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Recruiter
Cheat Sheet:
How to Assess
Technical Roles
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INTRODUCTION HACKERRANK

Introduction▉
Recruiter Cheat Sheet: How to Assess Technical Roles In addition, we’ll also list some additional information to keep in mind:

Technical recruiters have an undeniably challenging job. Not only do they need to source,
recruit, and onboard quality technical candidates across a wide variety of roles, but they’re
also responsible for helping to craft technical teams that can work well together. In Their Stack:
The most popular languages and frameworks for the role,
Technical teams, perhaps more than any other role in an organization, need to be able to
based on data from our 2018 Developer Skills Report
work together seamlessly. After all, their roles are intrinsically linked; they depend on one
another to successfully churn out company projects.

Each role will be broken down into a checklist guide of suggested qualities. Note
To help hire successful technical candidates means more than finding that these checklists are designed to act as guidelines—to ensure you’re on the right
someone with the right skills–it means finding a candidate that also suits track, it’s best practice to refine your wishlist with the rest of the hiring team.
the needs of your team. And that starts with understanding what makes
each role unique.

We created this guide to help you understand exactly how each major technical role
contributes to the overall productivity of the technical organization, and what makes
a standout candidate in each role.
Get in touch with us
For each role, we’ll address 3 key components:

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• Expertise: Or visit HackerRank.com

Technical skills necessary for success in the role.
• Team Compatibility:
Specific qualities will allow for successful collaboration in the role.
• Soft Skills:
Non-technical skills that will allow someone to exceed in this role.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS HACKERRANK

Table of Contents▉

01 Linking Key Technical Roles

• The Technical Team Ecosystem

02 Assessing Data Roles

• Data Analyst

• Data Scientist

• Data Engineer

03 Assessing Development Roles

Role Levels

• Junior Developer

• Senior Developer

Development Roles

• Front-End Developer

• Back-End Developer

• Full-Stack Developer

Support Roles

• DevOps Specialist

04 Resource Library

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TECHNICAL ROLES HACKERRANK

01 Linking Key Technical Roles▉

Understanding how technical roles differ (and how they’re similar) is one surefire way to The technical roles outlined in this guide fall under two broad teams: the data team, and
ensure a good fit. Not only will it help you better understand each respective role, but how the software development team. Both have different, but equally important roles in driving
each of them work within the rest of the team––a must-know when screening for team fit. the organization forward. You can see this illustrated in the example to the left, which
shows how technical teams operate within a SaaS company.

The Technical Ecosystem

It’s worth noting that there’s no one-size-fits-all model for how these teams function in an
organization; every case is unique. To truly understand how your technical teams function,
it’s best to sync up with your hiring manager.
Technical Org Chart Example: SaaS model

With this context in mind, we’ll move on to how to assess each team.

Prospects
& Customers

gives feedback drives product

from the field to adoption for

Sales, Marketing,
& Customer Service

relays feedback relays finished

from the field to product to
Data Team Software
informs decisions of
Development
Data Team
Business
Analyst
Development Front-end
requests insights from Developer
Data
Scientist
Back-End
informs shares Developer
Data roadmap of product with
Engineer
Full-Stack
Developer

informs decisions of relays refined roadmap to

Product DevOps

requests insights from develops software for

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DATA ROLES HACKERRANK

DA
02 Assessing Data Roles▉

T
YS

TA
AL
Bridges the gap between Utilizes data Upholds the ethics

SC
AN
business development for BI applications of data usage

IE
Data roles help companies become more data-driven through the power of quantitative and data team

NT
AT
evidence. Though their titles may sound similar, their roles are quite different, but still Showcases strong

IS
DA
business acumen

T
complementary. Each has a different part to play in mobilizing a data-driven organization. Helps key stakeholders Makes business
(e.g. C-Suite) interpret Frequently communicates predictios using
the company’s data with non-technical stakeholders algorithms and
Here’s a quick breakdown of how each role functions:
machine learning

• Data Analyst: The interpreter between the data world and the non-technical world.
Helps company make
They’re generalists that work with a wide variety of data, and help make it clear and Translates requests data-driven decisions Determines most
from non-technical Utilizes valuable data to
actionable for non-technical company stakeholders, especially when it comes to key
stakeholders Leverages understanding advancd capture
business decisions. of analytics stack to math skills
• Data Scientist: An intermediate between the Data Analyst and Data Engineer, perform in their role day to day
the Data Scientist is tasked with answering key business questions and predicting Improves flow of data
Responds to needs
them by forecasting future needs and challenges for the organization. They also help
and requests Frequently communicates
to improve the flow of data across the team. of teammates with technical stakeholders
• Data Engineer: The foundation of the data organization – they make both Data Analysts’
and Data Scientists’ jobs possible. Focused on software development, they build and
maintain the infrastructure that captures data for the rest of the team to utilize.
Constructs & maintains
data pipeline

