JavaScript - Junior test

It can be hard to know who the best candidate for a position is until you see them in action. The notion is especially true when referring to coding and programming positions.

Just because some shine on paper and in an interview, it doesn’t mean they’ll be stellar when using JavaScript and helping you complete your vision for a project.

A JavaScript junior test for hiring can be the key to ensuring you hire the best of the best for your project. Learn how to use the JavaScript junior test to narrow down your candidate pool and, in the end, choose the ideal person for the job.

How To Use JavaScript Tests in the Hiring Process?

The JavaScript junior test for hiring is super easy to use. Follow the simple steps below to implement the test into your hiring process.

Assign

The first step is to assign the test to the candidates that have made it far enough in the hiring process. When you assign, you can give them a deadline, testing their ability to follow timing instructions.

You also want to give them an idea of what you expect, such as speed over accuracy or preferred knowledge in one section.

Administer

The easiest part is giving candidates the test! Most tests have time limits, but you can customize them to suit your desires. You can have them complete the test in-house or allow them to do it on their own time, depending on the kind of work you expect for the position.

Evaluate

Properly evaluating the results of the JavaScript junior test is crucial. Read the section below to understand the best way to interpret results.

How To Assess and Use JavaScript Junior Test for Hiring?

A JavaScript junior test is a wonderful tool. However, it won’t do all the work for recruiters and hiring managers.

Depending on the work you need to be done, and what kind of position you want to fill, the highest score may not always mean the best candidate. Below are the aspects of JavaScript knowledge and capability that a JavaScript junior test will assess.

Aspects of the Language

One of the most valuable aspects of the test is the results that indicate their understanding of the JavaScript language as a whole. If they score low in this area, they likely don’t have the JavaScript know-how necessary to fill the position adequately.

A low score in this area is likely a deal-breaker, so this should be the first section you evaluate before making further decisions.

Variables and Data Types

Not all JavaScript data is the same. Some variables and data types are rare encounters, while others are essential to understanding JavaScript in its simplest form. When you judge the results in this section, know the exact data types your employee will be using.

For example, if your project will require Boolean type coding and development, someone that excels in BigInt type or String type may not be the best candidate.

Likewise, if someone has experience with the Boolean type, but lacks expertise in other data types, you can overlook their other gaps in knowledge.

Asynchronous Programming

Asynchronous programming is an essential skill for all developers. A candidate that does poorly in this test section may slow down the production of your project. Asynchronous programming allows projects to be completed faster.

A junior programmer that can’t accomplish asynchronous programming regularly may not have enough experience to complete the work you need to be done.

If this is a slow-moving project and you want everything closely monitored, you may not want someone that emphatically performs asynchronous programming.

But in most cases, a high level of asynchronous programming is a great quality for a junior JavaScript writer.

Object-Oriented Methodologies

A thorough understanding of encapsulation, polymorphism, and inheritance is a top-notch quality in a JavaScript developer. The methods all contribute to object-oriented methods, which are excellent for organizing and maintaining JavaScript code.

Familiarity with object-oriented methodologies is a useful skill, as it facilitates the reuse of software components.

The ability to reuse software components can help save time on labor and programming. You want a crafty programmer who will be able to incorporate software components into new code that otherwise may have gone to waste.

Larger companies typically don’t usually care about this, but small projects and businesses can benefit greatly from a thrifty programmer with object-oriented methodologies.

Latest JavaScript Features

Lastly, JavaScript is always updating and enhancing its features and adding new ones. While not everyone will be an expert in the newest implemented features, someone who is up-to-date is likely an excellent candidate.

Someone savvy with the new features likely stays up to date on JavaScript news and ensures their skills are always up-to-date. A candidate that exemplifies this shows initiative and excellent competency.

Unfamiliarity with the newest, lesser-known features may not be a deal-breaker, but understanding the new aspects can be the push that makes one candidate stand out over another.

Recruiting for JavaScript

Recruiting for a JavaScript development position can be tricky. The JavaScript junior test for hiring is a fantastic tool but isn’t the only step in the hiring process.

When recruiting for JavaScript, you should follow the hiring process detailed below to ensure you find and hire the absolute best candidate for the position.

Review Education

JavaScript is not something people are born knowing. It’s no person’s first language. So, understanding where a developer learned JavaScript gives you an idea of how they’ll be able to use it and how successful they will be.

Some people are self-taught, which is impressive but can also mean there are gaps in their coding knowledge because there are simply corners of the program they never ventured to.

But someone with a degree in computer science may have a better understanding of the nitty-gritty aspects.

Where they were educated isn’t everything and should not disqualify one from the position. But it’s worth considering when comparing applicants.

