When hiring new developers, use these tips to make your decision easier.
So you're looking to hire new developers and you have a pile of resumes in front of you. This pile can reach hundreds or even thousands, so the task can be a little tiring. You can hire developers for multiple languages (like JavaScript, Java, C++, Python, PHP, or .NET), web/mobile app engineers, cloud-native developers, or staff to help add DevOps to the mix. All of this can make selection a difficult task.
It doesn't have to be.
When you have so many resumes on your desk, you can easily eliminate certain candidates by knowing exactly what you want to see in successful candidates. But what makes a good developer resume? Below you will find 8 things to look for. Any resume that doesn't include these items or follow these ideas can be moved to the “no” pile.
It can be that simple.
So what are the things you should watch out for? Let's break it down.
Career Path
In addition to the required programming skills, one of the first things you should look for in a serious developer resume is a well-defined career path. Potential developers must clearly demonstrate a compelling career progression from the early days to the present. One very important thing to look out for is gaps. You want every year to be full of jobs, whether freelance or full-time. As long as a developer can account for their time and efforts, they are showing progress.
At the same time, you want to see a trajectory that improves over time. With each new step in the progression, the candidate must show that they are moving up, from intern to senior developer. If you see pullbacks, this could be a warning sign, although not necessarily, so don't be too quick to dismiss a candidate based on this item alone.
Customization
One thing you want to look for is a candidate who has taken the time to personalize their resume. If they're just dumping content into a template, it shows a lack of effort. It's not just about the layout of the CV (which must be very well planned), but the idea that they have included personal projects in their professional career.
When you find developers who have not only worked on projects for companies, but also on their own projects (or, say, open source projects), it shows initiative and skill beyond just doing what they are told.
Passion
When you hire candidates who are passionate about what they do, you are more likely to hire employees who will produce quality code and walk the walk. How do you know if a developer has a passion for what they do on a resume?
Look for multiple languages listed in the skills, personal projects, certifications, and mentorships section. Search for particularly impressive projects they've worked on for a long time or projects they've not only developed for but also maintained.
If they include some GitHub repository that they manage, even better.
Key words
Before looking at the first resume, create a list of keywords that should be found in each entry. These keywords can directly and indirectly relate to the project you are hiring for. If you've requested digital resumes, you can easily filter them through a keyword search and only accept resumes that generate a certain percentage hit level.
It is important, however, that you know exactly which keywords you are looking for and that you consider possible variations or synonyms.
Content over aesthetics
It's great if a candidate creates a beautiful resume with beautiful fonts, a great layout, and even a photo. But if the aesthetics overshadow the content, it's a warning sign. Some people polish their resume to extreme shine to hide the fact that they don't have much experience.
Finding resumes with a perfect balance between content and aesthetics is the sweet spot. These resumes show that the candidate has experience to boast about and cares enough about it to present it appropriately.
Free Typos
This should be obvious. If you find resumes with typos, they should immediately go in the “no” pile. Typos indicate that an application does not show enough attention to detail. You certainly don't want to hire developers who leave typos in their code, so why hire someone who leaves typos on their resumes?
A unique file name
This may seem trivial, but if everyone hands you a resume with the file name resume.pdf, you'll have a hard time knowing which resume belongs to which developers.
Anyone who applies for enough jobs knows that a resume file should be position-specific and include a name, like bob_java_dev.pdf or even bob_companyX.pdf. The latter clearly indicates that the application has generated a specific CV for your company. This will save you some time when going through that huge pile of resumes.
Organization
A resume must be incredibly well organized. After all, you are hiring developers who should be very well organized by nature. If you receive a resume that appears to have been thrown together haphazardly so that it doesn't flow easily, that's a warning sign.
You should look for resumes that tell a very specific story, from top to bottom, that makes it seem like you know this person before you even talk to them. Highly organized resumes indicate highly organized work and that's what you look for in a developer.
Conclusion
When you have a mountain (or digital folder) of resumes to sift through, you need to have clear indicators that can help you quickly identify quality candidates. Evolve your process to include the items listed here and you will find the hiring process to be much more efficient.
Source: BairesDev
