Engineering Hiring Checklist

Use this comprehensive checklist to guide your engineering hiring process from start to finish.

Pre-Hiring Phase

Define the Role

• Write clear job description
• Define required skills and experience
• Identify nice-to-have skills
• Set salary range
• Define reporting structure

Prepare Your Team

• Brief hiring team on role and requirements
• Assign interview responsibilities
• Create interview questions
• Define evaluation criteria

Set Up Systems

• Create candidate tracking spreadsheet
• Set up interview calendar
• Prepare offer template
• Plan onboarding materials

Sourcing Phase

Source Candidates

• Post job on job boards
• Reach out to network
• Use recruiter or staff augmentation provider
• Search LinkedIn and GitHub
• Collect candidate profiles

Initial Screening

• Review resumes
• Check portfolios and GitHub
• Phone screen top candidates
• Create shortlist of 5-10 candidates

Interview Phase

Technical Interview

• Schedule technical interview (1-2 hours)
• Prepare coding challenges or technical questions
• Conduct interview
• Evaluate technical skills
• Take notes on performance

Cultural Fit Interview

• Schedule cultural fit interview (30-60 minutes)
• Prepare behavioral questions
• Conduct interview
• Evaluate cultural fit
• Take notes on personality and values

Team Interview (Optional)

• Schedule team interview (30-60 minutes)
• Have team members interview candidate
• Gather feedback from team
• Evaluate team fit

Reference Checks

• Request references from candidate
• Contact references
• Ask about performance and fit
• Document reference feedback

Decision Phase

Compare Candidates

• Review all interview notes
• Compare candidates against criteria
• Discuss with hiring team
• Identify top choice

Make Offer

• Prepare offer letter
• Include salary, benefits, start date
• Have offer discussion
• Get offer acceptance

Background Check

• Initiate background check
• Verify employment history
• Verify education
• Complete background check

Onboarding Phase

Before Day One

• Send welcome email
• Prepare workspace
• Set up computer and access
• Create onboarding plan
• Assign mentor

Day One

• Welcome engineer
• Provide office tour
• Set up computer and access
• Introduce to team
• Explain first-week plan

Week One

• Daily check-ins
• Provide context and background
• Assign easy tasks
• Facilitate introductions
• Answer questions

Week Two-Four

• Increase task complexity
• Provide feedback
• Include in standups
• Assign meaningful work
• Weekly one-on-ones

Success Metrics

Track These Metrics:

• Time to hire (days from posting to first day)
• Quality of hire (performance ratings after 90 days)
• Cost per hire (total recruiting costs)
• Offer acceptance rate (% of offers accepted)
• Time to productivity (days until fully productive)

Post-Hire Phase

30-Day Review

• Check in on progress
• Provide feedback
• Address any concerns
• Celebrate wins

60-Day Review

• Evaluate performance
• Provide feedback
• Discuss career development
• Plan next steps

90-Day Review

• Formal performance review
• Discuss career goals
• Plan professional development
• Confirm full-time status

Tips for Success

1. Be Clear About Requirements

The clearer your requirements, the better the match. Spend time defining the role.

2. Move Fast

Don't spend weeks deliberating. If a candidate is good, move to offer quickly.

3. Involve Your Team

Get your team involved in interviews and feedback. They know what works.

4. Invest in Onboarding

Good onboarding leads to faster productivity and better retention. Invest in it.

5. Give Feedback

Give regular feedback during onboarding. This helps new engineers succeed.

6. Celebrate Wins

Celebrate when a new engineer ships their first feature. Recognition builds morale.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Unclear job description
• Too many interview rounds
• Slow decision-making
• Poor onboarding
• No feedback during onboarding
• Unrealistic expectations
• Not involving team in hiring

Conclusion

Use this checklist to guide your engineering hiring process. The key is being clear about requirements, moving fast, and investing in onboarding.

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