The demand for skilled developers is rising rapidly and with the pace of innovation in tech, hiring the right talent is more complex than ever. For non-technical recruiters and HR professionals, evaluating a developer’s coding ability can feel nearly impossible. How do you assess coding skills when you don’t write code yourself?
Resumes and traditional interviews often miss the mark when it comes to spotting real technical talent. Even seasoned hiring managers with technical backgrounds can find it difficult to assess candidates across dozens of programming languages and frameworks.
But what if there was a way to run real-world programming challenges, SQL tasks, and other hands-on technical assessments without needing to write or understand code yourself?
What if non-technical recruiters could confidently screen and shortlist the strongest candidates using measurable, challenge-based evaluation that could end up saving valuable time for engineering teams?
In this guide, we’ll explore exactly how that’s possible – so you can level up your tech hiring process, even without a technical background.
- Assess their Problem-Solving Skills
- Use Coding Assessment Platforms for Conducting Programming Tests
- Evaluate their Soft Skills
- Review Portfolio and Past Projects
Assess their Problem-Solving Skills
The skill that sets apart great developers are their problem solving skills. As it is rightly said, great developers are not just proficient in programming languages, they are excellent problem solvers. Their ability to break down complex challenges and find logical solutions is far more important than memorizing syntax.
- Ask scenario-based questions that test logical thinking. For example: “How would you approach a situation where a website suddenly starts loading slowly?”
- Use real-world coding challenges that require problem-solving rather than theoretical knowledge.
- Gauge their ability to explain solutions in a simple and structured manner.
Use Coding Assessment Platforms for Conducting Programming Tests
Resumes are not enough, recruiters need to check if the candidates can code in real time. But traditional hiring processes are time consuming as there is a dependency on tech teams for reviewing codes, as hiring managers do not know how to code. Plus, chances are that it could still lead to wrong hires.
To make hiring faster and more efficient coding assessment platforms like CoderScout can be really helpful since these tools help you in automating the screening process so that recruiters can confidently make data-driven decisions ensuring that only the most qualified candidates move forward.
CoderScout has an entire catalogue for creating pre-employment challenges for a variety of popular programming languages like Java, JavaScript, Python, C# and more.
What to Look for in a Coding Assessment Platform:
- Code Playback: See how candidates arrive at solutions rather than just reviewing final answers.
- Automated Scoring: Let the platform evaluate correctness, efficiency, and best practices.
- Plagiarism Detection: Ensure originality in coding submissions.
- Customizable Tests: Allow recruiters to assess skills based on company-specific needs.
- Language-Specific Evaluations: Ensure the platform supports tests in the programming languages most relevant to your needs.
CoderScout provides code playback, AI-powered evaluations, and an easy-to-use interface that helps recruiters make informed decisions and simplifies tech hiring.
Evaluate Soft Skills
Technical skills alone won’t make a great developer. Strong soft skills and cultural fit are just as essential, especially in remote or cross-functional teams.
Here are some key soft skills:
Key Soft Skills to Assess:
- Problem-Solving Under Pressure: A great developer can remain calm and think clearly when facing unexpected challenges. They should be able to break down a problem, explore different solutions, and implement fixes efficiently, even when under tight deadlines.
- Adaptability to New Technologies: The tech landscape is constantly evolving, and developers must be able to quickly learn new tools, languages, and frameworks. Look for candidates who have a history of upskilling themselves and show enthusiasm for continuous learning.
- Critical Thinking: A strong developer can analyse complex situations logically and make well-reasoned decisions. They should be able to assess the pros and cons of different solutions and justify their approach with clear explanations.
- Teamwork & Communication: Developers rarely work in isolation, so collaboration is crucial. They should be able to communicate their ideas clearly, provide constructive feedback, and work effectively with designers, product managers, and other stakeholders.
- Culture Fit: A candidate might have excellent technical skills, but if they don’t align with your company’s values and working style, they may struggle to integrate into the team. Assess how well their work ethic, attitude, and personal goals align with your organization’s culture.
Interview Tip: Ask behavioural questions like “Tell me about a time you had to quickly learn a new technology” to gauge adaptability and mindset.
Review Portfolio and Past Projects
Any passionate developer, however junior they may be, should have a programmer portfolio. Portfolios are one of the best ways for developers to showcase their coding skills through personal projects, offering a unique chance to make a lasting impression. They come in many forms, from single web pages for junior candidates to complex software projects for senior and managerial applicants.
What to Look for in a Developer’s Portfolio:
- Project Diversity: A variety of projects that demonstrate adaptability across different technologies.
- Clear Documentation: Well-explained projects with problem statements, solutions, and technical choices.
- GitHub Contributions: Frequent commits and collaborative work in open-source projects.
Portfolios are incredibly useful in the recruitment process as they reflect a candidate’s development level, career goals, and the skills they are focused on acquiring.
🚩Red Flags: Lack of a portfolio, difficulty explaining past work, or showcasing only academic projects with no real-world experience.
CONCLUSION
Hiring developers when you don’t have a technical background can feel overwhelming. But with the right approach, you can confidently identify top tech talent. By focusing on problem-solving skills, using coding assessments, evaluating soft skills, and reviewing past projects, you can make smarter and faster tech hiring decisions by saving time and money for your organization.
All of CoderScout assessment challenges are designed by keeping non-technical hiring managers in mind. With the Leaderboard feature, once applicants complete the tests, you can easily review the top candidates based on their scores.
Sign up for free today and see how CoderScout can help you identify the right talent for your company.
