Sonaksh began their journey in software development but found their voice in storytelling. Now, Sonaksh simplifies complex tech concepts through engaging narratives that resonate with both engineers and hiring managers.
author’s Articles
Insights & Stories by Sonaksh Singh
Explore Sonaksh Singh’s blogs for thoughtful breakdowns of tech hiring, development culture, and the softer skills that build stronger engineering teams.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Like with any other job role, in order to be a successful developer, you have to possess the required coding skills. It can also be referred to as the building blocks of a great developer.
The challenge arises when assessing them and there are numerous reasons for the same.
For starters, it could be the pressure of the interview that could hinder developers from showcasing their skillset. But there is a way to tackle this, a take-home coding test is what you need. It offers developers a pressure-free avenue to take advantage of while giving coding tests.But if the take-home coding test is flawed, then you should expect flawed results as well. This is why in this article, we’ll cover the essential basics of creating a great take-home coding test.
Take-home coding tests - what are they?
In simple terms, they’re nothing but small assessment projects that HR/recruiters assign potential employees (developers). This is done to assess their coding skills and their knowledge in the required field. Typically, the assessments aren’t easy or difficult and demand a few hours' time for their completion.This gives developers (potential employees) to showcase their best coding skills in an environment that is free of interview pressure. It offers candidates a relaxed atmosphere to work in.
Challenges faced with take-home coding tests
When it comes to take-home coding tests, it is important for the recruiter to understand that their candidates have to work on these tests outside their current working hours.
The solution
Although, the end result always depends on the candidate and the company in question. Here are a few essential tips that you should consider following for a higher rate of success in your company’s hiring endeavors.
Testing coding skills
The very first step is to make the goal of the assessment clear to the candidate. Here are a few questions you must answer as a recruiter to get a better picture of what you’re looking for:
What level of experience does this role require?
What type of coding/tech skills are we looking to evaluate?
Will a simple screening suffice or is a full-tech evaluation necessary?
Is it possible to assess their skills with automated processes or is a manual assessment required?
Now get on to the creation of the task description. Follow the below-mentioned format:
Introduction - give a brief outline of the task at hand
Instruction to start off with - write a small description of the setup and how the particular test works. This helps them start off quickly and saves time as well.
State expectations - in this part, you jot down what you’re looking for in a developer and mentioned the part of the assessment that they should focus on. This will help them showcase relevant skills to the best of their abilities.
Help - here you can state what should be done if the candidate gets stuck on a particular problem of the test.
Estimated time required - this helps the candidate plan out and save time for the test beforehand.
After this, you can automate the test so that it can be used by candidates on their devices. If you have a lot of candidates to assess, you can also use the auto-test features to grade candidates.Here are a few extra tips that you can make use of:
Make use of a Git repository rather than sharing tasks via email.
Request your candidates to create a “pull request” in place of sending an email
Offer a pre-uploaded template for the candidate to work with.
Standardize scoring system
Make sure a standardized scoring/grading system is in place, this helps in the elimination of selection bias. You can use a standard 1 - 5 scale for grading your candidates or you can also automate the scoring process, this makes it easier as well.
How to improve your take-home coding test
If you’re just starting out with these, then you should expect a couple of flaws but don’t worry it's always bound to happen, but the main problem is when your candidates don’t point out issues with the take-home coding tests.This will undoubtedly help you create a great take-home coding test.
Final thoughts
Of course, searching for the right developer is never too easy. But if you use the right strategy and implement the right techniques, it does not have to be too hard either. The above-mentioned approach is a great one and can help you hire great developers as it gives you an insight into the mind of the developers and how they tackle problems and it also helps save a lot of time.Also, why don't you check out HackerEarth's coding assessment platform, you can create coding tests for interviews with ease and it also helps simplify the process. It's a great addition to your hiring arsenal, you can start off with the free trial!
Due to the number of increasing use cases, Java is among the most used programming languages right now. This goes without saying, the demand for Java developers is never-ending. As per StackOverflow, the demand for Java developers is as high as ever and 64% of respondents also stated that it's the most used.There are quite a lot of talented JAVA developers out there but it still can be quite the hassle to find the right developer for your company. As a recruiter, you should keep an eye out for certain skills and attributes that are apt for the job role.Furthermore, as a recruiter, there are certain things you too should know about this programming language. For starters, understanding the language may not always be enough and this is why experience in Java frameworks in the Java ecosystem is crucial too. You need to know that this language is updated frequently, this means you need someone with an updated knowledge who has worked with this language recently and not the one with outdated information which is not relevant in today’s industry anymore.
