What I'd like to see on a job spec
Keywords
Initially I scan for keywords that pique my interest:
- C++23
- Linux
- Networking
- git
- unit testing
- cloud
- Agile
C++ history
Using the latest tech obviously stands out. For C++ the big shake up was C++11 -- so anything this modern is of interest -- but really we need to be talking at least '17.
However, very few companies seem to use '20 in production but a good example is Maven Securities. In fact, I do wonder if being so cutting edge might put people off!
But if a company is this up front about keeping up-to-date then it looks good to me.
Autonomy
In the details I like to see some hint of autonomy and trust. And you sometimes see something like "20% own project time", which is awesome. Unstructured training -- "play" -- is really important for development, and you'll often end up researching something that will benefit your day job anyway.
Sustainability
Some acknowledgement of environmental considerations also makes a company stand out. The objective of writing efficient code is usually to maximise throughput/core usage, but an interesting additional consideration is that we might write efficient code to minimise resource usage and power consumption.
Interview process
Interviewing for senior dev roles can really be a drag five interviews are common. I think an online coding test/exercise using HackerRank or Godbolt makes a great 1st interview and is insightful and time-saving for both parties.
Flexible working
A mixture of office and home working is convenient and effective for employer and employee. But I think some contact with your colleagues is beneficial (rather than fully remote).
Eat your own dog food
If a company uses their own product to do the same job as the end user then it can only result in a better product.