Hacker News Reader

Comment by patthebunny | Hacker News Reader

> I hire a lot of people, and the difference between a good hire and a bad hire is hugely important.

This narrative is pushed constantly, to the point where it's started to lose believability with me. It's used by large companies to justify their BS hiring practices when the reality is a bad hire won't hurt the company that much. It's used by small companies to justify nonsensical interview practices.

> Human questions. Does this question give the candidate a chance to display a wide enough range of himself, socially, that you are comfortable that he can work well with other people?

I try not to display much of myself socially when I'm at work. I'm there to work. I'll gladly go out for lunch and be friendly with coworkers, but it's not hanging out with friends. It never will be.

View on HN

> It's used by large companies to justify their BS hiring practices when the reality is a bad hire won't hurt the company that much.

Then you haven't met enough of these people.

You may also hear the water is wet and the fire will burn narratives pushed constantly.

One of my best hiring choices (whom I pushed hard for, against the objections of others, based on a solid interview result) pushes a new company-changing product every couple of weeks or so, it seems.

One of my less wise choices (despite being good employee in certain ways), is currently responsible for my inbox filling up with emails from HR and legal.

And if you can't make friends with the people who you spend 8 hours of the day with, who can you be friends with?

This is not about being friendly at lunch.

Most jobs involve working with others. Due to the nature of 'work', it's not always easy. The ability to work together towards a shared goal even in the presence of pressures that would challenge interpersonal harmony is an important skill.

Which you aren't going to judge in an interview without abusive and humiliating tactics, which may not even work because at that point as an interviewee I'm not trying to maintain a relationship and have no real reason not to treat you like a jerk.

I’m at a small company where we as senior software engineers often have to deal directly with demanding customers. I have to know how to be tactful and that’s something we filter for.

So you're high-strung and uncomfortable around people? I think that's an important thing for the hiring manager to know.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com