Constructs data pools

for team to pull from

DATA ENGINEER

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HackerRank Checklist HACKERRANK HACKERRANK

Data Analyst

Expertise In Their Stack

Most common competencies
Basic statistics and data analysis experience

Track record of driving effective decision-making through data Data Analysts: Languages They Know
Familiarity with your team’s analytics stack
100%
Hands-on experience with data visualization

Can work with the tools and languages utilized by your data team
75%

Team Compatibility 61%

50% 55%
50% 48%
Effective verbal, written, and visual communicator
40% 39%

Attentive listener, able to translate non-technical requests 25%

23%
Strong business acumen 18%

Self-motivated, problem-solver, takes initiative 0%

Python Java Javascript C++ Typescript C PHP C#

Soft Skills
Source: 2018 Developer Skills Report

Displays innate sense of curiosity

Creative, can look at problems from multiple angles

Can think like a C-Suite executive

Open-minded, provides consistently objective analysis

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HackerRank Checklist HACKERRANK HACKERRANK

Data Scientist

Expertise In Their Stack

Most common competencies
Can bring order to large sets of disorganized datasets

Can maintain and/or train machine learning models Data Scientists: Languages They Know
Capable of working with the tools and languages utilized by your data team
100%

88%
Team Compatibility
75%

Able to collaborate with all roles of a data team 66%

61% 59%
Detail-oriented, catches data inconsistencies and inefficiencies 50% 54%

Comfortable advocating for their data needs 40%

Effective verbal, written, and visual communicator 25%

20% 19%

0%
Soft Skills Typescript Javascript Python C++ Swift Java C PHP

Basic business savvy

Curious, probing and a bit skeptical Source: 2018 Developer Skills Report

Willing to experiment and iterate on data processes

Objective, pragmatic problem-solver

Strong storytelling skills

Asks ethical questions around data usage

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HackerRank Checklist HACKERRANK HACKERRANK

Data Engineer In Their Stack

Most common competencies

Data Engineers: Languages They Know

Expertise
100%

"Generalist" background in software development

Familiar with the needs of a data-driven team 75% 78%

Extensive background your data team’s framework(s) 71%

60%
Promotes data accessibility, efficiency, and quality 50% 55%
49%

Team Compatibility 25%

27% 26% 24%

Empathetic to the needs of their teammates

0%
Receptive to constructive feedback and suggestions Swift Typescript Python C++ Javascript C# Pascal Java

Familiar with your team's development methodology

Collaborative and team-oriented

100%

Soft Skills
75%

Interest in continual self-development

Objective, not attached to specific solutions 50%

Focused and self-motivated

25%
Effective technical and non-technical communication skills 23% 23% 22%
19%
13% 12% 10% 8% 8%
0%
Django AngularJS Nodejs Spring React ExpressJS NETCore ASP Struts

Source: 2018 Developer Skills Report

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SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ROLES HACKERRANK

03 Assessing Software
Development Roles▉
Though, as a whole, they have a unified goal, a software development team consists
of an eclectic set of specialists, all with their own areas of expertise. More than any other
technical team, software development teams must constantly be in sync; they’re constantly
DevOps
building on one another’s work to make headway toward a final product. In this category,
finding personally and professionally compatible hires is mission critical. Builds & maintains
infrastructure required
for the project to work
Here’s how each role contributes to an organization:

Development Roles

• Front-End Developer: The liaison between the technical and non-technical world Front-End Developer Back-End Developer

of any organization. They work between the back-end developers and non-technical Executes client-side code: Executes server-side code:
makes the project builds the foundation
stakeholders in design and product to create the client-facing. usable and accessible of the project

• Back-End Developer: The architect that builds the base the front-end developer builds
on. Tasked with writing server-side code, they’re often utilized to build APIs, and are server
especially core in facilitating scalable designs.
• Full-Stack Developer: The generalist that’s capable of working on both the front-end
and the back-end. They often have a wide pool of skills and knowledge, but specialize
user devices database
in a select few technologies. Often, you’ll find they’re slightly more front-end oriented,
or slightly more back-end oriented (rarely both). Note: There’s some disagreement over
how to define “full-stack” in this context. For the full backstory, check out this post.

