I think a trend I've noticed (and also lived) is that many of Silicon Valley's technical workers (software developers, analysts, and data scientists) are starting to resent the way job interviews are held. Many of them involve whiteboard coding, recalling algorithms from scratch, and question foundations that are almost encyclopedic, on top of the more normal "let's try to figure out who you are" kind of questions.
How do you see this emphasis on more human skills playing out in more technical roles or perhaps, changing the interview process all together? Many of us secretly dislike jumping through ridiculous hoops, but where and when is it necessary?
I don't think it is such a secret! My best guest is that it will take time for these interviews to focus as much on human skills as technical skills. Since technical workers are being hired for their technical skills, it is always something that will have to be on display in an interview.
I think where the shift can happen is that instead of being forced to whiteboard on the spot, a candidate will be able to submit a portfolio of work ahead of time. The interview time will then be used for the interviewee to communicate (human skill) the work they've done, why they did it the way they did, any assumptions they took, etc.
Really like this approach. While it's not the norm yet, it's beneficial for companies to ask candidates to do a short-term project as a trial period where there's a legitimate exchange of value and a time period for evaluation. The candidate gets paid, the company can possibly move forward on a project, and it's a better arena for the candidate to shine. It's how I slid into my current role.
I think a trend I've noticed (and also lived) is that many of Silicon Valley's technical workers (software developers, analysts, and data scientists) are starting to resent the way job interviews are held. Many of them involve whiteboard coding, recalling algorithms from scratch, and question foundations that are almost encyclopedic, on top of the more normal "let's try to figure out who you are" kind of questions.
How do you see this emphasis on more human skills playing out in more technical roles or perhaps, changing the interview process all together? Many of us secretly dislike jumping through ridiculous hoops, but where and when is it necessary?
I don't think it is such a secret! My best guest is that it will take time for these interviews to focus as much on human skills as technical skills. Since technical workers are being hired for their technical skills, it is always something that will have to be on display in an interview.
I think where the shift can happen is that instead of being forced to whiteboard on the spot, a candidate will be able to submit a portfolio of work ahead of time. The interview time will then be used for the interviewee to communicate (human skill) the work they've done, why they did it the way they did, any assumptions they took, etc.
Really like this approach. While it's not the norm yet, it's beneficial for companies to ask candidates to do a short-term project as a trial period where there's a legitimate exchange of value and a time period for evaluation. The candidate gets paid, the company can possibly move forward on a project, and it's a better arena for the candidate to shine. It's how I slid into my current role.