What is Java?
Java is a versatile, high-level programming language widely used for building web, mobile, and desktop applications. Known for its platform independence, Java allows developers to write code once and run it anywhere. Its robustness, security features, and extensive libraries make it a popular choice for enterprise-level applications and Android development.Without further ado, let’s get started with how to screen Java developers:
What does Screening a Java Developer mean?
Breaking it down helps in understanding the role better, which in turn, helps you screen java developers better.
Skills you should look for in a Java developer
Understanding the skill set of a java developer helps you understand the skill and skill level required for this role.Here’s a brief list of skills you should look for in a Java developer while screening:
Regardless of how experienced the developer is, he should have adequate knowledge of basic data structures.
If you want to screen a senior Java developer, they should know all about multi-threading and concurrency.
If your job role requires it, then the developer should possess good algorithmic skills too.
They should have a strong knowledge of databases and should be familiar with SQL and its basics.
If the job role revolves around developing web applications, the candidate should also know about:
Markup languages like HTML, CSS, etc.
Service Oriented Architecture
Web frameworks like Spring boot, etc.
Servlets and JSP
Java certification: Is this important?
Java certification is yet another thing you should look for in candidates while hiring for a role with the same requirements. It tells you that the developer has an above-average understanding and knowledge of this language.Here’s an important point to note, every developer does not have this certification nor does every company ask for one. But as a recruiter, you should always look for someone with above-average knowledge of the programming language.
Assessing a Java developer's skills
Hiring a developer is not a difficult task if you are prepared. Here are a few tips you can implement as a recruiter to better prepare yourself for interviewing Java developers:
Learn about the specifics of the job role, this way you can understand what the job role requires.
You should know how to test their skills. For recruiters who aren’t technically sound, you can make use of online interview/coding assessment platforms like HackerEarth Assessments.
In terms of skills and experience, let your candidate know what you expect from them
Don’t stop at assessing technical skills, evaluate other attributes like team-playing abilities, communication, and many more
These are a few tips for you to keep in mind.Here are a few questions you can incorporate into your questionnaire for the interview process:
What is Java and how is it different from C++?
Explain the “IS-A” relationship in OOPs Java.
List the overloaded add() and addAll() methods that are available in the List interface. Explain their uses.
Why are contiguous memory locations used to store actual values in an array but not in ArrayList?
If you need to make multiple updates, should you choose String Buffer or String?
Explain the difference between the method of a class and a constructor in Java
List the different Thread priorities in Java.
Explain how a single try block and multiple catch blocks co-exist in a Java Program
Cybersecurity is among the most critical aspects of building an online business and it goes without saying it needs to have an expert to make sure everything is in place. Without good cybersecurity experts, it becomes an extremely difficult task to protect your company’s data, servers, software, and other electronic systems from hackers and other cyber attacks. As per Accenture data security breaches have surged by 11% since 2018.
As of today, we are in a world where almost everything is online and electronic devices are important as food, we can’t live without them. This goes without saying that our information is online too but the threat of cyber-attacks or stolen data still looms over us.
This is why cybersecurity interviews should be as thorough as any other interview for a tech role. When hiring a cybersecurity expert, you should know what the role requires, what to ask, and what you should look out for in a candidate.
What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, and data from digital attacks. These attacks aim to access, change, or destroy sensitive information, extort money from users, or disrupt normal business processes.
In essence, cybersecurity is about safeguarding the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information. It involves a combination of technologies, processes, and people working together to create a secure environment.
Key areas of cybersecurity include:
Network security: Protecting computer networks from intruders.
Application security: Ensuring software and applications are free from vulnerabilities.
Data security: Protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
Endpoint security: Protecting individual devices like computers, laptops, and smartphones.
Cloud security: Safeguarding data and applications stored in the cloud.
Importance of a thorough tech interview for cybersecurity candidates
As mentioned above, almost everything is online. To keep up with the ever-growing online population and to make the best out of this opportunity, businesses need individuals who are well versed in coding and other related aspects.
Moreover, it’s not just about coding and tech, you also need someone who can think on their feet and come up with abstract solutions for abstract problems. As a recruiter, you will find a ton of applicants with outstanding resumes, but a lot of them may not translate to practical application.
This is why you need to be thorough with your cybersecurity interview questions to hire the best candidates only. You can also make use of HR tech software and tools to smoothen the process of tech interviews. For instance, you could use FaceCode, a useful tool by HackerEarth that lets you take online interviews with an in-built code editor that can be used in real-time and comes with a lot of other features as well.
