How To Screen Java Developers

A version of this article has been published on The HackerEarth Blog.

Due to the number of increasing use cases, Java is among the most used programming languages right now. This goes without saying, the demand for Java developers is never-ending. As per StackOverflow, the demand for Java developers is as high as ever and 64% of respondents also stated that it’s the most used.

There are quite a lot of talented JAVA developers out there but it still can be quite a hassle to find the right developer for your company. As a recruiter, you should keep an eye out for certain skills and attributes that are apt for the job role.

Furthermore, as a recruiter, there are certain things you too should know about this programming language. For starters, understanding the language may not always be enough and this is why experience in Java frameworks in the Java ecosystem is crucial too. You need to keep in mind that this language is updated frequently, which means you need someone who has worked with this language recently as opposed to someone who is out of touch with the latest developments in Java.

Without further ado, let’s get started with how to screen Java developers:

Screening Java developers

Breaking it down helps you better understand the role, which in turn, helps you better screen java developers.

Skills you should keep an eye out for

Understanding the skill set of a java developer helps you understand the skill and skill level required for this role.

Here’s a brief list of skills you should look for in a Java developer while screening:

• Regardless of how experienced the developer is, he should have adequate knowledge of basic data structures.
• If you want to screen a senior Java developer, knowledge about multi-threading and concurrency is a must-have.
• If your job role requires it, then the developer should possess good algorithmic skills too.
• They should have a strong knowledge of databases and should be familiar with SQL and its basics.

If the job role revolves around developing web applications, the candidate should also know about:

• Markup languages like HTML, CSS, etc.
• Service Oriented Architecture
• Web frameworks like Spring boot, etc.
• Servlets and JSP

Java certification: Is this important?

Java certification is yet another thing you should look for in potential candidates. It tells you that the developer has an above-average understanding and knowledge of this language.

Here’s an important point to note, every developer does not have this certification nor does every company ask for one. But as a recruiter, you should always look for someone with above-average knowledge of the programming language.

Assessing a Java developer’s skills

Hiring a developer is not a difficult task if you are prepared. Here are a few tips you can implement as a recruiter to better prepare yourself for interviewing Java developers:

• Learn about the specifics of the job role, this way you can understand what the job role requires.
• You should know how to test their skills. For recruiters who aren’t technically sound, you can make use of online interview/coding assessment platforms like HackerEarth Assessments.
• In terms of skills and experience, let your candidate know what you expect from them
• Don’t stop at assessing technical skills, evaluate other attributes like team-playing abilities, communication, and many more

These are a few tips for you to keep in mind.

Here are a few questions you can incorporate into your questionnaire for the interview process:

• What is Java and how is it different from C++?
• Explain the “IS-A” relationship in OOPs Java.
• List the overloaded add() and addAll() methods that are available in the List interface. Explain their uses.
• Why are contiguous memory locations used to store actual values in an array but not in ArrayList?
• If you need to make multiple updates, should you choose String Buffer or String?
• Explain the difference between the method of a class and a constructor in Java
• List the different Thread priorities in Java.
• Explain how a single try block and multiple catch blocks co-exist in a Java Program
• Is it possible to overload static methods?
• Explain shallow and deep copy in Java