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I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

cushychicken.github.io

211–220 of 927 posts

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a hiring manager I’ve worked with internal recruiters and a good one is invaluable. - the transactional part of setting up interview loops, coordinating schedules, etc is extremely tedious for a field of 3-5 serious candidates for a given role. Internal recruiter takes all of this away from a hiring manager who has other duties. - an internal recruiter can plow through LinkedIn to find solid candidates, identifyin…

That should be your job. Even the "tedious" parts are too important to be left to a non technical person. Time of day for scheduling interviews really does matter and the initial communication of scheduling this can tell you an enormous amount about the candidate. Your job should also include lots of time on LinkedIn searching, as many HMs do today. Letting a recruiter do this for you will give you many more bad inte…

Strong nope on pretty much all points, and its rude and presumptuous to tell me what my job should be or what other work it entails. We’re going to just have to disagree here.

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#212
post #87

The article is concise but missing a lot of real-life examples: * The highest paying software companies employ LeetCode style interview. That is off-putting to a lot of people even though the money would be super sweet to have. * Some wannabe startups also employ LeetCode style interview even though they don't pay anywhere near FAANG/Unicorns. * You know what's worst than LeetCode style interview? LeetCode style inte…

PIP culture? Google isn't giving me any answers here.

Picture in Picture is the most common use of the acronym, but here they mean performance improvement plan, which in many places is basically a kiss of death.

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#213
post #87

The article is concise but missing a lot of real-life examples: * The highest paying software companies employ LeetCode style interview. That is off-putting to a lot of people even though the money would be super sweet to have. * Some wannabe startups also employ LeetCode style interview even though they don't pay anywhere near FAANG/Unicorns. * You know what's worst than LeetCode style interview? LeetCode style inte…

PIP culture? Google isn't giving me any answers here.

“Performance Improvement Plan”, it’s what you get put on when your company wants to fire you but wants to show due diligence that they tried to give you a chance so you can’t sue them. By “PIP Culture” I take it to mean Amazon where the expectation is some % of the team is always expected to be fired so PIPs are a frequent occurrence.

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually it means the former.

Do you seriously think people making $1M/yr browse this website

A great many L7+ engineers definitely do. Ditto for career managers who don't implement day to day but do their best to keep up.

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's an under-discussed topic that this apparent utopia isn't available to everyone. Race, gender presentation, academic background, country of residence or origin, Twitter blue-check, etc. all seem to be correlated (no numbers; purely anecdotal) to those who enjoy (or don't) this utopia. Being masterfully technical, social, or political have a lot to do with it too, it seems.

I apparently check the right boxes. I just suck at life.

You are just one conversation away from changing it. Either with your current manager or your next one. Have no fear!

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the flip side, dissatisfaction about engineering work conditions at AMZN (the notorious PIP culture) is a rising deterrent.

I can't say for certain, but it seems there are lots of squeaky wheels about it and lots of chatter on the internet about them, but AMZN/FB/whoever else aren't actually facing any serious repercussions in terms of being able to hire. (I hope I'm wrong, because I do feel there needs to be a moral reckoning about how we technologists—whatever the specific discipline—are contributing to the world, and whether it's truly…

> I can't say for certain, but it seems there are lots of squeaky wheels about it and lots of chatter on the internet about them, but AMZN/FB/whomever else aren't actually facing any serious repercussions in terms of being able to hire

Trust me - among people who can get those jobs - they are getting less views. Of the people I know in SV - and I know a few - all have very unfavorable views of Amazon and working there. People only take it as a stepping stone or last resort. The top experienced candidates who are able to get offers from most companies are not going to Amazon these days. I haven't seen any of the people I know who are good engineers go to Amazon. And - I mean - I am with them. I am at a place that is known to work their engineers to death as well and I'm getting too much shit thrown down at me. But I'm here because I needed this as a stepping stone for rep before I can find a better place that'll let me coast as a staff eng instead of churning through one hellish startup one after another.

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually it means the former.

Do you seriously think people making $1M/yr browse this website

yes..... Why would you think they don't? Quite a few tech billionaires comment from time to time; though mostly when it's there company stuff breaking.

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you seriously think people making $1M/yr browse this website

There was a guy yesterday that said he's doing four remote swe jobs right now at the same time. Takes roles that he's comfortable with and capable at, gets stuff done and nobody complains. Sounds like he's +1 million. Sort of like a 4x Tim Ferris program.

[deleted]

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#219
post #8

There comes a point where the money just isn't a motivating factor anymore, and companies are struggling to figure out how to work in that environment. This bit from the author hits the nail on the head: >Is an extra $10k per year worth learning a new org, a new skillset, a new set of expectations, a new set of coworkers, and a new boss? For many engineers, the answer is: “No.” Yes I could quit and get a ~20k raise b…

Also got the whole golden handcuffs thing. Unless a company is going to offer me a $800k signing bonus nothing is worth me change roles for another year and a half.

Re: I think I know why you can't hire engineers right now

#220
post #87

The article is concise but missing a lot of real-life examples: * The highest paying software companies employ LeetCode style interview. That is off-putting to a lot of people even though the money would be super sweet to have. * Some wannabe startups also employ LeetCode style interview even though they don't pay anywhere near FAANG/Unicorns. * You know what's worst than LeetCode style interview? LeetCode style inte…

The companies that pay 80% of FAANG salaries without the LeetCode whiteboard bullshit are out there.

Do they typically offer RSUs? I'm asking because my RSU awards double the total compensation, so if you're counting 80% of just the salary part, then that number would end up being 40% in my case (and I assume for everyone else at my level).
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