Apart from that, asking the right questions and looking out for optimal answers will get you the best candidates possible. Asking the right questions also opens up the avenue for good dialogue and helps the candidates understand the role and brand better. The answers provided will help the interviewer understand candidates better.
It also helps recruiters understand the extent of the candidate’s abilities and their interest in/towards the brand.
Interview questions to ask cybersecurity candidates
Here’s a list of 20 cybersecurity interview questions that you should ask if you want to hire the best candidate:
#1 – State your personal achievements and certifications in cybersecurity.
This is an important question, it will help you understand the candidates’ qualifications and experience. It will give you a brief look into their academic journey in cybersecurity as well from which you can ascertain if they’re a good fit for the role or not.
Any candidates who have put in the work will clearly stand out from the rest.
What Should You Look Out For?
Keep an eye out for applicants who have certifications that could close the gap in your cybersecurity system.
Don’t just look at their qualifications, look for candidates who are willing to learn on the job as well, why?
Because you need someone who can constantly grow with the organization.
#2 – Tell us, If you were a hacker, how would you steal our information?
This is a unique question and in simple words, you should look out for unique answers.
Cyber-criminals, typically are able to get into several well-protected systems because they’re either one step ahead or are extremely abstract in their thinking and if you want to keep your systems/data safe, you need someone who can match their abstract thinking.
You need someone who can understand the way they think and should be able to come up with solutions for the same.
What Should You Look Out For?
Look out for practical yet hypothetical problems with solutions. Also, someone who can read patterns and predict future trends in the digital world will be of great help, undoubtedly.
#3 – What is effective cybersecurity? How would you quantify it?
One of the cybersecurity interview questions that need not have a correct answer, you should ask this question to understand your candidates’ definition of effective cybersecurity and the parameters he/she would follow to quantify the same.
Of course, every answer will not be the same, but this will also help you differentiate between people who’ve had practical experience and those who haven’t. Although answers may vary, a good candidate will use practical examples and offer practical parameters for measuring different aspects of effective cybersecurity.
What Should You Look Out For?
Look out for the methods they use to define effective cybersecurity and more importantly, you need to know how the candidates rate and understand the different parameters involved.
#4 – When building firewalls, do you choose closed ports or filtered ports? Explain why
Talking tech terminologies and understanding them are two different things, this question helps you understand if the candidates have sound knowledge of the basics. Anyone who has been in this field will answer this question with relative ease.
#5 – Tell us about a time when you had to resolve an issue after finding a vulnerability issue in your company’s server.
The answer to this question will tell you how good the candidate is at figuring out problems and weak spots in the server. You will also be able to assess them on their problem-solving skills.
What Should You Look Out For?
The ability to take initiative, and always trying to be one step ahead are two things you should look out for here.
#6 – If there was a massive security breach? How would you inform your superiors of the situation?
One thing has always been clear in business, communication is everything, it does not matter how skilled you are, if you cannot communicate with other people within the organization, then you are not helping the organization grow.
It also helps you see how well the candidates can communicate the problem to people who aren’t well versed in tech.
What Should You Look Out For?
Look out for the ability to explain tech terms in a non-technical way. Someone who can explain the gravity of the situation without disrupting any peace.
#7 – Tell us about how well you work with a team. Give an example as well.
Working together with other employees and teams when necessary is an important part of the job description, you need individuals who can build rapport and work with other team members as well. A lone wolf is of no use to a company.
What Should You Look Out For?
It goes without saying that you need to keep an eye on someone who can be a great team player.
Again, look for moments of hesitation when you ask this question, it could indicate they may not play well with a team.
#8 – Did you ever identify an incoming cyber-attack? If so, how did you handle the same?
This can give you an insight into how good the candidate is at identifying incoming attacks, be it internal or external threats. Also, it gives you a picture of how they are handled from which you can ascertain their effectiveness and the candidates’ ability to think/act quickly.
What Should You Look Out For?
Intricate information about the cyberattacks and the candidate’s responses to the same.
#9 – What do you use in your home network?
A simple yet effective cybersecurity interview question, it will help you understand the candidates’ personal preferences in tech and how they make use of it. It is also an indication of how well the candidate’ knows the tools he’s using.
What Should You Look Out For?
Keep an eye out for how the candidate uses his/her setup, even if they don’t have the latest setup, what matters is how effectively they use their current ones.
#10 – What do you think is this organization’s cybersecurity risk?
Of course, he may not be able to give the most accurate answer given the fact that he doesn’t know all the details involved. But if the candidates recommend a one-for-all solution, that is not what you’re looking for.
