When a small company makes its first technical hires, a wrong choice costs months. The CV tells you where someone worked; it says little about how they think. A short, structured process does better than a long, loose one.
Decide what the role really needs
Write down the three problems this person will solve in their first six months. "Own our order-processing service" asks for different skills than "build the customer app". Candidates and recruiters can only aim at a target you have defined.
Use a small, real task
Give every finalist the same short exercise taken from your actual work, sized for about two hours. Ask them to explain their choices afterwards. You learn how they read requirements, handle gaps and talk about trade-offs, which a quiz on syntax never shows.
Check communication early
Small teams run on clear writing. Ask for a short written summary of the exercise and see whether you could act on it without a call. Note whether they ask questions when something is unclear or quietly guess.
Look for learning, not a perfect stack match
Tools change faster than hiring cycles. Evidence of picking up an unfamiliar framework, reading other people's code and finishing what they start is a better predictor than an exact list of keywords.
Be clear about the offer
- Role, level and the problems they will own.
- Salary range, working hours and where the work happens.
- Probation, notice period and how performance is reviewed.
Good candidates often have several options. A prompt, honest process and a clear offer help you more than a clever interview.
When a recruiter helps
A recruitment partner is most useful when you lack the time to screen or the network to find people. Ask how they screen, what they will share about each candidate and how replacements are handled if a hire does not work out.
IT recruitment Hiring Developers
About the author
Written by Incipit Team. More articles by this author.
