Monthly Archives: March 2004

Risky Projects Require Diverse Teams

Posted on March 31, 2004 by johanna

I was talking to a hiring manager recently, and she said, “I’d like to get another developer just like Stan.” Well, Stan is a good guy and a talented developer, but why look for someone just like him? The manager … Continue reading →

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Getting Your Resume Read at Microsoft — or Anywhere Else :-)

Posted on March 18, 2004 by johanna

Thanks to Brian, I discovered this gem on resumes and first impressions. I especially like the first point: “Concise – keep it short and to the point.  Tell us about your accomplishments as well as your responsibilities.  Don’t spend a … Continue reading →

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Do You Love Your Job?

Posted on March 17, 2004 by johanna

Ok, I admit it. I have this strange fascination with “The Apprentice.” This morning on the “Today” show, Donald Trump and Matt Lauer “interviewed” 8 candidates to be on “The Apprentice” next season. (If you’re watching for interview tips, stop. … Continue reading →

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Domain Expertise: Solution-Space and Problem-Space

Posted on March 16, 2004 by johanna

There are two kinds of domain expertise: solution-space and problem-space. When a candidate understands the technical issues behind how your product solves the customers’ problems, that’s solution-space domain expertise. When a candidate intimately understands the problems your product is trying … Continue reading →

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Selecting Sourcing Support

Posted on March 15, 2004 by johanna

I was reading Alan’s blog and came across this gem, Progressive Recruitment. Computers are good for lots of things, and mindless searching is certainly one. But mindless searching isn’t sufficient when sourcing candidates.If you’re looking for sourcing support, ask questions … Continue reading →

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“Where Do You Want to Be in Five Years?”

Posted on March 12, 2004 by johanna

It’s common for candidates to be experts in some technical area that the manager knows little about. Sometimes managers don’t realize how to ask questions about the qualities, preferences, non-technical, or technical skills, so the manager asks, “Where do you … Continue reading →

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Ask Questions About Integrity

Posted on March 8, 2004 by johanna

I was discussing how to hire a senior manager with a colleague the other day, and he said, “How do I know I’ll hire someone with integrity?” Good question. In my experience, a person requires at least dozen or so … Continue reading →

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Article posted: “Two Candidates. One Position.”

Posted on March 3, 2004 by johanna

I write a “management fix” column (alternating with Esther and Elisabeth) for Better Software and February’s column was “Two Candidates, One Position.” Enjoy! Labels: hiring decision Tweet This Post

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Testing a Candidate’s Technical Knowledge and Acquiescence — or Lack Thereof

Posted on March 1, 2004 by johanna

In Michael’s comment to When Candidates and Interviewers Disagree About “The Answer” he raised a critically important point: how much does the the candidate know about this issue and how hard will the candidate push to make sure that the … Continue reading →

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