You need someone who can do a risk assessment with the relevant information and accordingly comes up with an effective solution.
What Should You Lookout For?
Look out for candidates who ask for certain specific information when they’re faced with this question, you want people who will understand your system and its intricacies.
#11 – If you were our cybersecurity expert, what would you want from our company to get the job done?
In this question, it’s not just about obtaining software and quoting prices. You should look for the candidates’ interest to work with other teams for better outcomes.
You should understand if the candidates’ request is feasible or not and if it is, is it worth spending that money?
What Should You Look Out For?
Candidates who don’t just name tools and software but know how to make effective use of them and are able to come up with viable solutions.
#12 – How will you prevent a brute-force attack?
one of the cybersecurity interview questions that will help you understand how good the candidate is when it comes to preventing an attack. It will tell about the preventive measures that the candidate is familiar with.
#13 – Has there been an instance where you’ve taken down your company’s network while testing?
Although that shouldn’t happen, it is quite unavoidable. For candidates to admit the same and their experience may not be the best thing to do, but the truth is quite the opposite.
If a candidate opens up about an incident where he took down the company server, it reflects honesty and you need honest people on the team. Everyone makes mistakes, but they should be accepting of it as well.
What Should You Look Out For?
It’s simple, look out for genuine answers that reflect their honesty.
#14 – Are cybersecurity certifications the most important?
A ton of candidates nowadays come with multiple certifications, but do they think it’s the most important?
Their answer will tell you a lot about them. Of course, certifications are important but the experience will always matter slightly more. The reason for asking this is, that you need someone who understands that practical cybersecurity problems aren’t like certification courses.
What Should You Look Out For?
For candidates with relevant certifications and experience to back it up as well.
#15 – Do you have an emergency procedure in place?
Cybersecurity professionals must concentrate on both regular surveillance and application as well as long-term planning and development. This is done to prevent cyberattacks and if a cyberattack happens, they should have a contingency plan in place.
These cybersecurity interview questions will help you understand if the candidate can think one step ahead at all times.
What Should You Look Out For?
Keep an ear out for practical contingency strategies and also for prior experiences that state the same.
#16 – What is the difference between IDS and IPS?
This will help you understand how well the candidate knows his basics. IPS is basically to scan and identify incoming cyberattacks. IDS is a monitoring system.
What Should You Look Out For?
For a detailed difference between the two as they are different and yet they work together. Someone who knows will be pretty experienced.
#17 – Explain system hardening.
This refers to software and methods used to protect vulnerable systems in the organization. You need someone who can compress the attack surface effectively.
What Should You Look Out For?
A practical example of them hardening any system and how it helped.
#18 – Polymorphic viruses: What are they?
You need someone who can not only identify attacks but identify viruses as well, especially the ones that can change after it infects a file.
As an organization prone to this risk, you need someone who can identify this and provide a solution for the same.
What Should You Look Out For?
Practical ways of identifying polymorphic viruses and effective solutions. Also, look for any experience related to the same.
#19 – Explain active reconnaissance.
This refers to reconnaissance by the attackers. But this isn’t a direct attack, it’s a recon mission of sorts, mainly to steal data.
You need someone who can differentiate between different types of attacks and provide positive outcomes for the same.
What Should You Look Out For?
For any experience of the same and how they handled it.
#20 – How would you strengthen our company’s cyber defense?
You need someone who will proactively suggest effective solutions to safeguard to company’s systems and servers.
What Should You Look Out For?
Questions about the current system to make said suggestions, will help you understand how well the candidates can understand your system and provide defensive solutions for the same.
A few years ago, the concept of working remotely or hybrid-working was quite far-fetched for the general public. No one really gave it a thought, and as we all know, that changed in 2020. The effects of remote work speak for themselves.The covid–19 pandemic which resulted in a worldwide lockdown forced the hand of every corporation to work from home and this seems to be becoming the new normal. Although this shift was sudden and unexpected, over time everyone began embracing it, and for good reason.From saving cost and time to boosting productivity, the change is so significant that people now consider remote working as a crucial factor while looking out for new opportunities. Even though a certain fraction of people does want to go back to working in offices, it seems like remote/hybrid working is here to stay.
