Hiring managers, how much do you care about candidates specific tech stack?
Posted by sufficiently-neat@reddit | ExperiencedDevs | View on Reddit | 31 comments
My experience is heavily in Nodejs but I always get asked how well I know Java/C#. Obviously I am not an expert in Java or C# but we all know it’s not that difficult to transition to a different language/framework. When you’re interviewing a candidate, how much does their specific stack matter?
symbiatch@reddit
No, we don’t all know it’s not that difficult. I mean, are you really saying you would learn a whole ecosystem just like that? Why haven’t you already done that and then you wouldn’t need to ask this? I think that answers the question.
Rarely do companies wait for you to actually be proficient in what they do, or want to pay for it.
startupwith_jonathan@reddit
node devs in java cosplay
iRhuel@reddit
I feel attacked
PoopsCodeAllTheTime@reddit
Oh, I did write a lot of Java scripts, oh no, that’s a typo, of course I know your language Java, and I’ve been programming nodes with it
nugenki@reddit
How do you do, fellow Object-Oriented Programming language?
unconceivables@reddit
Not so much the language as what you've worked on. I'd not hire someone with only frontend experience to work on a complex backend. Sure, language syntax can be picked up easily, but that's a tiny fraction of the experience needed.
lphomiej@reddit
For me, the specific stack doesn't really matter. When interviewing, I'm looking to match up the thing the person *absolutely loves* doing with a gap in the team's overall skills -- so that I can slot them in where they're happiest and most productive. I'm also happy to help people train and grow and a couple weeks of training or a little extra mentorship to understand our projects is a drop in the bucket in the long-term.
Ttiamus@reddit
In general, not much... but it depends on what I am hiring for. I have two teams of 3. We are a C# shop. If you're interviewing for a lead position and havw never touched dotnet, it is going to be hard to win me over. I have confidence that within a few months people can pick up new languages and contribute... not sure about getting deep enough to technically guide and direct others in what they may be doing wrong in the framework.
Empanatacion@reddit
This sub has a very particular opinion on that topic that I don't think is as universal as it would seem here.
Along with an orthodoxy about what senior/staff/principal "truly" means, practices differ the further down from FAANG you go.
Smaller shops care more about your specific tech stack.
it_rains_a_lot@reddit
I only am very familiar is the JS stack. Just got hired for full stack including Python. I don’t know Python 🤷♂️. At the end of the day, it’s the luck of the draw if the manager had patience for you. I focused on transferable soft skills not hard skills
Probono_Bonobo@reddit
Hell yeah, bro! If you're looking to ramp up quickly, The Python Cookbook by David Beazley is outstanding.
sufficiently-neat@reddit (OP)
That’s awesome!
kogitatr@reddit
My interview usually around fundamentals, pattern and principles. Had hired folks from various stacks as well. Also had the first hand experience from php to java to TS To Go with no issue. Not so sure if i jump rust tho lol
honestduane@reddit
My perspective might be different than some but my experience is that if they don't have specific stack experience they're not worth looking at but otherwise if they can show the right experience that I'm not really worried about throwing them into a new stack.
And I'm not gonna mention the stacks here 'cause I don't want to start any religious wars.
arstarsta@reddit
Personally if the there is a lack of candidates then it don't matter. But in the current market you probably won't be picked if there is 20 applicants that have the experience.
originalchronoguy@reddit
Look at this way. It is a "buyer's market"
There are 20 applicants. If 19 out of the 20 applicants match every bullet point of their job description and you don't. the other 19 are better suited candidates.
Employers can be picky. They have the pick of the litter.
Shoot your load, apply. But know you may be a better fit if your targeting is aligned to your profile.
drguid@reddit
Hiring managers on the whole are idiots. I've had people tell me that the code I write at home on my personal projects is not the same as commercial experience.
originalchronoguy@reddit
Its not, I tell them the personal projects I do is better than any job I've held.
RedditUserData@reddit
Do I care? Not a lot. But when an open role gets 200 applications in a weekend and 10-20 have the experience we are looking for then you aren't standing out which isn't great for your chances. Generally we'll start interviewing those first if they aren't good enough then we'll move on to others who might be able to do the job with a little bit of training. That's where you would fall in. So it's not that we care a ton, it's just that there are people applying that do have the experience we are looking for.
It used to not matter at all not employers can be pickier now.
sufficiently-neat@reddit (OP)
That makes sense. I have no problem getting interviews, I think the resume is doing its job. But I do think I am losing against candidates that do have direct experience with the specific tech stack the company is using. Thank you for your input
ortica52@reddit
Not very much. However, the market is not great (for applicants) right now, and if I’m deciding between two great candidates and one has experience in the stack we use, I’ll of course pick that one.
That doesn’t mean I would never pick the one who doesn’t have that experience, but they would have to stand out in some other way.
If you’re having these conversations with hiring managers, that’s a good sign. They wouldn’t be asking if they weren’t interested. If you keep applying to these kinds of roles, you should do some small personal project in one or both of those languages and then you can say “unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to work with all that much professionally, but I love it so I’ve used it for personal projects!” or something like that.
sufficiently-neat@reddit (OP)
That makes sense. I might need to build a project and target a specific language. Or create a project in each language I apply for lol
Brutus5000@reddit
Simple: I don't hire Senior Devs without matching tech stack as long as there are enough candidates that have matches.
Tech stack is not just language. E.g. I hire Java devs for a Kotlin position because it's almost the same - if they worked with our Java technologies instead of the very different pure Kotlin ones (because that is what we use).
If i'd hire for Rust there would be more openness for other language as there are assumingly less candidates.
PoopsCodeAllTheTime@reddit
Why ask here? You are polling <1% of HMs. Your 99% of applications will be reviewed by some boomer or 20yo recruiter who doesn’t know the difference between a primary key and a composite index
sufficiently-neat@reddit (OP)
The interesting thing is I get that question from the actual hiring managers. I understand recruiters being hesitant.
throwaway_0x90@reddit
This is going to 99.9% depend on the actual role that needs to be filled.
edwardsdl@reddit
Sounds like you need to break out the Eisenhower matrix
TinyTechExcellence@reddit
The shitter the job the more they care. Recently got rejected for a sweatshop because I know React and they were asking for Vue.
RelevantJackWhite@reddit
Not very much at all, if they know the fundamentals. Very rare for a hire not be able to ramp up in a new language if they're experienced and competent in another one, unless it's some weird thing like R
Noobsauce9001@reddit
Y’all hiring then? I’ve been getting rejected for lack of demonstrated professional experience even when I can talk shop and have used it in personal projects or client work. Your sentiment was certainly true when I was intervening in 2022, but not right now…
RelevantJackWhite@reddit
What is your experience in, and what are you trying to apply for?