard exercise, following the conventional interview format, but struggled to explain it correctly. Every time I tried to follow their instructions, they would tell me I was doing it wrong, which was quite confusing.
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Another notable experience happened while applying for a consultancy job. I was flown out to Chicago for a code review, where they displayed my code on a large screen for everyone to critique. At one point, a senior developer pointed out a line I had mishandled, which was a real embarrassment for me.
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In another situation, during an interview for a C# developer position, an interviewee was asked about her experience on 9/11. It turned out she had friends who were lost in the incident. This was four years later, and the lack of sensitivity from the interviewer was shocking.
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With that in mind, let’s shift to discuss an essential element of the hiring process: job descriptions. We’ll consider job descriptions from both the employer's and potential employee's perspectives. To start, how do you write an effective job description?
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The first task is understanding the reason behind writing the job description. What problem will this new hire solve? What skills or attributes do we lack as a team that this individual will bring? It's important to focus on problem-solving rather than simply filling a position.
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As an employer and developer, I want the candidates to have a clear understanding of their day-to-day responsibilities. It’s crucial to set expectations of what they will be working on and any timelines related to projects.
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Moreover, focusing on the specific role and responsibilities helps to create a unique job description that differentiates it from generic ones that simply list acronyms. The goal should be to give candidates a sense of the organization’s culture and workflow.
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From my perspective, highlighting the actual work and its context is more valuable than listing previous experiences. It is vital for job seekers to understand what the job entails rather than being bogged down by lengthy requirements.
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In our company, we emphasize giving potential candidates an understanding of the organizational structure, particularly during hiring, so they know to whom they will report and the surrounding team dynamics.
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Hiring for multiple teams with overlapping responsibilities can be challenging. It's necessary to clarify this during conversations and incorporate it into job listings to better align expectations with candidates.
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When discussing job seekers, what advice would you give them for navigating job descriptions and reading between the lines? One effective approach is to read multiple job descriptions and note recurring phrases that often carry significant meaning.
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For example, phrases like 'flexible vacation' might sound appealing but can indicate an environment where actually taking time off is frowned upon. Sent job listings you find interesting to someone experienced to receive their insights.
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It's crucial to be critical and to recognize potential red flags in job postings. Phrasing patterns, such as aggressive language or unattainable requirements, may hint at underlying issues within the company's work culture.
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For instance, it’s essential to check if companies are asking for more experience than a technology has existed. It's these nuances that can serve as indicators of a company's understanding of the industry.
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As you navigate job descriptions, consider the expectations and culture that surround them—look for mentions of agile practices, version control, or testing. If these aspects aren't highlighted but amenities are, tread carefully.
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It's crucial to ensure you have a solid understanding of what the company is like before jumping in. Job descriptions should facilitate clarity, offering insight into the expected practices and work environment.
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We encourage anyone writing job descriptions to contemplate the actual message they are conveying. How are skills and experiences articulated? Are there implicit biases in how the criteria are set?
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An essential part of the hiring process is acknowledging the influence that terms can have on applicants' confidence, especially in the context of gender differences during applications.
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We often see that women apply for jobs only if they meet 100% of the criteria, whereas men are more likely to apply if they meet 60%. This discrepancy can be attributed to how job descriptions are framed and perceived.
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Encouragingly, addressing these issues must start at the job listing stage—using inclusive language, representing skills accurately, and ensuring accessibility for all potential applicants.
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We should also challenge ourselves to identify outdated hiring practices and strive for inclusivity. Successful hiring practices enrich diverse teams, offering new perspectives and a breadth of experiences.
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In closing, many practices could be introduced into hiring protocols to promote diversity and inclusivity. It’s essential to reflect on how your company communicates these values clearly to potential hires.
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Once we have a job description out there and applicants come in, let’s shift our focus to assessing each applicant’s technical ability.
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Assessing technical capability can be a challenge. One method is to ask candidates to complete real-world tasks that they’ll manage on the job, which helps evaluate their actual skills rather than abstract capabilities.
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For instance, I recently created a two-step coding challenge for applicants, where the first part allowed them to work independently using any technology. The second part required them to follow specific guidelines and strict instructions.
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By observing their output in both contexts, I could gain insight into their flexibility and skills in adapting to different work environments. Peer coding sessions are also beneficial and facilitate better conversations about their coding process.
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Furthermore, when hiring more senior engineers with different primary languages, it's invaluable to have someone who understands that language interview the candidates. This ensures that the evaluation process is fair and competent.
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It's also valid to use software for example to assess candidates' proficiency without the bias of a one-on-one interview environment. Use tools and peer interviews collaboratively to gather a broader viewpoint.
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We should remember to gather feedback from each hiring cycle and analyze what worked well and what could improve. Assess candidates not just on output but the thought processes and qualities they show throughout.
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In terms of team dynamics, evaluating productivity after hiring a new team member can be tricky, primarily when entirely remote. Using agile assessments can help identify how they integrate with the team.
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It’s a continuous learning curve; regular evaluations and honest feedback can provide clarity on an individual’s performance and progression.
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Finally, when reviewing interviewers, having them trained and prepared helps ensure they understand the process and goals, making the feedback more actionable and constructive.
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In summary, both employer and candidate perspectives are critical in improving the hiring process, and we are here to support each other in achieving that goal. Thank you all for participating today!