Remote and hybrid working: Impact on productivity and preferences
Before we dive into the effects of remote work models, let's understand the main difference between them.What is the remote work model?Its where an employee works from any part of the world and is not required to be in an office.What is a hybrid work model?It's pretty much the same as above, but here, the employee is expected to work from an office at least once a week.The impact of work from home on productivity is quite good, data from multiple surveys and sources state that working from home has seen an increase in employee productivity.For instance, this survey of 16,000 participants conducted by Stanford University came to the conclusion that working remotely boosted productivity by a staggering 13%. Among the main reason behind the boost can be ascribed to a work environment that is quiet and has fewer distractions enabling employees to finish more work in a relatively short amount of time and remote/hybrid working models also resulted in reduced break-time and fewer sick leaves. This can be described as one of the best effects of remote work models.
In addition to improved productivity, employee satisfaction rates also seem to be skyrocketing.
The money spent on office spaces and utilities by businesses was reduced, this seemed to be a good move because as per the Global Workplace Analytics, the system of working in offices was already on its way out. They state this on the basis of a survey as it was observed that most employees weren’t at their desk 50% - 60% of the time. Even a survey by Vergesense states that the office space utilization rate in 2019 had declined by a whopping 27%.
This benefits employers greatly, furthermore, the hybrid/remote working models let businesses attract top talent. Over the course of the last two years and several surveys later, it was seen that businesses that offered remote or hybrid working options tend to attract more talent. According to Gallup, 35% of employees will leave their current employer for a company that offers flexible working options.
As mentioned earlier, improved job satisfaction levels are one of the effects of remote work and improved satisfaction levels come with better results, which leads to increase employee retention rates. It was seen that employees working remotely had a workforce happiness index score of 75 out of 100 which is more than employees who work on-site (71/100). The mental health of employees working remotely seemed to improve as well.
By now it is quite evident that hybrid and remote working models are more preferred than working on-site. OwlLabs reports that nearly 16% of global businesses are working remotely full-time and employees wanted to work remotely after the pandemic as well, in fact, one in three employees will quit if they are not offered either.
Challenges faced by DevOps teams transitioning to a remote or hybrid working model
When it comes to remote vs in-person work, most people will choose remote work and of course, everything comes with its own set of unique challenges and remote/hybrid working models aren’t any different.Although DevOps teams, in general, are better equipped for remote working as compared to others, and over the extended period of time devoted to remote working, they too face unprecedented challenges.
Remote work for software developers is no different from other remote job roles. Effective communication is one of the key challenges faced, yes conference calls and online meetings are good but nothing beats face-to-face conversation. A bad network or service provider can hinder a meeting and misinterpretation of communication is quite common with online meetings and calls.
Speaking of bad networks, let’s not forget the fact that certain places do not have good network coverage at all. In fact, according to this study by Wallethub, it was found that not every place is suitable for remote working and since remote work enables hiring top-tier global talent, this can be quite the hindrance at times.
Recruiting may also take a hit if it isn’t handled in an appropriate manner. The process of recruiting online can be improved by using a number of tools meant for the same purpose, like FaceCode, an interview platform by HackerEarth with a real-time code editor, it helps you assess the candidates, and much more.
Every aspect of handling a business has seen a significant change in recent years and quite a lot of it is due to a storm of post-COVID technological advancements. From AI, and machine learning, to HR tech, every aspect of running a business is being revolutionized.
The recruitment industry is no different – the strategies used by HR professionals to recruit skilled candidates are currently seeing a massive change. Not all of it is tech-related; quite a lot of the changes are about employing new and impactful strategies to engage talent.
In short – this is about employer branding!
But what is employer branding in recruitment?
A relatively new concept that is making the rounds. It’s a key factor to help brands remain influential and maintain a good reputation among consumers and potential employees alike.
In fact, reputation matters so much that, according to a 2017 study, 67% of men and 86% of women in the US will not join a company with a poor reputation. Furthermore, do bear in mind that recruitment is fast becoming more like marketing. Hence, using the same strategies for employment branding is now becoming an essential part of the hiring process.
Marketing + employer branding… but why?
The answer is simple, to attract the best talent there is. With start-ups popping up around every corner complementing the high scarcity of skilled candidates, recruiters are forced to re-strategize and adopt new strategies.
As a recruiter, you must understand one thing, treat candidates like you would treat a customer and the job role is the product you are offering them. This can be done with a great recruitment strategy and employer branding.
Multiple top-tier brands have already adopted this strategy. For example, Starbucks has quite successfully created a great work environment. They use their social media handles to let the world know how good their employees are.
Additionally, they also have a separate social media handle to connect and interact with job seekers. This is a great example of an employer brand.
Employer Brand: A Definition
The term “employer brand” is used to define an organization’s reputation from the perspective of potential candidates/employees and is also used to convey the brand’s values and how they treat its employees.
