I sometimes don't hire my traditional way (which is mainly through referral). Once in a while, I spot someone building in public (#buildinpublic on X) — a project that solves a problem close to mine. When that happens, I reach out. If their product fits well with what I'm doing, I sometimes offer to buy it and bring them in. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's extremely effective: we start aligned, and I know they can ship.
Last year, we struggled to find a strong software developer through traditional channels, so I decided to tap into a hackathon community. We partnered with a regional virtual hackathon hosted on DevPost, where teams worked on real-world challenges over a weekend. I observed participants' problem-solving skills, collaboration, and coding style in real time. One developer stood out by not only writing clean, efficient code but also by quickly adapting to feedback and communicating clearly with teammates. After the event, we reached out to that individual with a tailored offer. Using this non-traditional method allowed us to assess candidates' skills in a practical environment rather than relying solely on resumes or interviews. It saved time and helped us find a candidate whose working style fit perfectly with our team dynamics. I'd recommend this approach to anyone looking for talent that's both technically strong and adaptable under pressure.
Talmatic used to interview a developer that we discovered via an online coding challenge on HackerRank, where we invited participants to solve a real-world problem using one of our internal tools. And through this process, we were able to test the problem-solving abilities of the candidates in a real-world context and were able to discover a highly skilled developer who might have gone undiscovered through a traditional resume screening method. This is why it`s so important to think out of the box if you want to find a "diamond in the rough" in the Software Universe!
At one point, I was looking for someone with a strong eye for design and a beginner's mindset in tech. I attended a local hackathon hosted by nwPlus, a student-run organization that pulled in people from different backgrounds. One participant stood out—not because of technical expertise, but because she came from a business background and wanted to build something real. She didn't just pitch an idea; she rolled up her sleeves and prototyped it in 24 hours. That kind of drive matters more to me than a polished resume. I remember asking her what brought her to the event. She mentioned wanting to test if design or tech was the right path. She'd read the blogs, watched the videos, but needed a hands-on push. Hackathons, especially beginner-friendly ones, are great for seeing how someone handles uncertainty and pressure. You don't need a degree to show you can contribute—you need curiosity and courage to build something from scratch. If you're hiring, go beyond traditional job boards. Look into events where people are trying tech for the first time. You'll find raw potential and fresh thinking. I've had success pulling early-career talent from hackathons and helping them grow. You won't get someone fully trained, but you will get someone who's all-in—and that's the kind of person who thrives at Parachute.
Among my most effective outside-the-box hiring schemes was hosting a virtual hackathon on the HackerEarth platform to hire a first-rate software developer. Rather than relying only on resumes and interviews, we invited the candidates to participate in a real-life coding challenge built around our tech stack. It enabled us to test technical skills, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in a dynamic setting. This format attracted a diversely passionate developer crowd, many of whom may not have made it through the typical channels. On the other hand, the winner performed stellarly with a high level of coding skills and innovative thinking geared toward integration into our team. This method sped up our hiring process while boosting the employer brand among developers.