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”If your programmer refers a friend, consider it red flag on the candidate”

Recently someone told me they received an email like this from their boss:

“Folks, I know we need to hire a lot of engineers quickly… but I’m not impressed with the candidates our team has referred. The two we’ve hired are iffy at best. They are too much like our current folks. So, if your programmer refers a friend, please consider that a red flag on the candidate.”

Though there’s nothing wrong with not soliciting employee referrals, it seems crazy to have an anti-referral policy.

Deeper than just hiring, I think it speaks volumes about the boss’s perception of their engineering team (as well as other things.)

What would you do if you got an email like that?

Write me back, or post a comment on the blog post.
Marcus

About Marcus Blankenship

Where other technical coaches focus on process or tools, I focus on the human aspects of your Programmer to Manager transition. I help you hire the right people, create the right culture, and setup the right process which achieves your goals. Managing your team isn't something you learned in college. In fact, my clients often tell me "I never prepared for this role, I always focused on doing the work". If you're ready to improve your leadership, process and team, find out how I can help you.

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