Employer branding refers to the process of how an employer brand is made and maintained.
Employer branding has a direct impact on recruitment numbers as brands with a good reputation attract and retain more employees. Furthermore, they’ll also witness a significant increase in employee satisfaction as compared to brands with poor reputation.
As per TalentLyft, around 83% of employed individuals will quit their current job if they get an offer from another organization with a better reputation. This clearly shows how important employer branding is.
How Building An Employer Brand Will Help Your Business
When recruitment branding strategies are a huge part of the recruitment process, it comes as no surprise that there are a slew of benefits that follow. From attracting and retaining top talent to boosting your organization’s performance, there are many.
But it will all only come together when you implement an effective recruitment branding strategy. Mentioned below are a few pointers on how to build a strong employer brand.
Low Cost Of Hiring
As per these statistics by LinkedIn, you can reduce your organization’s cost-per-hire by a whopping 50%.
If you’re thinking it may also reduce the quality of candidates, in the same report you can also see that a good employer branding strategy attracts more qualified candidates. Taking simple steps such as letting everyone know about your workplace values through social media posts and similar activities can go a long way in attracting top talent without much investment.
A follow-up to the previous point, a good employer branding strategy makes it easy for recruiters to connect with skilled and exemplary candidates.
Typically, a lot of effort and resources would go into attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent, but the winds are changing direction now. By creating a good employer brand you can attract top talent without hassle. All it takes is maintaining a positive work culture and letting people know about it.
Improved Retention
Employer branding isn’t only used for attracting top talent, it is also used to improve retention rates and decrease employee turnover rates.
By bonding with potential employees during the hiring process, you’re promoting a good level of engagement with the brand and when employees are engaged/interactive, it boosts productivity levels as well.
Increased productivity also means decreased employee turnover rates and improved retention rates.
More Brand Credibility
With a great employer branding strategy, the brand’s credibility improves as well. It’s common knowledge that customers would not like to interact with brands that have a bad reputation. This means if you want customers to interact with your brand, you need credibility.
When you employ a good employer branding strategy, it can create a ripple effect in boosting the brand’s credibility.
Boost Organization’s Performance
When a brand has a good reputation, people are more likely to interact with them and buy its products/services. But the same cannot be said for brands with a negative reputation. Let’s take Apple, for example. A big brand with a great name managed to besmirch its name briefly due to a scandal, where they purposely slowed down old versions of iPhones and this negatively impacted their brand name and business.
In 2017, as reported by LinkedIn, it was seen that brands with great employer branding saw their revenue increase by 20% and this speaks volumes.
Tips To Build An Employer Brand
If you want to build an effective employer brand, then remember, it’s the small things that matter most. For instance, you should give employee reviews the same attention you give customer reviews. Similarly, there are other things you can do to improve employee experience and become a great employer brand.
Build a delightful hiring process
If you want the best candidates to join your organization, you need to have a good hiring process. When the recruitment process is enjoyable and engaging for the candidate, the enthusiasm is carried over when they’re hired and this improves employee performance and increases retention rates as well.
You must make the candidate feel valued. Apart from using HR tech tools, there are other things you can do to make the process delightful as well:
Pay attention to employee experience
Among the most important points, always pay attention to employee experience as it matters a great deal. The experience of the employee always affects engagement with other employees. With good employee experience, you can see improved engagement levels, and good engagement levels translate to higher productivity.
Furthermore, employee experience also affects retention rates, if employee experience isn’t up to the mark then employees will start to quit, thus increasing employee turnover rates. But with positive employee experience, retention rates will improve.
Providing perks that matter to the employee
Employee benefits and perks are crucial. Your employees need to feel rewarded for everything they’re doing for the organization. As per this report by Aflac, nearly 49% of employees look for new job opportunities if their current employee benefits and perks aren’t satisfactory.
Benefits and perks, typically, are extended to the employees’ families as well, covering everything from health to financials. Perks are a little different than benefits, perks are added benefits and brands nowadays are leaning toward offering several great perks like flexible working hours, work-from-home options, and other similar benefits.
Let’s take Google, for example. They’re known for offering great employee perks like flexible work schedules to building in-house gyms for employees. They also offer sleep pods for employees to take power naps and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
With work-from-home taking over, the perks offered are even more attractive, like, lack of micro-management, hybrid working options, options to choose your login and logout timings, live workout sessions, free food delivery coupons, and much more.
With great perks
… how great is that?
