What I find interesting about the "What is a good way to interview people" thing is that interviewing is a game in which most people play in bad faith. Therefore, it is not enough to find some attribute that correlates highly with the outcomes you are seeking.
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Replying to @raganwald
Thought experiment: If applicants optimize for the desirable testable attribute then what attribute could you test that: 1. Is relevant to all langs and tech. 2. Is great to optimize. 3. Is used all day by every coder. 4. Is a valid indicator of skill. I vote: debugging.
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Replying to @zedshaw @raganwald
Debugging code doesn’t require a whiteboard or even a computer, works on every language, even works to test someone using a different language, crosses over to every technology, doesn’t matter if they optimize for it, isn’t work but relates directly to work.
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Replying to @zedshaw @raganwald
And, if they get stuck because the task is particularly challenging, you get some insight into how they ask for help, how they talk themselves through a problem, how they interact with others when frustrated. The goal isn't to stump them, but it shows how they might act at work.
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In fact, you could just say that you’re testing their debug skills because for the first few months all they’ll do is fix bugs. That’s the real job they’ll do so the test is testing what they’ll do. Being forced to close bugs also teaches them the code base, the tech, process.
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