Review Experience

Experience may be the best indicator of an applicant’s capabilities. If they’ve held a working position that required JavaScript, they know how to use the program in a professional setting, which is a significant plus.

If they have no work experience with JavaScript, you may have to take a leap of faith and hope they can perform when it comes to deadlines and flexibility.

A great sign that they’ll be an asset is if they’ve used JavaScript for different projects and scenarios. The experience often means they’ll be able to adapt to your project and give you a clear idea of how long certain tasks will take to complete.

Interview

When interviewing junior JavaScript candidates, you should focus on three skill sets: hard skills, soft skills, and behavioral skills. To help you prepare for such an interview, below are questions to ask in each area of importance.

Hard Skills: Hard skills are where the JavaScript junior test for hiring comes in handy. You can only ask so many hard skills questions to get an idea of a candidate’s abilities. The JavaScript junior test for hiring will put those hard skills to the test and give you concrete results to review.

Nevertheless, here are some hard skills questions to ask in the interview to give you a baseline:

• Please explain the differences between WebSockets and server-sent events?
• Can you explain the advantages of using Ajax?
• What JavaScript templating libraries are you familiar with and which do you prefer?

Soft Skills: Soft skills are more difficult to quantify but are equally important to consider when hiring a candidate. Soft skills are a candidate’s cognitive abilities and personal traits that will factor into their work as an employee.

Ask the questions listed below to get a sense of someone’s soft skills:

• Explain your typical process for fixing cross-browser compatibility issues.
• If you could master one technology, which would it be?
• How often do you check Stack Overflow, and what was the last question you remember?

Behavioral Skills: Behavioral skills are how someone handles a specific situation. To get answers about one’s behavioral skills, you’ll need to ask questions about past situations encountered and how they chose to handle them. You can also pose hypothetical scenarios and ask the interviewee how they think they would handle this circumstance.

Below are the best behavioral questions to ask during a junior JavaScript interview:

• Recount a difficult web project that involved many stakeholders and how you went about the project.
• Explain a time when you experienced pushback on a project you were working on. How did you handle the situation, and what were the consequences?
• How do you ensure a website is accessible and user-friendly?

You can always schedule a second round of interviews if you decide you want to ask more probing questions.

Many interviewers and recruiters like to start with a basic interview to eliminate unqualified candidates and then hold a second interview to dive deeper into their soft skills and behavioral habits before administering the JavaScript junior test.

The JavaScript Junior Test

Lastly, administer the JavaScript junior test for hiring. Some recruiters administer this test first but getting a feel for the talent pool before the test can help you compare candidates more appropriately.

Follow the steps detailed in the first section: assign, administer, and evaluate to ensure you use the test to its full potential. Remember, the highest score does not always coincide with the best candidate. The test is excellent for differentiating two or more strong candidates. 

The test results can show how quickly and accurately someone can work and how they do under pressure in a professional situation. Some people may second guess themselves too much or work too slowly to meet your company or project’s needs.

JavaScript Junior Test: Considerations for Recruiters

As mentioned, the highest score does not always mean the best candidate. When reviewing applications, test scores, and interview answers, consider the following aspects of your project and needs for the position.

You should also consider these aspects when designing your interview questions to ensure you’re asking pertinent questions and getting the most information you can out of a single interview.

Project Purpose

Consider if you’re hiring this individual for a specific project or to be an open-ended developer for your company or project. If you hire someone for a very specific and niche assignment, they don’t need to have immense coding flexibility or be a jack of all trades.

Project Length

The project length can mean two things: when the deadline for the project is, and how long the project is expected to take.

An applicant that only has experience with open-ended projects or short, quick projects may not suit your needs. And if it's not a permanent position, but a temporary one until they complete the project, ensure you mention this in the job posting and interviews before agreeing to hire someone.

A great way to gauge an applicant’s capabilities is to ask them how long they expect the project to take, as this can indicate their knowledge and efficiency.

Project Level

Even though this test is for a junior position, that doesn’t mean you want someone fresh out of their JavaScript education.

Consider how advanced the project you’re asking them to take on is, and try to design interview questions to determine how comfortable they are with in-depth coding and programming.

You don’t want to hire someone who can’t get the job done, but you also don’t want someone who is overqualified. The JavaScript junior test for hiring is a great tool for assessing their knowledge level and comparing it with the skills needed for the project.

Final Note

The JavaScript junior test for hiring is like the final step in the hiring process to ensure you’ve chosen the right candidate.

Some people can perform as well as you would expect, and the test shows you their skills in action rather than on a resume.

So rather than second guess your decision, you can lean on the JavaScript junior test and feel confident in your new hire!