Finding great Python developers can be hard, but making mistakes in the hiring process can make it even harder to find that perfect person to bring onto your team. In order to hire Python developers well, you must focus on these nine key areas when looking through candidates’ resumes and conducting interviews. By avoiding these mistakes, you can save yourself from bringing on bad Python developers and improve your hiring process so you’re able to find the people who are best suited for your organization or project.
1) Not knowing what you really need
No one knows your company as you do, and it can be hard to see what areas need improvement if you haven’t been working with or without a developer before. If you are looking for a development partner, spend some time thinking about what challenges your company is facing right now, and then identify how adding a developer would help overcome those challenges. Do you want to update your product? Do you want to streamline customer service? Are there basic systems in place that need some TLC? Once you have identified these needs, start searching for potential partners who align with them. A good first step might be reaching out to developers who already work at companies similar to yours – chances are they’ll understand what kinds of challenges your industry faces on a daily basis.
2) First impressions matter, but are not everything
When you get a resume and cover letter, do not base your decision solely on that. If a candidate passed their phone interview or Skype interview, get them to come in for an actual job interview. You might be surprised at how different someone can look when you meet them in person. Their resume might have been impressive, but if they’re a horrible fit for your company, it won’t matter how qualified they are on paper. Personalities tend to shine through via video chat interviews (and beyond). In these situations, you can really see how well candidates take feedback, how they react under pressure, and what their body language is like while discussing ideas with others.
3) Assuming someone will be good based on their previous experience
There are lots of reasons why someone may have a certain skillset on their resume. Maybe they studied it at school or maybe they learned about it from a friend. But having that experience on your resume is not necessarily an indicator that you’ll be good at something (and certainly doesn’t prove you’ll be great). Ask as many questions as possible during interviews to really dig into what someone knows and how they learned it before making any assumptions. This can save time and money—and make for happier employees!
4) Don’t ignore red flags about communication during the interview process
Poor communication is a recipe for disaster for any business. You want your developer to be able to converse clearly and concisely with you and your team, both verbally and through writing. If they have trouble communicating in written form (through an email exchange or a technical document), that could spell bad news once you’ve hired them on full-time. Your business can’t function without clear communication from everyone involved, so pay close attention to red flags when interviewing new potential candidates.
5) Not checking references
Make sure to ask for references and actually follow up. It’s a really bad idea to hire someone without checking on previous employers. A former boss or coworker who’s willing to talk about an employee can give you some of your best insights into whether or not they’re a good fit for your company, especially if you’re thinking about offering them a job. However, be careful when asking for references—according to experts, asking for names of previous supervisors is far less effective than simply asking if they could provide information about how well an applicant does their job, how dependable they are and what sort of personality traits make them well-suited to the role at hand.
6) Offering too much upfront money or equity
If a developer is going to work for you, they need to like what they’re doing. If you offer too much money or equity upfront, developers will jump at your offer but then be unhappy once it’s time to start building. You can even see failed startups where a new developer was brought on (maybe with an insane package) and within two weeks said he was quitting because he wasn’t happily working on this product. If you want to make sure developers stay long-term, it’s crucial that they feel like they can be themselves while working with you.
7) Not setting clear job expectations
It’s easy to see why so many companies make this mistake. You find a great candidate with experience, and you want them to join your team—so you write a job description that sounds appealing without thinking about what it takes to be successful at that job. Then, when you talk with candidates, it becomes clear that you two don’t share similar expectations. Things usually don’t work out from there. Take some time to clearly define what success looks like for a new hire—in writing—so everyone knows upfront if someone will do well in a given role. Setting clear expectations helps both hiring managers and candidates stay focused on common goals and minimizes confusion over responsibilities down the road.
8) Focusing on the wrong skill set or technology
If you’re hiring an individual, there’s little point in focusing on technical skills. Instead, hire someone with strong problem-solving skills. When it comes to hiring a team of developers, your primary concern should be finding passionate people with a desire to learn new technologies and apply these skills to real-world problems. Focus on their ability to communicate clearly, work well as part of a group and adapt easily to new challenges.
