How to Hire a Developer Without Being Able to Assess the Code

What you can and cannot judge

You cannot judge whether someone writes good code. You can judge whether they explain things clearly, ask sensible questions, disagree constructively, and describe past work in a way that hangs together.

Those qualities predict success in a small business at least as strongly as raw technical skill, because the role involves working out what to build as much as building it.

Buy the technical assessment

A few hours of an experienced developer's time to run a technical assessment is the best money you will spend in the process. Far cheaper than a wrong hire and far more reliable than your own impression.

A contractor you trust, a technical advisor, or a friend in the industry can all do this. Do not skip it because you cannot do it yourself.

Use a paid trial task

A small, paid, realistic piece of work tells you more than any interview: how they scope it, what they ask, how they communicate progress, and what the result is like.

• Realistic but self-contained, a day or two at most
• Paid at their rate — unpaid speculative work deters good candidates
• Similar to actual work rather than an artificial puzzle
• Assessed by your technical assessor, not by you

Questions a non-technical interviewer can ask well

1. Describe a project that went wrong and what you did.
2. Explain something technical to me as though I know nothing — because I do not.
3. When did you last disagree with a manager about a technical decision, and what happened?
4. How do you decide what to build when the requirements are vague?
5. What would you want from us to do your best work?

The second question is the most useful. Someone who cannot explain their work to you will be difficult to work with for the entire relationship.

Beware the impressive-sounding answer

Technical fluency can mask a lack of judgement. Someone who answers every question with a technology recommendation rather than a question about the problem is a warning sign, not a strength.

The developers who succeed in small businesses are the ones who ask what the business is trying to achieve before proposing anything.

Set them up properly

A first hire with no colleagues, no documentation and no clear priorities will struggle regardless of ability. Have a defined first project, access ready on day one, and a technical advisor they can consult.

Isolation is the most common reason first technical hires do not work out, and it is entirely within your control.

Frequently asked questions