How Engineering Managers Can Help Recruiters Improve Developer Hiring

The engineering manager vs. recruiter saga is an age-old story. On paper, these two seem to be destined to be good friends. After all, they have the same common goal - to hire the best tech talent for their brand. Yet, they remain at loggerheads.

One of the main reasons this happens is because both recruiters and engineering managers approach the same problem from different perspectives. Engineering managers are developers themselves, so their understanding of a role is deeper than any recruiter’s will ever be. However, since they don’t always understand the nuances of technical hiring, and are usually under a time crunch to hire, they may fail to brief the recruiting team properly. Not only this, a lack of collaboration between engineering managers and recruiters can also fail to address the other flaws in the process, and hinder any real improvements.

Building a strong recruiting process starts with building a good relationship between recruiters and engineering managers. This alignment can foster a better understanding of differing perspectives, and enhance preparation and communication. It doesn’t happen overnight - but by taking the right steps, you can ensure a frictionless developer hiring process.

Turning enemies into allies

From our recent report on The State of Developer Recruiting 2020, we know that there are some universal pain points in the developer hiring world. As the data below shows, recruiters and engineering managers do not always see eye to eye on the skills needed for the job, communication and feedback are broken, timelines for ‘closing’ a role are often narrow, and benchmarks for evaluation are not clearly defined.

Pain points in tech hiring - HackerEarth Survey

Pain points in tech hiring - HackerEarth Survey

Here are some expert tips to improve developer hiring from our resident Head TA, Jamini Pulyadath, on how engineering managers can help their recruiting team resolve their developer hiring issues (and more).

1. Hiring managers should take their time with the JD

The job description or JD is the blueprint that a recruiting team uses to source candidates. It is of utmost importance that managers spend time on creating this JD and making it relevant to the role and company.An ideal job description should detail what the developer would be required to do on an everyday basis. Most importantly it should have a list of required skills for the job, divided into ‘must haves’ and ‘good to haves’. The purple unicorn with every ace up his sleeve is a myth. Instead, it is better to know which skills are necessary and which can be taught on the job.

Suggested Reading: How To Create Gender-Fluid Job Descriptions

This helps recruiters create a broader profile for the role, instead of having to work from a narrow pool of ‘experts’ who are proficient in every skill. With a wider funnel to source from, recruiters have a better chance of hiring better candidates.

2. They should help recruiters understand desired candidate persona

Jamini gives us a very handy example. In some places, a Data Scientist is expected to work on creating better models but not really to implement them. That task is undertaken by another function. So, the onus of making a model work does not lie with the data team. In other places, the scientist might be expected to own the entire process from building data models to implementing them and tracking business changes.

Now, it is up to the engineering manager to decide which of these two profiles fits better with their tech team’s needs. Once you have realized that, go on and communicate the same to your talent acquisition team as well. This will help them as real, and important questions to candidates when they communicate with them.

As a manager, are you looking for a ‘builder’ who can innovate and create more products, a ‘nurturer’ who can help you grow your existing product suite, and has proven domain knowledge? Co-create these personas with your recruiting team and drive your recruiting needs based on these employee-specific goals rather than on traditional, and unhelpful, concerns like whether a candidate possesses a Harvard degree.

Tech recruiting cartoon

3. LinkedIn, hackathons, or GitHub – It’s a manager’s call

I need no help with increasing my talent pipeline, said no recruiter ever.

Even if you follow the above two steps, creating a wide talent pool can still be a problem. This is where engineering managers can come to a recruiter’s aid. Instead of asking recruiters to hunt for talent on the usual platforms like LinkedIn and AngelList, managers can help organize hackathons or hiring challenges.

A hackathon is usually an innovation challenge and is used more as a method of engaging with the developer community, to create a stronger brand presence, and a wider talent pool. A hiring challenge, as the name suggests, is organized as an open contest with the specific intent of hiring the winner for an open role.

