Thanks for sharing about this. I don't know why the need to add the pairing step in the interview process. I am sure most devs know -or they should know- that not everyone has paired at work, and some that did had horrible experiences. Thinking on the spot is great, but don't you ignore people that are nervous? Did you find that the candidates that applied didn't meet your company's standard? Thanks for answering.
When I say pairing i mean more were both on a video call and looking at the code together. We’re not “pair programming” which some people might not have done. Having said that, we do pair program at Shootsta and expect our candidates to have good communication skills so they can engage in it confidently and productively.
I’m usually pretty good at telling the difference between nervousness and lack of skills/knowledge so it’s never really been an issue. Most complement interviewers are quite lenient with interview nerves. I for one, tend to treat every stage quite informally to increase candidate’s confidence. Relaxed conversation, cracking jokes etc. Part of interviewee skills is being able to control being nervous and reduce the amount it affects your interview performance. Everyone gets nervous, myself included! It’s all about practice.
In terms of applications, we get plenty that we filter out for not meeting the standard. I would say a high percentage of people who get to the first round though usually continue through the process.
Hope this helps!
Alex
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Thanks for sharing about this. I don't know why the need to add the pairing step in the interview process. I am sure most devs know -or they should know- that not everyone has paired at work, and some that did had horrible experiences. Thinking on the spot is great, but don't you ignore people that are nervous? Did you find that the candidates that applied didn't meet your company's standard? Thanks for answering.
Hi Gabi, I’ve only just seen this!
When I say pairing i mean more were both on a video call and looking at the code together. We’re not “pair programming” which some people might not have done. Having said that, we do pair program at Shootsta and expect our candidates to have good communication skills so they can engage in it confidently and productively.
I’m usually pretty good at telling the difference between nervousness and lack of skills/knowledge so it’s never really been an issue. Most complement interviewers are quite lenient with interview nerves. I for one, tend to treat every stage quite informally to increase candidate’s confidence. Relaxed conversation, cracking jokes etc. Part of interviewee skills is being able to control being nervous and reduce the amount it affects your interview performance. Everyone gets nervous, myself included! It’s all about practice.
In terms of applications, we get plenty that we filter out for not meeting the standard. I would say a high percentage of people who get to the first round though usually continue through the process.
Hope this helps!
Alex