Tom

In my years of running development teams (both internal and outsourced),
I find useful technical attributes, besides coding ability, are that the
candidate has enthusiasm and flexibility.  I have come across perfectly
competent developers who have become cynical about the development
business who soured the atmosphere (and the team).  Enthusiastic guys
often like to explain precisely why, for example, PHP v5.3 is better
than v5.2.8 - and how it might solve a problem or two for you.  Your
candidate should also be able to operate outside a narrow technical
box.  I once came across a developer who could think like a compiler but
was unable to work from a design.  Every small point had to be specified
completely.  He didn't last long...

As has been alluded to elsewhere on the thread, when taking over
outsourced developed code, a code audit is a useful process.  This
needn't take long and can point to areas of weakness (if any) that may
need to be tackled.  Simply relying on the functionality to be correct
does not guarantee decent code or database schemas etc.  It does require
a technically competent person, one who has been at the coal face and
who can spot architectural problems and so on.

Regards
Chris Powell
mindyourstreet.com

Tom Watts wrote:
> Hi everyone.
>
> Long time listener, first time caller.
>
> I was hoping that someone on this group could offer some advice...
>
> We're in the business of building and running online communities for
> research and innovation, which we deliver to brands and agencys. Part
> of our proposition is the delivery of our bespoke social network tool.
>
> To date, we have been working with an external agency, who have done a
> good job at building our product to specification. However, as
> business ramps up, we are looking to refine the product and introduce
> new features and services. As such, it has become necessary to recruit
> a developer, who is versed in the use open source tools (LAMP).
>
> We've looked around and have a good final list of candidates, who we
> feel could be a good 'fit' to our existing team.
>
> The one area that we have yet to test for is the ability to actually
> code - including their approach to coding. Not having these skills
> internally, it is difficult for us to achieve this. As such we were
> hoping to find some form of test that we could give them.
>
> In my mind, I thinking of a simple 1-2 hour exercise, whereby the
> candidates could make a simple web application/service/feature, which
> would demonstrate their skills. We have a friendly developer who could
> then look through what they have made and give us an idea of their
> abilities.
>
> Is there such a test that people know of? If not, perhaps there is a
> different approach that someone has used successfully?
>
> Either way, I would very much appreciate any ideas people may have.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Tom
> --
> Tom Watts
> Director
>
> w: dubstudios.com <http://dubstudios...;
> t: +44 (0) 20 8123 3452
> m: +44 (0) 7791 163 866
> skype: tomwatts22
>
> dub I Communities for Insight & Innovation
>
> Youmeus Ltd t/a Dub Studios is registered in England and Wales,
> Registration No: 6167745 and registered at The Pines, Boars Head,
> Crowborough, East Sussex. TN6 3HD
>
>
>
>
> --
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I suggest you ask your friendly developer to write down 5 difficult
questions for each of those technical areas, along with the answers.

Then set this test to your candidates. If it looks like they’ve scored
more than 80%, it’s worth starting an email dialogue.

Narrow down via email to 4 or 5, and then do interviews via Skype. That
should narrow you down to 2 or 3 which you could meet up with in person.

Tom Watts wrote:

type="cite">

We’re using…

Redhat
MySQL
Apahe
PHP
Javascript

Flash (though very lightly)
Wowza (again, not a main focus)


–
Tom Watts
Director

w: dubstudios.com
t: +44 (0) 20 8123 3452
m: +44 (0) 7791 163 866
skype: tomwatts22

dub I Communities for Insight & Innovation

Youmeus Ltd t/a Dub Studios is registered in England and Wales,
Registration No: 6167745 and registered at The Pines, Boars Head,
Crowborough, East Sussex. TN6 3HD

2009/4/27 Patrick McCarthy <[address removed]>

style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">

size="2">Hi Tom,

size="2"> 

size="2">Is the language just PHP or are you using others?

size="2"> 

size="2">Regards,

size="2">Patrick McCarthy

size="2"> target="_blank">UK2.NET

---

From: [address removed] [mailto:[address removed]] On Behalf Of Tom
Watts
Sent: 27 April 2009 11:55
To: [address removed]
Subject: [entrepreneur-1056] How can we test a developer’s
skills?

Hi everyone.

Long time listener, first time caller.

I was hoping that someone on this group could offer some advice…

We’re in the business of building and running online communities for
research and innovation, which we deliver to brands and agencys. Part
of our proposition is the delivery of our bespoke social network tool.

To date, we have been working with an external agency, who have done a
good job at building our product to specification. However, as business
ramps up, we are looking to refine the product and introduce new
features and services. As such, it has become necessary to recruit a
developer, who is versed in the use open source tools (LAMP).

We’ve looked around and have a good final list of candidates, who we
feel could be a good ‘fit’ to our existing team.

The one area that we have yet to test for is the ability to actually
code – including their approach to coding. Not having these skills
internally, it is difficult for us to achieve this. As such we were
hoping to find some form of test that we could give them.

In my mind, I thinking of a simple 1-2 hour exercise, whereby the
candidates could make a simple web application/service/feature, which
would demonstrate their skills. We have a friendly developer who could
then look through what they have made and give us an idea of their
abilities.

Is there such a test that people know of? If not, perhaps there is a
different approach that someone has used successfully?

Either way, I would very much appreciate any ideas people may have.

Thanks in advance

Tom

–
Tom Watts
Director

w: target="_blank">dubstudios.com
t: +44 (0) 20 8123 3452
m: +44 (0) 7791 163 866
skype: tomwatts22

dub I Communities for Insight & Innovation

Youmeus Ltd t/a Dub Studios is registered in England and Wales,
Registration No: 6167745 and registered at The Pines, Boars Head,
Crowborough, East Sussex. TN6 3HD

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Regards,

Simon
--
Simon Whiteside
Simkin Solutions Limited

Clients Include: Politics Home, WENN, FileFX,
Favy, Mather Communications, Sibelius

2a Royal Chase, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8AY
Registered in England and Wales. Company Number: 4045429
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