The main purpose of dev.to is not to please LinkedIn’s corporate theater, but to speak directly to other developers like myself.
So let’s be honest: in the IT market, most people spend a good portion of their careers building a personal brand in pursuit of a better life.
“Better” is subjective. It usually means higher income, a supportive work environment, room to learn and grow, and an interesting product to work on.
Building that personal brand also requires a lot of preparation so you can prove you’re capable of solving a company’s daily challenges. And we all know how exhausting that can be. The market has been bad for a while, making job seeking pretty much unbalanced. The interviewer barely needs effort to convince the candidate.
That said, I’ve recently found myself on an unexpected mission: evaluating other people’s skills and helping decide on a new teammate, alongside some very talented and genuinely great people. The process confirms a few clichés and imposes some interesting challenges.
In this post, I’d like to talk about what I expect from a candidate, but also what a candidate should expect from me. And my favorite part: my struggles. 🙃
You need to express your thinking clearly and half of that responsibility is mine
This is a tricky one: I can’t guess what’s going on in your mind, so both your approach and mine shape the overall perception.
More than that, clear communication is arguably the most important skill any team needs.
If we’re going through a coding challenge, you need to think out loud. Take a moment for an initial scan, but then start explaining your thoughts in detail. This is especially important because (here comes the cliché) understanding how you approach a problem matters more than solving 100% of it. No one expects you to perform perfectly under pressure.
Theory is important as hell, and it's not about "memorizing what you never use"
For you and me.
If the interview is more of a “question and answer” format, it’s on me to turn it into a fluid, friendly conversation... and that often requires improvisation. There will be moments when your answer is incomplete or slightly off, and it’s my role to help you expand on it.
By “help” I mean creating space for you to demonstrate what you know and rethink your approach. This matters even when your answer is already strong because it shows curiosity and a willingness to go deeper, which earns extra points.
And that leads to the next challenge…
I need to know what I’m talking about
During these conversations, candidates have every right to ask questions, and that puts some pressure on me too. But it’s also a great opportunity to grow.
I’m rooting for you 🤞
Even though interviews cost the company time and take me away from other responsibilities, I genuinely hope you do well and that we end up working together.
Despite being an evaluation process, remember: everyone involved is on your side.
Don’t tie rejection to your self-worth
This should be obvious, but it’s completely understandable how rejection can affect self-esteem. There are countless factors influencing a hiring decision, and it’s simply impossible to fully capture every developer’s strengths.
Remember: everyone involved is learning.
We’ve all been through hiring processes, and we know there’s a fair amount of luck involved.
Wrapping up
Interviewing can be fun. It pushes us, as developers, to reflect on what a role truly expects from us.
If you have the opportunity to do it on behalf of your company, embrace it and get yourself thinking on a new organisational level.
I could write forever about it, but will keep it short. Let's keep the discussion on the comments! Tell me if you have been through a similar experience.