Nalee Riddell

Your developer interview process sucks 🪠: Here’s how to fix it? 1/3 👍 Are top-tier developers slipping through your hiring net? How many "perfect on paper" developers crumble during technical assessments? This is going to be part 1 of a 3-part series on refining your hiring process, specifically focusing on how to effectively qualify a candidate's technical ability. In the past few months, I’ve worked with clients to improve their interview process, and these are some of the things that I think about when designing the interview process. 🟥 Not all developers fit in the square hole – Tech test vs. Paired Programming As a software developer and a recruiter, I’ve been on both sides of the fence. I’ve taken technical tests, given them, and done my fair share of pair programming interviews. The more I reflect on it, the clearer it becomes: these approaches test very different things. Depending on what you're looking for in a candidate, one method might be way better suited than the other. 🤖 Technical Tests are a great tool for verifying a developer can fulfil the duties of their role. You find tech tests resonate best with developers who can work independently and churn out work quickly in isolation. These candidates often excel at solving problems in a controlled environment but are not necessarily the candidates you want in a highly communicative or client-facing environment. These people will often be your top developers, and you don’t want to miss out on them! 🤝 Paired Programming, on the other hand, allows you to assess how someone interacts in real-time. It’s about collaboration, listening, and adaptability. When you are pair programming with a candidate, you can quickly gauge their soft skills, how they approach problems, and how they deal with the unexpected. More importantly, you get to see how they learn and improve in the moment. Often, I find candidates who would excel in a technical test can falter in the paired programming stage due to social anxiety, lack of soft skills, or difficulty thinking out loud under pressure, even though they may be highly skilled technically. 🤔 Ultimately, you need to be more diligent when making your interview processes. Think about what the role entails. What test would best suit that individual? Cater the process to them so they don’t fall through the cracks. 🎯Are you looking for someone to be a production machine? Or a team player who you can work closely with? If you want a team player, you’re going to have a pair programming interview where you can collaborate, teach, and see their process. If you're facing tight deadlines and need a developer who will take ownership of their space - implementing a technical test can help you find that person. Tomorrow I’ll follow this up with some horror story technical tasks I’ve come across and how we can improve them to be 1. Relevant, 2. Fair in terms of time commitment, and 3. Truly reflective of the real challenges developers face on the job.

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Slowly but surely, our goal is to use our social presence (particularly on professional networks) to define process. As process drives successful outcomes in technical initiatives, and as information tends to be more practical with empirical fidelity, perhaps a great starting point for us is to define our process to those interested. Getting started on software projects takes time and deliberation. While coders can "code fast" they need to "code purposefully". Data engineers need to have, well, data. Data and UX need to have a unique sense of harmony as (and this is a bit of an infinite jest in our field) we not only need to have the data but need the data to be produced by real people or processes. Design needs to strike a balance between humanization and practicality in cognitive systems and, at the end of the day, all of these elements need to play nicely. The start? Discovery. DO IT WELL. 🏴‍☠️

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"I don't like leetcode style interviews!" See I wasn't making it up! Kurtis Nusbaum tells us more about why engineers don't like leetcode and the types of interviews that lead to a more enjoyable and effective interviewing experience.

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If you've ever had any interest in the prospect of software development but don't know where to start, here's a blog written up on Skillsoft by the very talented Alec Olson detailing a little bit about the overall gig, the tools we use, and what makes us tick. It even features a couple of quotes from yours truly! Thanks again Alec for the opportunity to share some of my experiences. https://lnkd.in/gECfjYen #coding #development #softwaredevelopment #fullstack

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This one reminds me of one of those rulers you'd use like once in elementary math classes. Anyone know what those are called? I was trying to search for it with no success. #cssbattle #cssgang #css

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🚀 Exciting Times for Developers: React 19 and Next.js 15 Are Here! 🎉 The landscape of modern web development just took another leap forward. The latest releases of React 19 and Next.js 15 remind me why I love (and sometimes fear) modern web development. These tools continue to "magically" lift the heavy lifting from developers' shoulders, enabling blazing-fast, scalable, and efficient applications with features like Partial Pre-rendering, Edge Functions, and React’s new use hook. But here’s the catch: As these frameworks abstract more complexities, they also obscure the foundational principles of web development—HTTP, DOM, browser rendering pipelines, and more. For junior developers, it can feel like building with stardust—powerful, but without always understanding what lies beneath. So, how do we strike the balance? We embrace the innovation but remain curious about the "why" behind the "magic." Because frameworks change, but the web’s foundations are timeless. 🌐 How do you approach this balance in your projects? Let’s discuss! 👇 #react19 #react #web

