“A good programmer is someone who always looks both ways before crossing a one-way street” – Doug Linder.
Recruiters are often challenged with finding talented, experienced programmers within specific salary budgets. After all, writing good code isn’t the only factor that helps you judge whether the programmer is a SuperCoder or not.
Who Is A Great Programmer?
Great programmers are rare. The top 1% of developers don’t only write codes but also have essential intangible traits. But no two programmers will have the same thinking or perception while writing code for the same outcome. It might take some time to produce the desired result; to a few, it comes naturally.
Data from numerous studies showing a 10-fold gap between the best and poorest programmers were used to learn more about them. An excellent programmer has a deep intuitive understanding of algorithms and architectures, is capable of creating new algorithms, can effectively interact with non-technical personnel on both technical and non-technical concerns, and can impart their knowledge to others.
7 Characteristics That Show an Applicant Can Be a Great Programmer
When it comes to interviewing programmers or software developers, the main goal is to find the most suitable programmer for the job, but it’s easier said than done. Here are a few characteristics that help you to distinguish a great programmer from a good one:
1. Impressive Tech Skills
One big mistake that many hiring managers make during tech recruitment is hiring from a checklist of requirements. For instance, instead of looking for three years of C++ and one year of Java experience, look at the bigger picture.
Great programmers will have worked with a handful of technologies long enough to know their way around it. As a result, they can quickly arrive at optimal solutions by combining their cognitive abilities and diverse industry experiences. To know this, hiring managers can ask for examples about their previous works, ask for references, etc.
2. Quick Learning Ability
With technology evolving, a tech programmer’s ability and skills today will be outdated in a few years. A great programmer will be the one who has an interest in following the latest trends and is eager to participate in any available learning opportunities.
Great programmers will have mastered the skill of self-learning. Therefore, during the tech recruitment process, conduct interviews to know what new things they have learned in programming, what concepts they have used, which technology they are interested in, etc.
3. Positive Attitude
A great programmer will always care for your organisation’s success. They will be willing to go that extra mile to get the job done and bring their best every day. Therefore, it’s essential to find programmers who see errors and bugs as challenges rather than failures.
Furthermore, during the recruitment process, you can ask candidates how they work with people they don’t like. You can also ask about their commute to the interview (checking if they are a complainer or someone who can adjust).
4. Supreme Communication Skills
In the world of technology, English is the defacto language of most documentation and developer interactions. Therefore, good communication skills directly correlate with good programming skills. A great programmer can understand problems clearly, break them down into hypotheses, and will be able to propose solutions coherently.
To test this skill, you can simulate a scrum meeting to see how they interact. Give them a scenario, see how they discuss it, and how articulate they are.
5. Ask About Their Use of Stack Overflow
Programming-related sites like StackOverflow will hint you how in-depth the programmer is in coding. Stack Overflow is a site used by developers wherein they share, learn, and answer each other’s programming questions. If the developer is an active user of it, it will also reveal their knowledge and how they explain certain technical concepts to others.
6. Live Coding
This is probably one of the most stressful challenges programmers encounter in tech recruiting. Of course, thinking, coding, and communicating while in the presence of an interviewer can be pretty nerve-wracking. But from your point of view, live coding tests can be a precious source of information.
This allows you to observe the candidate’s logic, their technical skills, how they think, and code under pressure. Indeed, this also allows both the parties to understand each other dynamically and will let you know whether they are the right SuperCoder for your organisation.
7. High-End User Focus
A good programmer does what is asked of them. However, a great programmer will look from the end-users’ perspective and solve problems within the organisation’s abilities. In addition, they ensure that the feature they’re building is of high value and won’t hesitate to speak up when a change is needed.
While interviewing, ask questions about responsive design, accessibility, and other areas often overlooked by developers. Also, find out if they had a time disagreeing with their project managers over a feature and how they dealt with it.
Wrapping Up
The characteristics mentioned above are just a few of the several points many interviewers look at. There are no specific rules in finding a great programmer. But these guidelines can help you pick the cream of the crop.
The talent shortage will make it harder to find a great programmer for the post you are hiring for. We at CodeQuotient, aim to prepare candidates with all the needed skills required to perform the best in their coding career. Our aim lies in solving the tech talent shortage by preparing top students from colleges to become highly valuable tech professionals, wherein you can find your great programmer. To know more, get in touch with us.