A successful hackathon or a hiring challenge requires a lot of help from engineering managers. Problem statements need to be created, submission guidelines need to be approved, and an objective evaluation parameter needs to be set.

While your recruiting team can help you by connecting with expert hackathon management platforms, your role as an engineering manager will be paramount in ensuring that the event meets its desired goal.

4. Communicate and be generous with feedback

By feedback, we do not only mean the post-interview brief engineering managers create for recruiters as a standard process. It is of course important to be very timely with this, as it is important to keep communicating with your recruiting team throughout.Even when there is no open requirement, managers and recruiters can keep the communication lines open and work on their hiring practices. Diversity hiring might be an important goal for recruiters, but for that to work, they might need an extended time-to-close. Hiring managers then must be okay with not being able to fill a requirement within a stipulated time.

Also Read: How To Increase Your Diversity Hiring ROI

If you have enough candidates taking assessment tests but none of them meeting the benchmark, then you must also reconsider the fact that your assessments need rework. Or it could be that the phone screening process needs to become more robust. By continually reassessing and communicating, engineering managers and recruiters can arrive at a seamless and frictionless hiring process where they work more as allies and not as enemies.

The takeaways then...

All said and done, it is up to engineering managers and recruiters to lay the foundation for mutual trust. Communication is an easy way to achieve this, and so is understanding the other’s perspectives and goals. While speed of hiring is always imperative, it is vital to aim for a realistic pace which is data and value-driven, and also allows for other goals like diversity and inclusion.When you think of tech recruiting as a two-way highway rather than a one-way street, it gets easier to see how both engineering managers and recruiters have a role to play in it. Constant feedback, value alignment, and understanding can help foster a healthier relationship between recruiters and managers. Honestly, it doesn’t need much!

Pssst! While sourcing is an important part of the hiring process, Interviews and Assessments are just as crucial. Check out our Enterprise Platform so your tech recruiting can be flawless and hassle-free!

Revolutionizing Mobile Talent Hiring: The HackerEarth Advantage

The demand for mobile applications is exploding, but finding and verifying developers with proven, real-world skills is more difficult than ever. Traditional assessment methods often fall short, failing to replicate the complexities of modern mobile development.

Introducing a New Era in Mobile Assessment

At HackerEarth, we're closing this critical gap with two groundbreaking features, seamlessly integrated into our Full Stack IDE:

Now, assess mobile developers in their true native environment. Our enhanced Full Stack questions now offer full support for both Java and Kotlin, the core languages powering the Android ecosystem. This allows you to evaluate candidates on authentic, real-world app development skills, moving beyond theoretical knowledge to practical application.

Say goodbye to setup drama and tool-switching. Candidates can now build, test, and debug Android and React Native applications directly within the browser-based IDE. This seamless, in-browser experience provides a true-to-life evaluation, saving valuable time for both candidates and your hiring team.

Assess the Skills That Truly Matter

With native Android support, your assessments can now delve into a candidate's ability to write clean, efficient, and functional code in the languages professional developers use daily. Kotlin's rapid adoption makes proficiency in it a key indicator of a forward-thinking candidate ready for modern mobile development.

Breakup of Mobile development skills ~95% of mobile app dev happens through Java and Kotlin — This chart illustrates the importance of assessing proficiency in both modern (Kotlin) and established (Java) codebases.

Streamlining Your Assessment Workflow

The integrated mobile emulator fundamentally transforms the assessment process. By eliminating the friction of fragmented toolchains and complex local setups, we enable a faster, more effective evaluation and a superior candidate experience.

Old Fragmented Way vs. The New, Integrated Way — Visualize the stark difference: Our streamlined workflow removes technical hurdles, allowing candidates to focus purely on demonstrating their coding and problem-solving abilities.

Quantifiable Impact on Hiring Success

A seamless and authentic assessment environment isn't just a convenience, it's a powerful catalyst for efficiency and better hiring outcomes. By removing technical barriers, candidates can focus entirely on demonstrating their skills, leading to faster submissions and higher-quality signals for your recruiters and hiring managers.

