Hiring a coder is expensive. The initial costs can typically exceed five-figure wages. After all, technical expertise is highly sought after across companies and domains.
If recruiters choose the wrong type of software engineer, the prices will only rise from there. Add in the complications of hiring programmers, and we’ve got a genuine problem.
Let’s see what the data tells us.
Time-consuming process: According to studies, hiring a software engineer might take up to 39 days.
High cost: Several estimations show how expensive it is to recruit software developers:
SHRM: According to SHRM, the average cost of hiring is $4,129, and it takes 42 days to fill a software development post.
Glassdoor estimates that hiring a new employee costs approximately $4,000 and takes 24 days.
Indeed: According to Indeed, the typical income for a software engineer is $119,630, plus a $5,000 cash incentive per year.
In this essay, we will learn how to
Assess candidates’ programming abilities.
- Lower the expense of failed hires.
- Hire job-fitting programmers.
What Is the Importance of Coding Skills Testing?
A coding skills test is useful for recruiters who want to assess software engineers’ soft skills as well as their programming abilities. Here are its main benefits:
Soft skills: Assists in evaluating a candidate’s communication abilities and ability to offer clear, succinct, and well-structured responses.
Scalability: Advanced automation makes it easier to scale the hiring process and test multiple candidates at the same time.
Quick: Aids in the rapid and uncomplicated identification of the best candidate for a position or role.
Accurate: Reduces the possibility of candidates misreporting their technical skills by requiring them to participate in live online coding test to tackle real-life problems and scenarios to demonstrate their programming expertise.
Optimized hiring: Because coders are not always brilliant at marketing their own skills, programming exams allow them to shine and stand out from the crowd.
All-round testing: Assists in hiring talented coders with talents that extend beyond coding; for example, a live interview programming test can explain in real time how the developer would solve a problem step by step, examine their soft skills, and determine how well the talent will fit into the team.
Top 9 Tips for Testing Programming Skills
There are millions of techniques to evaluate candidates’ programming ability.
Here are the top nine expert-approved tactics that recruiters can create and combine:
Tip 1: Review the candidate’s portfolio, projects, and GitHub/Stack Overflow profiles.
In the software development industry, resumes and CVs are insufficient to assess an applicant’s talents. This is why most programmers maintain a portfolio to showcase their abilities.
Recruiting managers must consider the following to gain a thorough insight of the candidate:
Candidates’ portfolios must include the following:
An “About me” section.
Overview of the projects, including how and when they were completed.
Educational background (do they have a degree or are they self-taught?)
Contact information
GitHub/Stack Overflow Profile: Both platforms allow developers to create and maintain their software. Developers can also ask questions about programming. When analyzing either profile, look for the following:
Number of projects successfully implemented.
The quality, readability, and layout of their code
New languages and frameworks. discovered how well-versed they are with the current technologies.
Contributions to open-source projects (are they contributing regularly?), which is an indication of the candidate being a strong team player.
Recent activity and the number of followers (to determine whether the applicant is a thought leader and an active member of the community)
Hobbies and interests: Hiring managers must check for additional hobbies and interests of the candidate, which may reveal insights into their love for coding.
Tip #2: Use Programming Skills Tests to Predict Performance.
Rather than depending on resumes, use strategic programming tests to objectively evaluate candidate performance and skills.
Many online platforms provide a basic online computer skills assessment to test candidates’ programming skills as well as their understanding of C – Language, Database, and Software Engineering Design.
Rather than relying primarily on theoretical knowledge, this test assesses understanding of applied skills earned via real-world work experience.
Furthermore, it includes several formats such as:
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
Multiple Answer Questions (MAQ)
Fill in the blanks.
Whiteboard Questions
Audio/Video Questions
Coding Simulators
True/False Questions
The test allows technical recruiters to:
Assess the working skills and job readiness of individuals.
Interview high-quality prospects while saving time.
Use robust reporting and extensive analysis of test outcomes to make educated judgments and forecast candidate success with the examination management system.
Tip 3: Use Live Coding Assessments for an Engaging and Immersive Hiring Experience.
One of the most contentious issues for candidates is the concept of ‘live coding,’ and for good reason. Candidates must complete a large number of tasks in a short period of time. They should do:
- Always think on their feet and act with agility.
- Be patient, composed, and ask the appropriate questions.
- Multitask and discuss their coding thought process while working on it.
- Excellent communication skills (even while coping with interview nervousness and anxiousness)
However, if done correctly, it can serve as a valuable skill assessment tool.
For example, any Live Coding Interview feature allows recruiters to:
Evaluate candidates’ thought processes and approaches by giving a pair-programming experience that allows you to see how they solve problems in real time.
Get a real-time collaborative assessment experience that reduces hiring time and eliminates the need for multiple interviews.
Eliminate written feedback and time-consuming methods.
Maintain a high invite-to-appear ratio, as the coding assessment is far from typical.
Tip 4: Provide take-home project assessments.
If candidate convenience is important, utilize the power of take-home coding tasks.
These coding tests enable candidates to
- Complete the test remotely and independently.
- Complete a real-world task in three to four hours.
The following are the main benefits for recruiters:
Provides recruiters with a full grasp of candidates’ skills in a real-world situation when doing technical hiring.
Allows recruiters to understand how prospects will perform inside the team.
Allows recruiters to see whether prospects are adaptable and can work with tight deadlines.
Every tech recruiter’s hiring technique varies depending on the project and corporate objectives. So, Mercer | Mettl makes sure to combine these approaches to hire top-tier personnel the first time around!
