It’s pretty easy to get an overview of a candidate’s background and experience. Analysing their CV and LinkedIn profile will give you most of the hints you need. But evaluating their technical skills is more challenging, especially if you don’t have a technical background. How can you evaluate a developer’s CV if you don’t know what anything means?!
3 top tips to help you evaluate a developer’s CV from a technical perspective:
1. How to identify a developer’s language skills
In order to understand how experienced a developer is in a specific programming language, you need to get a sense of the length of time they’ve worked with it.
Modern programming languages are highly sophisticated and require years of practice to master. But we’ve all come across candidates that claim to possess extensive understanding of a language or tool with only a year’s experience. Don’t discount these profiles immediately, but look at their years of experience alongside their level of education and any side projects that might have given them additional experience.
You’re essentially looking for information that will tell you what the developers have done with their specific programming skills and how they’re able to put them into practice. For example, if someone lists five years of Java experience on their resume, but their crowning achievement is not more than a CD collection application, it may be an indication that they do n’t have practical experience using the language.
2. How to identify a developer’s coding experience
You need coding expertise. It doesn’t always matter whether they have experience working in your industry. You may have been tasked with looking exclusively for a developer with experience in your niche, and for some sectors it is more important than for others. But don’t forget that the primary goal is finding developers who can write clean, functional code. Remember that it’s not just the quantity of experience that matters but also the quality, so compare both.
Ultimately, it’s a developer’s skill set that matters. So when it comes to evaluating their profile, it helps to focus on their skills and potential to learn rather than simply their industry background. If the candidate boasts expert skills, it shouldn’t be too difficult for them to transition to your industry. Keep an eye out for blog posts, a portfolio URL, or links to any products they may have designed or contributed to.
3. How can industry certifications help you identify a developer’s technical skills?
Look for industry-standard programming certifications, as they indicate a developer’s level of knowledge in a specific program. There are many certification programs that require regular recertification so that the developer stays up to date with the latest technical changes and industry trends.
While reviewing candidate profiles, you may want to determine how they have spent their coding years. Did they embrace leadership roles? Are they flexible enough to learn and unlearn a few things and dive into new technologies? A thorough evaluation of a developer’s skill set may take time, but it is well worth the effort to thoroughly examine and assess each profile before shortlisting the candidate for an interview.