A Better Experience for Everyone

Our new features are meticulously designed to benefit the entire hiring ecosystem:

For Recruiters & Hiring Managers:

Accurately assess real-world development skills.
Gain deeper insights into candidate proficiency.
Hire with greater confidence and speed.
Reduce candidate drop-off from technical friction.

For Candidates:

Enjoy a seamless, efficient assessment experience.
No need to switch between different tools or manage complex setups.
Focus purely on showcasing skills, not environment configurations.
Work in a powerful, professional-grade IDE.

Unlock a New Era of Mobile Talent Assessment

Stop guessing and start hiring the best mobile developers with confidence. Explore how HackerEarth can transform your tech recruiting.

A New Era of Code

Vibe coding is a new method of using natural language prompts and AI tools to generate code. I have seen firsthand that this change makes software more accessible to everyone. In the past, being able to produce functional code was a strong advantage for developers. Today, when code is produced quickly through AI, the true value lies in designing, refining, and optimizing systems. Our role now goes beyond writing code; we must also ensure that our systems remain efficient and reliable.

From Machine Language to Natural Language

I recall the early days when every line of code was written manually. We progressed from machine language to high-level programming, and now we are beginning to interact with our tools using natural language. This development does not only increase speed but also changes how we approach problem solving. Product managers can now create working demos in hours instead of weeks, and founders have a clearer way of pitching their ideas with functional prototypes. It is important for us to rethink our role as developers and focus on architecture and system design rather than simply on typing c

The Promise and the Pitfalls

I have experienced both sides of vibe coding. In cases where the goal was to build a quick prototype or a simple internal tool, AI-generated code provided impressive results. Teams have been able to test new ideas and validate concepts much faster. However, when it comes to more complex systems that require careful planning and attention to detail, the output from AI can be problematic. I have seen situations where AI produces large volumes of code that become difficult to manage without significant human intervention.

AI-powered coding tools like GitHub Copilot and AWS’s Q Developer have demonstrated significant productivity gains. For instance, at the National Australia Bank, it’s reported that half of the production code is generated by Q Developer, allowing developers to focus on higher-level problem-solving . Similarly, platforms like Lovable or Hostinger Horizons enable non-coders to build viable tech businesses using natural language prompts, contributing to a shift where AI-generated code reduces the need for large engineering teams. However, there are challenges. AI-generated code can sometimes be verbose or lack the architectural discipline required for complex systems. While AI can rapidly produce prototypes or simple utilities, building large-scale systems still necessitates experienced engineers to refine and optimize the code.

The Economic Impact

The democratization of code generation is altering the economic landscape of software development. As AI tools become more prevalent, the value of average coding skills may diminish, potentially affecting salaries for entry-level positions. Conversely, developers who excel in system design, architecture, and optimization are likely to see increased demand and compensation.
Seizing the Opportunity

Vibe coding is most beneficial in areas such as rapid prototyping and building simple applications or internal tools. It frees up valuable time that we can then invest in higher-level tasks such as system architecture, security, and user experience. When used in the right context, AI becomes a helpful partner that accelerates the development process without replacing the need for skilled engineers.

This is revolutionizing our craft, much like the shift from machine language to assembly to high-level languages did in the past. AI can churn out code at lightning speed, but remember, “Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.” Use AI for rapid prototyping, but it’s your expertise that transforms raw output into robust, scalable software. By honing our skills in design and architecture, we ensure our work remains impactful and enduring. Let’s continue to learn, adapt, and build software that stands the test of time.

Ready to streamline your recruitment process? Get a free demo to explore cutting-edge solutions and resources for your hiring needs.

What is Systems Design?

Systems Design is an all encompassing term which encapsulates both frontend and backend components harmonized to define the overall architecture of a product.

Designing robust and scalable systems requires a deep understanding of application, architecture and their underlying components like networks, data, interfaces and modules.