Offer learning and development opportunities
The opportunity to learn and grow is a major deciding factor for candidates when they’re on the hunt for a job. As per a 2020 survey by Stack Overflow, it was seen that 59% of candidates are looking for an opportunity to learn and develop their skills as well.
In addition to that, when you ask employees to learn and develop additional skills, they are engaged and they also cement their place as valuable assets who deliver quality great results.
Align your Employer Branding Strategy with Overall Brand Strategy
Remember Employer Brand and Corporate Brand are two different sides of the same coin. A corporate brand’s main aim is to increase sales and bring in revenue, whereas, an employer brand maintains focus on the recruitment and retention of employees.
Employer branding strategy involve understanding if the workplace is good enough for employees, introducing inclusive policies, and looking out for barriers in the recruitment process. So to get the best result, it is important to align their objectives and prioritize both of them equally. If they aren’t, then it could affect your recruitment process as well as your business operations.
Seek the expertise of the marketing team
As previously mentioned, recruitment has become more like marketing in recent years and it only makes sense to take the guidance of marketing experts.
You should be able effectively to market the job role and the brand to potential employees and candidates. Incorporating content based marketing into your strategy ensures that your efforts respect candidate preferences while building trust and transparency. With the help of a marketing team, you can do the same in the most effective manner.
With strong competition on the rise, an effective marketing strategy aligned with your recruitment goals will help you attract and hire top talent.
Monitor employee reviews as much as customer reviews
Just like a customer who reviews products online before purchasing them, people research brands before sending over their job applications.
The best way to know about a brand’s workplace environment is to read online reviews of the same. Of course, getting a positive review from every employee (past or present) may be impossible but how you respond to them also tells a lot about your brand’s values.
On the off chance you come across a credible negative review, make sure you address it.
Building an employment brand is as important as building your organization’s corporate brand. If you can recruit top talent then the success of your corporate brand increases as well.
How HackerEarth can help build an employer brand
Innovative assessment tools: HackerEarth’s cutting-edge assessment tools enable companies to showcase their commitment to hiring the best talent through merit and skill, reinforcing the image of a quality-focused employer.
Enhanced candidate experience: The platform’s user-friendly interface and efficient process enhance the candidate experience, reflecting positively on the employer’s brand.
Customizable challenges: By offering customizable coding challenges and skill assessments, HackerEarth allows companies to align their recruitment process with their brand ethos and values.
Global reach: The ability to reach a wide, global talent pool with HackerEarth’s platform showcases a company’s international presence and appeal, enhancing its brand image.
Data-driven insights: The platform provides data-driven insights into the hiring process, showcasing the employer’s commitment to transparency and informed decision-making.
Diversity and Inclusion: By facilitating unbiased and skill-based assessments, HackerEarth helps companies in promoting diversity and inclusivity, which are key aspects of a modern employer brand.
With SQL taking its place among the most popular developing languages for the management of data, as per this 2021 report by Statista, SQL is pretty much the most popular language, and hiring developers for the same is a smart move to make. This is why it is quite important for companies to take interest in it and to further make use of it
Organizations can use this language for data analysis, management, and much more. This is exactly why you want to make sure you find the right SQL coding developer for your organization.
Technical recruitment can be quite challenging but there are things you can do apart from just asking the same old questions for an effective interview process. Hiring developer needn’t be difficult at all, want to know how? Keep on reading
How Technical Recruiters Can Step Up Their Game
Given how the landscape of technical recruitment looks right now, especially post pandemic, it is imperative that recruiters level up their game.
Asking the same old SQL interview questions will not work as great as before, as a recruiter apart from looking for developers, you must also look for ways to render your recruitment game much more efficient. From learning new skills to being more inclusive in your approach, there are a ton of things you can do to keep pace with the ever-growing world of tech recruitment.
Set Clear Expectations
Setting clear expectations is something that should be among the top priorities in your recruitment process.
You can only assess the candidate thoroughly when the candidate understands what is expected of him/her. During the very first interview process, setting clear objectives is important. This also means that you will be offering your candidates a realistic preview of the job.
When you talk about objectives and expectations, you should get the candidate excited about the role. With clear objectives in mind, it will be easier for the candidate to understand what they must do to secure their position and they will also know what to expect from the job as well.
Use Real-World Problems
Hiring a skilled developer sounds good but know that just developing skills aren’t enough. Having adept problem-solving skills can go a long way, it can also improve their developing skills. Problem-solving is an indicator of a great employee.
