Holloway
Technical Recruiting and Hiring

You’re reading an excerpt of The Holloway Guide to Technical Recruiting and Hiring, a book by Osman (Ozzie) Osman and over 45 other contributors. It is the most authoritative resource on growing software engineering teams effectively, written by and for hiring managers, recruiters, interviewers, and candidates. Purchase the book to support the author and the ad-free Holloway reading experience. You get instant digital access, over 800 links and references, commentary and future updates, and a high-quality PDF download.

Technical Recruiting and Hiring≫Part IV: Connecting With Candidates≫First Conversations≫

As you begin to develop some trust and rapport with the candidate, try to form a connection. For instance, you might find some common ground, like an aquaintance you share or a favorite band. Maybe you used to travel through their hometown. Just a small connection can put the candidate at ease. Alternatively, you can try to note something unique or interesting about their background and bring it up. “So I heard you used to roadie for Black Sabbath. Did you learn to code on the tour bus?” A little prior research can help here.

Krishna Esteva
Some sample questions might help here, some of my go-to's to ease the beginning of a conversation:
-How's your week going?
-Any exciting plans for the weekend?
-How did you end up in SF?
-What part of the city are you in?

Also, finding shared interests can help (e.g. "I see you have an outside lands sticker, did you go this week?")

Geography is another good one, if I see someone has spent time in a place I've lived, I always try to ask them about that. The more esoteric the better ("Wow, you also grew up in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania? Did a lot of your friends go to Penn State?)

The black sabbath example feels a little specific and esoteric. It makes it seem like those items are rare / hard to find but a lot of time you can find something relevant with a quick resume scan.
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