Before bringing any developer on your team, you need to ensure they’re skilled in the areas you require proficiency in. You may have a developer apply who’s skilled in Python when in reality you need someone who has extensive knowledge in Javascript. Testing takes the guesswork out of the hiring process, giving you a realistic idea of what areas a new developer would be able to assist you in.
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Online Code Testing and Skill Evaluations
Online code testing puts developers into practical situations that they may encounter when working on a project for you. Since most online code testing is automated, it’s an excellent way for the hiring team to use time efficiently. Additionally, it’s easier for leaders and members of the hiring team to analyze the results of an online coding test. Online code testing solutions typically offer a form of report that summarizes a candidate’s performance in specific metrics. This allows you to focus on what’s important for the specific position offered.
For example, on Elite Brains online coding test, results will be broken down into two categories including overall performance and technology scores. Overall performance includes aspects like IT background and technical knowledge. Technology scores look at specific performance in different areas of a coding language. For example, in a Javascript test, you can quickly analyze a candidate’s knowledge of Swift, React, and Java.
Examining Their Profile and Past Projects
A coder’s portfolio is one of the best ways to showcase their abilities through personal projects and past team projects. Projects give an idea of a developer’s level, what type of projects they’re focused on, and what their goals are in software development. Coders can also describe particularly how they contributed to a certain project, giving you an insight into specific skills that may be transferable to your development team. Examining the code of a developer’s portfolio project can also help brainstorm specific ideas for interview questions.
Code Testing During an Interview
You can also test a developer’s coding abilities through an interview test. Having an interviewer involved in the testing helps evaluate if a developer can work under pressure in a test environment. One of the benefits of testing during an interview is that it provides a more conversational setting. Interviewers can ask questions regarding the test to better understand problems and expectations, helping both parties gain a better understanding of each other.
Ask About Their Development Community Involvement
Community involvement in places such as Stack Overflow and GitHub reflect a developer’s abilities and reputation within the coding community. In Github, you can analyze a developer’s repositories, reputation, relevant keywords, languages, and the number of followers. You can also see when the candidate joined Github, giving an idea of their current level of experience.
Stack Overflow shows different insights from GitHub, as it’s mainly a question-and-answer site for anything related to computer programming. Stack Overflow does a good job of displaying troubleshooting and communication skills, and a general IT background.
There are multiple ways to test a developer’s coding skills before moving them up in the hiring process. Testing a potential candidate and reviewing past projects will help you prepare specific, targeted interview questions. Additionally, within the interview itself asking about community involvement is a great way to gauge a coder’s background to give you supplemental information.