To assess their problem-solving skills, you ought to use real-world problems. Using real-world scenarios will also give you a good idea about their skills, being able to solve real-world problems also showcases:
Adaptability
Creative thinking
Analytical thinking
So by bringing this method to the table, you are not only hiring developers who know the language, but you are also hiring someone who will take initiative and try to bring out the best in themselves.
Look Beyond Technical Skills
As a follow-up to the point above, looking beyond technical skills and problem-solving skills definitely pays off.
It doesn’t matter how good the candidate is unless he is the right fit for the organization. You need to look for open-minded individuals who can be great team players as well. You need people who will stick around for a long period of time, someone who is befitting to the work environment the organization has to offer.
Use Tools
There are several platforms for hiring developers that take the process of screening and interviewing to a whole new level.
Gone are the days where you had to take an interview and then ask the candidate to write a code on paper. With interview and screening tools, you can request the candidate to work on a code right then and there, after which you can use assessment tools to give your candidate feedback immediately.
Online Tech Forums and Communities is one of the best places to find developers. This concept is relatively new, but engaging with developers and coders through these forums will give you several options and also this is a way of sourcing candidates even before a job vacancy pops up.
SQL skills required for developers
SQL, or Structured Query Language, is the backbone of many modern data operations. But when hiring SQL developers, it’s essential to remember that you’re not just looking for someone who knows how to write a query. You’re searching for a multifaceted individual with a blend of technical knowledge and other attributes that make them an invaluable asset.
Here are the skills to look for:
Strong foundation in SQL: At its core, an SQL developer should possess a robust understanding of SQL syntax and structures. This includes crafting complex queries, understanding JOIN operations, and implementing sub-queries and triggers.
Database design and normalization: Proficiency in designing databases is crucial. A skilled developer should understand normalization principles to ensure data integrity and efficiency.
Knowledge of RDBMS: Familiarity with popular Relational Database Management Systems, like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, or SQL Server, is essential. Each system has its nuances, so knowledge of your specific platform is a plus.
Performance tuning: Writing an SQL query is one thing; optimizing it for performance is another. Candidates should know how to analyze query performance and make necessary adjustments.
Understanding of indexing: Knowing how and when to use indexes to optimize queries is a hallmark of an experienced SQL developer.
Stored procedures and functions: The ability to create and modify stored procedures and functions allows for more complex operations and can help with performance.
Integration skills: Often, SQL databases don’t stand alone. Your developer might need to integrate them with other systems, so familiarity with integration tools and methodologies is a plus.
Backup and recovery: An understanding of backup techniques, and secure methods, such as air gap backups,, as well as the ability to restore data in case of failures, is crucial.
ETL processes: For businesses that rely on data warehousing, knowledge of ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes can be invaluable.
Soft skills: Beyond the technical, effective communication is vital. SQL developers often need to collaborate with other teams, gather requirements, and sometimes explain complex data concepts in layman’s terms.
Problem-solving and analytical thinking: Databases often present intricate challenges. A sharp analytical mind, combined with a problem-solving attitude, can set a great SQL developer apart.
The tech world evolves rapidly. Along with these skills, a top SQL developer should also demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning, staying updated with the latest in database technologies and best practices. With increasing concerns about data breaches, an understanding of security protocols and best practices is also crucial.
Sample SQL Interview Questions
Here are a few sample questions you can refer to:
List out the standard SQL commands.
Explain the different subsets of SQL
Explain what Relational Database Management Is
List out the differences between outer join and inner join
How does data normalization work and what is its purpose?
What Is Union?
What is a UNIQUE constraint? Explain.
How do you copy one table to another?
How do you insert a row for identity column implicity?
Explain the difference between multiple-row functions and single-row functions
What would be the output of the below-mentioned query of an employee table with 10 records?
What is an execution plan? How do you view it and use it?
Given below is customer table with data for which you must write one SQL statement link and sequence customer names in the following single semicolon-separated string
Sebastian V; Akshay Varma; Manoj Kumar; Shrishti Singh; Abhay
Explain the difference between varchar2 and char?
What is the NVL function in SQL? How is it different from NVL2?
Give the SQL statement for the below
In the below mentioned table
Write a query to list out people who attended class more than once in a single day. Let the order start from the most recent and group it by the user and lesson attended.
These are some of the questions you can ask when you’re in the process of interviewing and a hiring developer, but remember that a well-planned recruitment strategy always pays off in a great manner.
Moreover, technology has the answer for all the above, there are multiple tools available through which you can elevate your recruitment strategy. Like HackerEarth’s live interview tool which allows real-time code editing, similarly, there are other tools.
So don’t wait too long to make your recruitment game strong.