A Tech Screen isn’t a knowledge test - it’s a search for potential
Recruiters are not technical experts. But recruiters are professional interviewers. And that means they can run a strong tech screen - if they know what to look for.
During my Interview Expert course, one of the students said something that stuck with me:
“We don’t assess technical skills - because we’re not qualified to evaluate them properly.”
That was an honest answer.
But it also revealed the core of the problem.
📌 Many recruiters avoid technical interviews because they’re afraid of not knowing the right answer. But your job as a recruiter is not to know every framework, architecture, or algorithm.
I run executive interviews for a variety of roles - including CTO positions.
Am I a techie? No.
Yes, I once got into university through an informatics olympiad.
But that didn’t make me a dev - not even close.
What I do know is how to listen, how to spot potential, and how to read signals that often get lost in surface-level answers.
Recruiters aren’t engineers.
But they are experienced interviewers.
Your role is not to assess frameworks or system architecture.
Your role is to help the team answer a bigger question:
Can this person adapt, learn, think critically, and work well in a team?
This isn’t a test.
It’s a conversation - one that reveals how a person thinks and how they work.
✅ What Can a Recruiter Actually Assess?
A recruiter may not be a technical interviewer, but they are well-positioned to observe:
🔹 Decision-Making
Can the candidate think independently in uncertain situations?
How do they explain their choices?
🔹 Learning Agility
How do they adapt to new tools, technologies, and environments?
Do they reflect on their mistakes?
Do they seek and apply feedback?
🔹 Collaboration
How do they communicate?
Can they explain complex things simply?
Do they listen and find consensus?
🔹 Critical Thinking
Do they challenge assumptions?
Can they analyze a situation before acting?
🔹 Motivation
What drives them?
Do they have the desire to grow?
🪞 What Recruiters Don’t Need to Know
You don’t need to:
Know every programming language or syntax
Understand system architecture
Master algorithms and data structures
Optimize code performance
Work with CI/CD, DevOps, Kubernetes, or Cloud infrastructure
That’s not your job.
🔍 The Right Questions Reveal the Right Signals
Great questions uncover thinking patterns. For example:
About experience and mindset:
“Which technologies do you enjoy working with most — and why?”
“What’s the last new thing you learned?”
“Have there been failures in your projects? What did you learn from them?”
About decision-making:
“What do you do when a task is unclear or ambiguous?”
“How have you handled complex challenges without clear instructions?”
About contribution and ownership:
“What exactly was your role in your last project?”
“What decisions did you make independently?”
🔢 Don’t Stop at Surface-Level Answers
Dig deeper with follow-up questions like:
“Why did you choose that approach?”
“What other options did you consider?”
“How would you do it differently next time?”
“How did you know your solution actually worked?”
You’ll go beyond rehearsed responses - and uncover the quality of thinking.
In Summary
You’re not expected to evaluate lines of code.
But you are expected to lead a meaningful conversation.
Your strength as a recruiter isn’t in technical expertise.
It’s in structure, attention, and the ability to listen and ask the right questions.
And that’s more than enough to run a strong, insightful tech screen.
And to help your team make better decisions.