Systems Design, in its essence, is a blueprint of how software and applications should work to meet specific goals. The multi-dimensional nature of this discipline makes it open-ended – as there is no single one-size-fits-all solution to a system design problem.

What is a System Design Interview?

Conducting a System Design interview requires recruiters to take an unconventional approach and look beyond right or wrong answers. Recruiters should aim for evaluating a candidate’s ‘systemic thinking’ skills across three key aspects:

How they navigate technical complexity and navigate uncertainty
How they meet expectations of scale, security and speed
How they focus on the bigger picture without losing sight of details

This assessment of the end-to-end thought process and a holistic approach to problem-solving is what the interview should focus on.

What are some common topics for a System Design Interview

System design interview questions are free-form and exploratory in nature where there is no right or best answer to a specific problem statement. Here are some common questions:

How would you approach the design of a social media app or video app?

What are some ways to design a search engine or a ticketing system?

How would you design an API for a payment gateway?

What are some trade-offs and constraints you will consider while designing systems?

What is your rationale for taking a particular approach to problem solving?

Usually, interviewers base the questions depending on the organization, its goals, key competitors and a candidate’s experience level.

For senior roles, the questions tend to focus on assessing the computational thinking, decision making and reasoning ability of a candidate. For entry level job interviews, the questions are designed to test the hard skills required for building a system architecture.

The Difference between a System Design Interview and a Coding Interview

If a coding interview is like a map that takes you from point A to Z – a systems design interview is like a compass which gives you a sense of the right direction.

Here are three key difference between the two:

Coding challenges follow a linear interviewing experience i.e. candidates are given a problem and interaction with recruiters is limited. System design interviews are more lateral and conversational, requiring active participation from interviewers.

Coding interviews or challenges focus on evaluating the technical acumen of a candidate whereas systems design interviews are oriented to assess problem solving and interpersonal skills.

Coding interviews are based on a right/wrong approach with ideal answers to problem statements while a systems design interview focuses on assessing the thought process and the ability to reason from first principles.

How to Conduct an Effective System Design Interview

One common mistake recruiters make is that they approach a system design interview with the expectations and preparation of a typical coding interview.
Here is a four step framework technical recruiters can follow to ensure a seamless and productive interview experience:

Step 1: Understand the subject at hand

Develop an understanding of basics of system design and architecture
Familiarize yourself with commonly asked systems design interview questions
Read about system design case studies for popular applications
Structure the questions and problems by increasing magnitude of difficulty

Step 2: Prepare for the interview

Plan the extent of the topics and scope of discussion in advance
Clearly define the evaluation criteria and communicate expectations
Quantify constraints, inputs, boundaries and assumptions
Establish the broader context and a detailed scope of the exercise

Step 3: Stay actively involved

Ask follow-up questions to challenge a solution
Probe candidates to gauge real-time logical reasoning skills
Make it a conversation and take notes of important pointers and outcomes
Guide candidates with hints and suggestions to steer them in the right direction

Step 4: Be a collaborator

Encourage candidates to explore and consider alternative solutions
Work with the candidate to drill the problem into smaller tasks
Provide context and supporting details to help candidates stay on track
Ask follow-up questions to learn about the candidate’s experience

Technical recruiters and hiring managers should aim for providing an environment of positive reinforcement, actionable feedback and encouragement to candidates.

Evaluation Rubric for Candidates

Facilitate Successful System Design Interview Experiences with FaceCode

FaceCode, HackerEarth’s intuitive and secure platform, empowers recruiters to conduct system design interviews in a live coding environment with HD video chat.

FaceCode comes with an interactive diagram board which makes it easier for interviewers to assess the design thinking skills and conduct communication assessments using a built-in library of diagram based questions.

With FaceCode, you can combine your feedback points with AI-powered insights to generate accurate, data-driven assessment reports in a breeze. Plus, you can access interview recordings and transcripts anytime to recall and trace back the interview experience.

Learn how FaceCode can help you conduct system design interviews and boost your hiring efficiency.