Support Roles

• DevOps Specialist: They use knowledge of QA, software development, and operations
to help make the software development software as smooth and efficient as possible.
They make sure the work the team builds is sustainable in the long run – both from a
technical standpoint, and from an operational one.

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QUICK TIP

HACKERRANK

Assessing Junior vs. Senior Developers

Both Junior and Senior Developers can hold virtually any specialized development role—but their contributions won’t always be the same. While Senior Developers are generally more seasoned
and independent, Junior Developers may need more guidance to do their best work. Make sure you clarify the level of seniority you expect from each candidate in addition to the specialized skills you’re seeking.

Here’s what you can expect from each respective seniority level:

Junior Developer: This level of developer is newer to the space, with limited experience, but Senior Developer: This level of developer is more seasoned, with a solid technical expertise
a good technical foundation. Structure and mentorship from more seasoned developers to within their stack. They’ve worked on a variety of technical projects over the years, and are
develop will help develop their skills to their full potential. comfortable self-managing to tackle the problems they’re served.

Expertise Expertise
Creative problem-solving skills Can execute the software development cycle end-to-end

Basic coding knowledge and fundamentals Plans for the long-term in their work

Some hands-on development experience (e.g. personal projects, internships, and the like) Engages with technical blogs, podcasts, and more to stay current

Versed in basic testing and debugging procedures Able to lead and manage project with minimal guidance

Basic understanding of your team’s core tech Reliable, meets committed deadlines

Team Compatibility Team Compatibility

Basic familiarity with your team’s development philosophy Experience working cross-functionally with other departments

Experience working with a development team Team-oriented and willing to seek guidance and collaboration from their peers when needed

Strong initiative, proactive problem-solver Comfortable mentoring fellow developers

Handles constructive criticism well Modest, willing to take input from others

Displays strong sense of curiosity

Soft Skills
Soft Skills Demonstrates accountability

Hunger to expand their technical knowledge Gladly works on both challenging and seemingly menial tasks

Self-starter, requires little oversight to stay motivated Advanced technical communications skills

Thorough and detail-oriented Solid non-technical communications skills

Basic technical and non-technical communication skills Invests in continual self-development

Team player

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HackerRank Checklist HACKERRANK HACKERRANK

Front-End Developer In Their Stack

Most common competencies

Front-End Developers: Languages They Know

Expertise
100%

Well versed in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript 92%

75%

Understands a variety of design patterns and new web technologies

50%
Has diversified framework and architecture knowledge
49%
42%
Understands UX/UI concepts, including perceived experience and tradeoffs 25%
37% 35% 34%
29%
22%
Proficient in front-end testing, debugging, and security
0%

Exercises the atomic design principle Javascript Java C C++ Python PHP Typescript C#

Team Compatibility
Front-End Developers: Frameworks They Know
Familiar with your team’s development methodology
100%

Familiar with your team’s front-end framework(s) of choice

75%
Proactively discusses use cases with teammates

Works well with established style guides and coding patterns 50%
52% 50% 50%

Basic grasp of teammates’ roles, especially back-end developers 25% 37%

Team player, easy to work with 15% 14% 13% 10%

0%

React Node.js AngularJS ExpressJS Backbone. React Vue.js Ruby on

Soft Skills js Native Rails

Source: 2018 Developer Skills Report

Exceptional non-technical communication skills

Sense of empathy for the end user

Naturally detail-oriented

Invested in continued self-education

Can produce work up to the brand’s aesthetic standard

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Back-End Developer In Their Stack

Most common competencies

Back-End Developers: Languages They Know

100%
Expertise

Understands a variety of software design patterns and frameworks

75% 80%
Delivers high quality, scalable server-side code

Quick study, easily picks up new tech 60% 58%

50% 52%
Knows standards and best practices within their tech stack 47%

Strong architectural skills

25% 30% 29%

Team Compatibility
0%
Javascript CC Java C++ Python # PHP
Stack match for your team

Works well with both technical and non-technical teammates

Back-End Developers: Frameworks They Know
Familiar with team’s existing development methodology
100%
Contributes to both code and design reviews

Keeps detailed design docs for team reference

75%

Soft Skills
50%

Flexible, objective project-solver

39%
Accountable, owns their hits and misses 25%
22% 21%
Gladly tackles problems of all shapes and sizes
14% 13% 13% 12% 10% 10%
Robust technical communication skills 0%
Spring Node.js AngularJS Django JSF ASP Struts ExpressJS NETCore
Strong non-technical communication skills
Source: 2018 Developer Skills Report