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🚀 Tip of the Day for React Native Developers! 🚀 If you're working with React Native, TypeScript, and tools like NativeWind and Expo, here's a quick trick to enhance your development workflow: 🎨 Combine Utility-First Styling with Type Safety! When using NativeWind with TypeScript, you can leverage Tailwind CSS utility classes while maintaining type safety. To streamline your styles and avoid errors, consider creating a TypeScript declaration file for your Tailwind classes. This way, the IDE can autocomplete your utility classes, making your coding experience seamless! 👉 Create a file called `tailwind.d.ts` in your `src` folder: ____________________________________________________typescript declare module 'nativewind' { import type { ViewStyle, TextStyle, ImageStyle } from 'react-native'; // Add your Tailwind class types here export type TailwindClass = 'bg-red-500' | 'text-lg' | 'p-4' | ...; interface NativeWind { // Extend styles [key: string]: ViewStyle | TextStyle | ImageStyle; } } ____________________________________________________ Now, enjoy the benefits of type checking and IntelliSense as you build beautiful UI components! 🌟 Let’s optimize our development experience, one utility class at a time! 🚀💻 #ReactNative #TypeScript #NativeWind #Expo #WebDevelopment #DevTips

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Commitment is scary, including learning a new tool. It takes time, and people start calling you a ___ developer (Rust Developer, VB Developer, you get the picture). I'm warming up to Supabase even though I'm late to the party, in time for Launch Week 12! One thing that put me off was the deep integration with Postgres. I mean Postgres is great, but wouldn't it be simpler to have everything in a single codebase in a single language? That's not how it is with Supabase — your code is split between SQL and TypeScript. It took me a while to be convinced that it's for good reasons: Postgres handles permissions and querying (including deep learning vectors) efficiently, better than you can really do in the layers above (Deno, React). I've reinvented permissions before, and I've wrestled with half-baked implementations — and I'm supa grateful I don't have to this time around.

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🚀 Calling all developers! I need your advice! 🚀 I’m gearing up to dive back into Full Stack Development and focus on Next.js, TypeScript, Node.js, Express.js, and TailwindCSS. With so many resources out there, I want to make sure I’m learning from the best possible (and ideally free) sources that provide comprehensive knowledge. So, I’m turning to you all for guidance! 👇 👉 Where should I start my revision? 👉 Which free resources or platforms would you recommend that have helped you master these technologies? 👉 Any tips or strategies that you’ve found especially useful? I’m all ears! Any advice or insights are highly appreciated. 🙌 #FullStackDevelopment #NextJS #TypeScript #NodeJS #ExpressJS #TailwindCSS #DeveloperCommunity #LearningJourney #WebDevelopment #FreeResources

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🎸 My most favorite thing about using Typescript! ~ When you have a reusable component and it's a massively overwhelming codebase, while using those components, it is highly likely that you won't remember the required fields. ~ Maybe you provide the fields that instantly comes to your mind, but the component required some other props to be provided based on different scenarios. ~ Using Typescript with a pinch of ESLint, just solves this problem so beautifully. ~ This actually helps fasten up a progressive static frontend engineering phase. #typescript #ihatetypescript #illovetypescript #softwareengineering #frontend #frontendengineering

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Great interview between Brian Jenney and Vanessa V. with a lot of great nuggets! Some of my favorite tidbits: - If you're an introvert, you can pick and choose the people you WANT to talk to (which could make all the difference in networking!) - Find the learning tools that work for the way YOU learn (Thanks for the Scrimba rec!) - Finding a junior role is not about a specific skill or language or tool but rather your personality and aptitude (can they see working with you? can they see you GROWING?) There are no hacks or secret passwords to getting a job in tech: sometimes it's just consistently showing up, learning new skills, and getting experience (wherever and however you can 😎 ) If you want to listen, I'll put the Spotify link in the comments but highly recommend checking these peeps out!

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 It’s long been a bone of contention that Oracle owns the trademark for ‘JavaScript’ but this marks the first serious effort to try and change that, including petitioning the USPTO, if necessary. You can support the effort by signing this open letter, joining a vast array of JavaScript luminaries. Click here to sign letter: https://javascript.tm/ #javascript #java_script #frontend #backend #nodejs

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As professionals, we've all been there - excited about a potential opportunity, only to be left in the dark. I'm speaking about the frustrating experience of going through multiple rounds of interviews, only to be ghosted by vendors. It starts with a promising call, "We have a high-demand role, and you're a great fit!" Two to three rounds of interviews later, you're told, "You've cleared the internal rounds, and now it's time for the client round." And then... silence. No updates, no communication, no closure. It's not just one vendor; it's a pattern with multiple vendors. It raises questions about the authenticity of these "client rounds" and the true intentions behind these profile submissions. I understand that not clearing an interview or not getting an interview at all can be disappointing. But what's even more disheartening is being left in limbo, wondering if the opportunity was genuine in the first place. To all vendors and recruiters, I urge you: please prioritize transparency and communication in the interview process. If a position is put on hold or canceled, let us know. We invest time and effort into these opportunities, and we deserve respect and clarity. Let's work together to build a more open and honest recruitment landscape.

