The technical hiring process can be a source of frustration and disappointment for both candidates and recruiters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We recently hosted a tech recruitment roundtable<\/a>, where experienced software engineers and recruitment professionals shed light on what developers dislike about the hiring process vs. what they value and expect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some of the key takeaways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n While automation can streamline initial assessments, it shouldn\u2019t come at the cost of human interaction during the hiring process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Gerardo Tobar<\/a>, Sr. Talent Acquisition Leader at Telus, points out, “There’s a very fine line between attracting a candidate and pushing them away.” Developers appreciate personal communication with recruiters and companies rather than being subjected to an immediate barrage of automated screening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many developers get frustrated with lengthy and complex coding assessments, especially as the initial step in the hiring process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Developers prefer coding challenges that are relevant<\/a>, reasonable in scope, and align with the actual job requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vague, generic or overly extensive job descriptions can be a major turn-off for developers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pablo Portillo<\/a>, Google Cloud Specialist at Telus, encourages companies to be clear and specific about responsibilities and technical requirements. He points out that “all-in-one” roles with long \u201claundry lists\u201d of responsibilities often reflect a lack of clear expectations and internal alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen these \u201call-in-one\u201d roles that combine skills for DBA, full-stack, network, DevOps\u2026 all in one single profile, and that for me is a red flag. It means that there is no clear expectation for the candidate and the role.\u201d<\/p>\n– Pablo Portillo, Google Cloud Specialist at Telus<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Louis Coulon<\/a>, co-founder of CleverConnect<\/a>, also warns against \u201cfake\u201d, generic job ads. In his experience, certain companies with regular needs for tech profiles permanently advertise generic, open roles for software developers, in an attempt to fuel their talent pool and save time. This is mis-leading for candidates and can lead to frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leaving candidates in the dark about their application status is a common source of frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I was looking for my first role, I went through a very long interview process. It took about eight interviews. It consisted of two initial, \u201cget-to-know-you\u201d interviews […] and then we transitioned into four different live coding interviews […] and then it ended with another two interviews where I met members of the team. I was finally told to wait for about a week to get a response and to see if I was a fit for the company. A week went by, I sent a follow-up email, got no response. A month went by\u2026 nothing.\u201d <\/p>\n– Ricardo Tovar<\/a>, Software Engineer and candidate<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Providing timely feedback or updates, even if it’s a rejection, can greatly improve the candidate experience and improve your chances of returning candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The consensus among developers is that clear and open communication is crucial throughout the hiring process. This includes explaining the process upfront, setting expectations, and maintaining ongoing dialogue with candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDevelopers really appreciate getting an overview of the whole interview process, from the get go. I like to be aware of how many rounds there\u2019s going to be, and a rough timeline. When is the company looking to hire by? What kind of coding challenges am I going to be doing? It\u2019s hard to come in and be put on the spot with no context around what you\u2019re doing and the aim of the exercise […] Just give us a little time to prepare mentally.\u201d<\/p>\n– Ricardo Tovar, Software Engineer and candidate<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Developers appreciate transparency regarding job details such as remote work options, salary, and benefits. It’s essential to be upfront about what your company can offer to align candidate expectations with reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, it\u2019s counterproductive to try and entice candidates with false or misleading claims. Does your company allow full remote? Say so. Does your company expect employees to travel to the office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays? Also say so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBe honest, answer those questions. Even if they\u2019re hard questions. \u2018Is this a remote job?\u2019, \u2018No, you\u2019ll have to come on-site\u2019. That\u2019s fine. It is what it is. There\u2019s a job for everybody, a position for everybody, you just have to find the correct person for the correct slot.\u201d<\/p>\n– Gerardo Tobar, Sr. Talent Acquisition Leader at Telus<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Providing constructive feedback, even in rejection, can greatly benefit candidates. Ricardo highlights that candidates appreciate “personalized feedback on what they did well and what they did wrong.” It helps them improve and understand where they stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re dealing with a high volume of candidates and have limited resources, it may not be feasible to offer feedback to every applicant. Louis offers his recommendation: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think a best practice is to go for the \u2018in-bewteen\u2019. To say \u2018Sorry, we\u2019ve decided not to move forward with you. If <\/em>you want us to go through the reasons behind our decision, feel free to reach out\u2019, rather than sending over a detailed, personalized email. That way, you make sure that you spend that time with those, maybe 20% of candidates, that actually want to discuss it. And the others still get a good impression, since you offered.\u201d<\/p>\n– Louis Coulon, co-founder of CleverConnect<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Before a coding interview, developers value information about the coding challenges they will face. What can you tell them about the question format? The technologies? The evaluation criteria? The duration? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any information you can share in advance will help candidates prepare and feel more at ease during the assessment. However, do make sure to communicate the same information to every candidate (with an interview prep template, for example), so as to keep a level playing field. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat developers dislike about the hiring process \ud83d\udc94<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Overemphasis on automation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Excessive assessments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Vague job descriptions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. Ghosting candidates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What developers value and expect in the hiring process \u2764\ufe0f<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Clear, upfront communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. Transparency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3. Feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. Information on coding challenges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n