How do you evaluate engineers beyond matching the job description?
On paper, hiring often starts with clear criteria: stack match, years of experience, prior roles. But I’ve noticed that many candidates can align well with a job description - sometimes even shape the conversation to fit it without that being the real signal.
Over time, I started to see two layers: 1. Formal fit — experience, skills, role alignment (this still matters and must be there) 2. Human fit — how communication feels when things get hard
What surprised me is how often the second part becomes decisive later.
When priorities shift, deadlines slip, scope changes, or someone needs to work outside what was written in the role - technical gaps can usually be solved. But poor communication or lack of trust becomes very expensive.
So I’m wondering: - How do you personally evaluate this human side without relying on gut feeling alone? - Have you seen cases where strong technical fit failed because of communication? - Do you have concrete signals you look for during interviews?
Interested in practical approaches, not theory.