Should a technical interviewer read the resume/CV?

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

Should a technical interviewer read the candidate's resume/CV before performing an interview?

I regularly interview for data science positions. The particular context is that recruiters who are not technical themselves but who are very familiar with the requirements of the position have already read the CVs, performed an initial phone interview with the candidates, and passed them through.

Some of my colleagues argue that reading the resume leads to potential biases in how we approach the candidates. For example, we might be more predisposed to accept candidates with backgrounds similar to ours.

My intuitive sense is that it is disrespectful to the candidate to not read the CV. I also feel that it can be useful for focusing my interview questions on parts of the CV that seem thinner.

Some additional context in response to the comments:

1. There are additional interview stages that are conducted by interviewers with a technical background, in which the focus is on the candidate's background and motivations. The CV is a key input here, of course, so it does get serious consideration in the larger process.

2. In this "technical interview," we are not particularly interested in the specific details of technology that they may have used in the past (we don't even mandate that data scientists use any particular technologies once they come work here), but instead in candidates demonstrating that they can apply general analytical principles to specific business problems.

3. Finally, we have several processes in place to reduce hiring bias, most importantly that our technical interviews and evaluation processes are consistent and structured.

manpreet 2 years ago

It depends on your exact role in the interview.

If your role is limited to assess the technical capabilities of the candidate, the "don't read" position can be understood. You just have to assess someone, and ignore anything else.

If, OTOH, you have to judge someone overall for a fit in your team, then the CV is mandatory. Knowing the path of the interviewee, asking him questions on how he did at a previoous place, are typical questions that will help you having a full overview of the candidate.