https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/03/09/tech-execs-reveal-13-good-and-bad-signs-in-developer-resumes-and-interviews/#11bc09e343bf
Tech Execs Reveal 13 Good (And Bad) Signs In Developer Résumés And Interviews
POST WRITTEN BY
Expert Panel, Forbes Technology Council
Successful CIOs, CTOs & executives from Forbes Technology Council offer firsthand insights on tech & business.
With so many new tech developers entering the job market, competition is extremely fierce. A developer looking to land a dream position needs to make a good impression immediately through their résumé and interview.
Experienced tech executives have seen their share of memorable candidates—some of whom have stood out for good reasons, and some for not-so-good reasons. Below, 13 members of Forbes Technology Council share some résumé features and interview comments that can, in their opinion, serve as either very good or very bad signs about a potential hire.
1. Good: A Demo Project
It’s always a great first impression when someone sends a demo project with their résumé. It shows their passion for the role and company. I remember one UX candidate who sent suggestions to improve user interactions with illustrations and her reasoning for it. A video editor created a short video showing her enjoying the things listed on our website (my company lists all the cool happenings in NYC). - Vikram Joshi, pulsd
2. Bad: Missing Information
The absence of information is a flag. Don’t make me guess your degree or experience. Just put it out there and we’ll discuss it. But if something is clearly left out then you likely won’t make it to the interview. - Pervinder Johar,Blume Global
3. Good: Willingness To Go The Extra Mile
I love it when someone comments on how badly they want to succeed, despite lacking experience or direct skills. The will to genuinely go the extra mile and outwork others is not something one can teach—it’s the character of the individual. When someone is honest about what drives them, it builds respect. At that point, I know that I can trust this individual to step up when things go south. - Tanvir Bhangoo, Freshii Inc.
4. Bad: Inaccurate Representation Of Skills
One of my biggest issues with any candidate—but particularly those in IT—is the misrepresentation of skills. I have done hundreds of interviews and found that it is common to see misrepresentations in the résumé, particularly regarding the programming languages they have experience with. I would rather interview and hire someone who is humble and willing to admit they don’t know and can learn and grow. - Michael Hoyt, Life Cycle Engineering, Inc.
5. Good: Adaptability And Determination
The best way to tell if the candidate you are interviewing will be a great asset to your team and organization is to find out how they approached challenging situations and if they were willing to adapt. Understanding their thought process will provide clarity on their habits and intuition. Candidates who seek out and accomplish difficult tasks show grit, determination and adaptability. -Abishek Surana Rajendra, Course Hero
6. Bad: A Negative Attitude
Knowledge can be accrued with time and supportive teams, but attitude is what you bring to the table. If a candidate doesn’t bring a positive attitude to life, then they won’t work. That isn’t someone who will be easily taught or easy to work with. Attitude is everything. - José Morey, Liberty BioSecurity
7. Good: Experience Launching And Completing A Project
I love when developers have their own projects and have launched something from start to finish. This is huge. Writing code is complex, but launching a product from start to finish—even if it’s a simple app—allows you to learn a ton. You experience it all, from marketing to release, quality assurance and user feedback. This type of experience gives you a holistic understanding of the entire product life cycle. - Ryan Chan, UpKeep Maintenance Management
8. Bad: The Inability To Say, ‘I Don’t Know’
I often ask candidates if they know of, or have experience with, a very obscure system. I expect to hear, “I don’t know” or “I have never heard of it.” Any other response and I will press further—allowing them to either surprise me or dig themselves in deeper. If it becomes obvious they don’t know, I typically end the interview. People who work for me cannot be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”- Chris Kirby, Retired
9. Good: Compelling Hobbies Or Side Interests
When interviewing a candidate, I listen closely for any accounts of a compelling hobby or side interest. These say a lot about a candidate—for example, is he or she “just” someone who codes, or also someone with a mind for business? On the opposite end, I never interview “job-hopper” candidates who do not stay at least a year with each employer. - Gergo Vari, Lensa, Inc.
10. Bad: Opposition To Unit Testing
Most developers I’ve interviewed either have a lot of experience with automated unit tests or, at a minimum, understand the value they provide. However, I occasionally come across a developer who is fundamentally opposed to unit testing. That would be a huge red flag for me. Great developers understand that unit tests provide the safety net required to write world-class code and move fast. - Dave Todaro, Ascendle
11. Good: Evidence Of Experimentation
I really want my tech team to be self-starters and learners. I generally want to see that they don’t just wait for someone to hand them work to do, but they engage in the process and take ownership. I want them to explore “around” the problem they’re trying to solve and try out ideas. I generally get this from the stories they tell when we talk, but a nonstandard format helps show this, too. -Eric Braun, South Shore Innovation
12. Bad: Sloppy Résumé Or Website Design
A good developer should have a keen eye for design. So, if their résumé or personal website is poorly laid out, messy and not visually pleasing in general, that’s not a good sign. Your résumé needs to make a good first impression, so you should be spending the time to make it look visually appealing, especially if you claim you’ve got an eye for design. - Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
13. Bad: Agreement Without Hesitation
During an interview, someone agreeing with me without hesitation is a reason I would stop the conversation immediately. Hiring people who have the confidence to disagree and bring new ideas to the table is critical. I don’t want to have all the ideas—I want to hire people willing to think differently and bring their experience to the solution. Courage is one of the most important things. - Jim Parkinson, North American Bancard