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Full-Stack Developer In Their Stack

Most common competencies
NOTE: The role of the Full-Stack Developer is a hotly debated topic. For a primer,
check out this blog post.
Full-Stack Developers: Languages They Know

100%
Expertise
89%
Self-sufficient: can build an MVP independently
75%
Stack match for your team 71%

Comfortable thinking at a high technical level 57%

50%
50%
Understands tech beyond their stack of expertise 47%
40% 40%
Drives best practices across the team’s tech stack
25% 40%

Team Compatibility
0%
Knows your team’s development style (e.g. agile, waterfall, and so on)
CC Javascript Java C++ Python # PHP Ruby
Knowledgeable and willing mentor
Full-Stack Developers: Frameworks They Know
Strong technical communication skills
100%
Easygoing, team player

Humble in their work: knows what they don’t know

75%

Soft Skills
50%
51%
Lifelong learner: prioritizes self-education 48%

Creative, motivated problem-solver 34%

25% 31%
29%
Self-starting: manages themselves well
22%
18%
Global thinker: mindful of technical and non-technical context of their work 16%
0%
Objective: makes decisions around what a project needs (not what they prefer) AngularJS Node.js React ExpressJS Spring ASP NETCore Django

Strong product owner: passionate about the product Source: 2018 Developer Skills Report

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DevOps Specialist In Their Stack

Most common competencies

DevOps Specialists: Languages They Know

Expertise
100%
Has experience in a related technical field

Track record of successful system monitoring and reporting

75%
Adaptable, comfortable with learning new technologies on the fly 74%
67%
Employs a “work smarter, not harder” attitude within their work 61%
50% 55%
Comfortable overseeing maintenance of big data 50%

Experience building server environments

34%
25% 29%
Comfortably with production level system and network monitoring
22%

Team Compatibility 0%
Swift Python Typescript C++ Javascript C Java Go
Familiar with your team’s development methodology

Capable of advocating for the long-term needs of the system DevOps Specialists: Frameworks They Know

100%
Collaborative and team-oriented

Composed and organized in all scenarios

75%
Strong leadership qualities

Soft Skills 50%

Self-directed, timely, and proactive

25%
Willing to work on the “behind the scenes” side of development 24%
21% 20%
15% 15% 14%
Strong interpersonal communication skills 13% 11%
0%
Eager sense of curiosity, with strong problem-solving skills Node.js AngularJS Django Spring ASP ExpressJS Ruby on NETCore
Rails
Strategic decision-maker Source: 2018 Developer Skills Report

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RESOURCE LIBRARY CONCLUSION HACKERRANK

04 Resource Library▉ Conclusion▉

If you’re looking to dive even deeper into any of the roles we covered, check out Though each role is unique, a technical team is more than the sum of its parts. There’s
some of the resources below. They’ll give you an even more in-depth understanding no doubt that expertise is the most important prerequisite for any candidate––but team
of what goes into each role: compatibility and relevant soft skills will help ensure they’re a long term fit. By under-
standing how each role functions, and how these roles work together as a unit, you’re
one step closer to finding the right fit for your team.

Tech News & Views We’d encourage you to use this guide not only in your sourcing, but also when meeting
with hiring managers. Each team is unique, and consequently, so is each role. Aligning
• HackerNews: Developer focused tech news and opinions on each point will help to streamline the hiring process down the line—and will make
• Slashdot: Skim-friendly tech news snippets sure you can snag the perfect candidate when you do find them.
• HackerNoon: Tech news and trends, covered by 7,000+ contributors

Developer Discussion
• /r/devops: User submitted thoughts and discussion on DevOps as a discipline
• /r/programming: One of the biggest developer subreddits, great for finding
trending topics
• /r/webdev: High-level discussions amongst developers of multiple disciplines
• Quora: Software Engineering: Loads of job-focused questions, asked by and
answered by developers
Want to learn more?

Other Resources Request Demo Free Trial

• 2018 Tech Recruiting Report: The state of hiring alignment, as told by hiring
Or visit HackerRank.com
managers and recruiters
• 2018 Developer Skills Report: Developer trends for 2018, based on input from
over 39,000 developers

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Match Every Developer to the Right Job
HackerRank is a technology hiring platform that is the standard
for assessing developer skills for over 1,000 companies around the world.
By enabling tech recruiters and hiring managers to evaluate talent objectively
at every stage of the recruiting process, HackerRank helps companies hire
skilled developers and innovate faster.

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