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Ever had a moment in your career that you wished you could rewind? Here's a post on a decision that haunted me for years. We needed a Backend Engineer for a big project. The budget was set at $140k. But, just as we were about to make the offer, things took a turn. Despite being able to offer the full $140k, our CTO decided to cut the offer to $120k. I knew it was below what the candidate deserved, but I went along with it. The candidate, needing the job, accepted the $120k. It felt like a win for our budget at the time. But the real cost of that decision was something I hadn't anticipated. As we worked closely, developing a new project over 2.5 years, the candidate became more than just a coworker. He became one of my closest friends. Never did his salary come up, nor did he receive the raise he deserved. The guilt of my initial complicity grew every day we worked together. On my last day at the company, our farewell conversation turned to his salary. I confessed my role in the initial lowball offer. His reaction was a mixture of disappointment and understanding. It hurt to know I had played a part in undervaluing him, not just as an engineer but as a friend. This experience taught me a crucial lesson: Don't let the short-term wins dictate long-term relationships. Integrity and fairness in hiring are not just about budgets, but about respect and decency. In the end, treat every professional decision as if it's personal. It's not just business; it's people's lives. Don't make offers you might live to regret.

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I just finished up my first React Native project! I followed this tutorial from JS Mastery on youtube, but entirely in TypeScript. https://lnkd.in/geqJjUcw I learned a lot, but it felt like a natural extension of my previous React experience. The repo for the project can be found on my GitHub here. https://lnkd.in/gF-kQdeF

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Good Morning All, I’m working on a project to create an API layer using a Node.js framework. My requirements are fairly straightforward: simple CRUD operations, potential self-documentation, and a strong focus on using TypeScript. Realtime functionality isn’t needed at this stage. I’ve been exploring a few frameworks—Moleculer, NestJS, LoopBack, and FeatherJS. After some research and tinkering, I’ve concluded that NestJS seems to be the best fit for what I’m trying to achieve. Its modular architecture and TypeScript-first approach really stand out. That said, I know there’s a lot of collective wisdom here, and I’d love to hear your thoughts: 1. Have you worked with any of these frameworks? 2. Are there other tools you think I should consider for building a TypeScript API? Appreciate any insights or experiences you’re willing to share! #NodeJS #NestJS #TypeScript #APILayer #CRUD #WebDevelopment #BackendDevelopment #JavaScript #SoftwareEngineering #Moleculer #LoopBack #FeatherJS #WebAPI #OpenAPI #DeveloperCommunity #TechThoughts

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Can a website help with a broken heel? (Yes—if it’s powered by $15K+ in autopilot revenue.) My client’s ( AK ) spouse was in pain. Literally. A fall at a construction site left him with a shattered heel. But the real pain? The flood of medical bills: - Salaries. - Insurance. - Taxes. - Rent. - And now, this. They didn’t need a lifeline. They needed a lifeboat. So, we got to work. Fast. We: - Cut the fluff and honed in on what mattered. - Turned their website into a conversion machine. - Launched Google Ads sharp enough to slice through doubt. Within weeks... BAM. $15K landed in their inbox. Heel? Fixed. Bills? Paid. Stress? Gone. Profit? Pocketed. This isn’t a fluke. This is what happens when a website isn’t just a “business card” but a growth engine. Imagine waking up to sales, not stress. Imagine providing for your loved ones with a bulletproof system. This life is within reach. The question is, are you ready to stop treading water and start thriving? PS. Ready to swim with a cash boat? DM me “15K,” and let’s make this happen for you.

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Hey LinkedIn! I’ve started working on a personal project, and I’d love for you to check it out: https://lnkd.in/gHGQhK_Q 🚀 It’s a VueJS app powered by some Azure services. I’d really appreciate your thoughts! It’s far from perfect but that's fine with me! I had some major mental health struggles in 2024. I've learned a lot about resilience, self-growth, and the importance of not giving up on myself. Just a reminder... life is so much more than what you see on a screen. This site is a way for me to share my journey. My experiences as a developer in tech, insights into who I am as a person, the challenges I’ve faced, my passions, and more. Please let me know what you think. Your feedback means a lot!

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