How do you hire a human? Q&A with Tom Harvey, Stack Overflow technical recruiter
Everybody's resume is perfect now, so how do you find the perfect teammate?
Tom Harvey, Stack Overflow’s Senior Manager of Talent & Culture, spoke about the evolving landscape of technical recruiting in an antagonistic hiring environment. He noted that the emphasis has shifted from merely assessing a candidate’s proficiency in a specific programming language to evaluating their ability to communicate their work, work well in teams, and be coachable.
Harvey explained that the process begins with close collaboration between recruiters and hiring managers to determine essential skills, desirable traits, and aspects that may not be captured in a job description. This initial groundwork is crucial for attracting passive candidates and ensuring a confident assessment of their fit for the role.
He emphasized that the traditional markers of technical proficiency, such as years of experience with a particular language or passing coding tests, have become less reliable due to the rise of AI tools like LLMs (Large Language Models). These tools enable candidates to demonstrate strong proficiency without truly mastering the skills. As a result, Harvey advocates for a more qualitative approach, focusing on concrete examples of a candidate's work and the lessons they've learned from challenging situations.
He highlighted the increasing importance of storytelling—candidates should be able to narrate specific instances where they demonstrated their skills and problem-solving abilities. These stories provide richer, more reliable insights than generic resume bullet points. Harvey stressed that he prefers engaging conversations with enthusiastic candidates who have done their homework and come with thoughtful questions, rather than relying on automated screening tools that often produce a frustrating experience for both recruiters and candidates.
In summary, Harvey’s perspective underscores a shift in technical hiring towards a more holistic evaluation of candidates, emphasizing their story, experience, and ability to contribute meaningfully beyond just their technical skills.
Written by urgent.news from Stack Overflow Blog's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
