When hiring developers, have the candidate read existing code (freakingrectangle.wordpress.com)

Article summary

The article discusses a new approach to hiring developers, where instead of asking them to write code, they are given existing code to read and discuss. This approach is believed to be more effective in assessing a candidate's coding ability, as reading code is a more common task in real-world development. The author argues that this method can help to weed out candidates who are not skilled in coding, and can also make the interview process more efficient. The approach involves giving candidates a set of predict-the-output exercises, where they are shown a piece of code and asked to predict the output.

Main themes

• code reading
• hiring developers
• interview techniques
• problem-solving skills
• collaborative interviews
• accessibility
• domain knowledge
• evaluation methods

What commenters say

• Some commenters agree that reading code is a more important skill than writing code, and that this approach can help to assess a candidate's problem-solving skills.
• Others argue that this approach may not be suitable for all types of development, and that writing code is still an essential skill.
• A few commenters suggest that this approach can be combined with other methods, such as discussing past projects or contributions to open-source projects.
• Some commenters express concerns that this approach may not be accessible to candidates with certain disabilities or limitations.
• Others propose alternative approaches, such as giving candidates a buggy code to debug or asking them to explain their thought process when solving a problem.
• A few commenters mention that this approach can help to make the interview process more collaborative and less stressful for candidates.
• Some commenters argue that domain knowledge and experience are also important factors to consider when hiring developers, and that this approach may not capture these aspects.
• Others suggest that this approach can be used in conjunction with other evaluation methods to get a more comprehensive picture of a candidate's skills and fit.