?? Will ChatGPT make coding tests for engineers obsolete?
Yassine Kachchani
I publish Exec Engineering, a weekly digest on Engineering + Talent | Co-founder & CEO at Gemography
Thanks for reading Exec. Eng. a weekly newsletter for the busy tech executive.
If it’s your first time stopping by — Hi, I’m Yassine. I spend a big chunk of my time digging into Engineering Management and Talent Acquisition, especially where the two overlap. I share the most interesting resources I come across in this newsletter, all curated by hand.
Hope the insights bring value.
Hiring Engineers
?? Finding quality tech hires (Tigran Sloyan / Forbes)
This article provides six tips for identifying top-performing software engineers in any job market. The tips include developing skills-based, objective hiring processes, replacing resume reviews with accurate technical assessments, ensuring technical evaluations assess the right skills, looking for collaboration skills and alignment with core values, broadcasting your culture and technology vision, and investing in the professional development of current employees. Despite recent layoffs and hiring freezes, many companies still have open technical roles to fill, and finding highly qualified technical candidates is key to future growth.
?? The fintech industry is not in distress (Mary Ann Azevedo / TechCrunch)
Despite many fintechs laying off staff, some companies are finding opportunities in the current job market. Early-stage fintech founders, particularly at the pre-seed and seed stages, are pulling in top talent that would have been inaccessible six months ago.
?? Will ChatGPT make coding tests for engineers obsolete? (Sri Krishna / Venture Beat)
This article discusses the use of automated coding tests for software engineering job candidates and the potential for AI-driven manipulation, including the use of ChatGPT. While automated coding tests can be useful, they are not without their faults and can be vulnerable to fraud. The article suggests that future technical interviewing will focus on assessing a candidate's problem-solving and thought processes, rather than just their ability to reach an available solution. Companies should adopt a holistic and human-centric approach to hiring that takes into account a candidate's technical skills, cultural fit, and potential for growth within the company.
?? Showing impact without hiring and over-engineering (Soft Skills Engineering Podcast)
In this podcast episode, two senior engineers answer questions related to engineering leadership. The first question is about finding ways to have more impact and grow leadership skills in a company that is not hiring or growing teams. The second question is about dealing with a colleague who tends to over-engineer solutions and make sweeping decisions without a full understanding of the problem, and who responds to feedback by further complicating their approach.
Managing Engineers
?? The backbone of a successful team: 1:1s, skip levels, and the delegation framework (Spencer Norman / Super Managers Podcast)
Spencer Norman, VP of Engineering at Privy, discusses the importance of communication and transparency in teams. He shares his experiences with communicating during an acquisition and structuring intentional 1:1 meetings. Spencer also provides guidance on creating a sense of safety within teams and explains the comfort, stretch, and panic framework.
?? What it takes to scale engineering (Rachel Potvin / Changelog)
In this document, Rachel Potvin, former VP of Engineering at GitHub, discusses what it takes to scale engineering beyond 100 people. She shares insights and lessons learned from her career of leading and scaling engineering teams.
?? Software development teams rarely buy products (Karim Fanous / Cumulative)
According to a hypothesis presented in this blog, software engineering organizations tend to only buy a core set of products, such as those related to cloud and CI/CD systems, and rarely purchase products outside of this set. The author suggests that vendors targeting software development teams should focus on peripheral organizations, such as security and IT, which have larger budgets allocated to tools or be prepared for a different buying process that relies on free trials and word of mouth.
?? Building platforms vs. products (Oksana Kubushyna / The Engineering Leadership Podcast)
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Oksana Kubushyna, Head of Operations, Entertainment at Riot Games, discusses the differences between building a platform versus a product, her leadership journey building the Riot Platform Group, and how she utilizes OODA loops in her leadership style. She also shares tips for empowering teams, utilizing cross-discipline thinking, and the importance of internal measurement metrics.
Remote Trend
?? When companies reverse on remote work (Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza / Quartz)
As companies roll back remote work policies, many workers are resisting the return to the office. While employers can compel employees to work in a specific location, there are exceptions such as union contracts or reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Workers can also negotiate compensation or ask for flexibility in new ways. If all else fails, some workers are choosing to walk away. Despite corporate calls to return to the office, it's unlikely this change will end remote work, as the appetite among the workforce is just too strong.
?? Enhancing visibility with remote work (Tracy Brower / Forbes)
This article discusses the importance of visibility for career growth, particularly in the context of remote work. It cites studies that show that people who have more face time with colleagues tend to benefit from better projects and greater career advancement. The article also provides tips for enhancing visibility, including being accountable, being present and accessible, and being connected.
?? How hybrid and distributed teams models benefit companies (Cory Hymel / SmartBrief)
This article showcases the benefits of hybrid and distributed team models for companies. With advances in technology and changes in the way we work, remote work and flexible schedules are becoming more common. Companies that have successfully implemented distributed team setups have seen benefits such as increased productivity, lower levels of absenteeism and turnover, and access to diverse talent and skill sets around the world. Communication and the use of reliable technology are crucial for making distributed teams successful.
Misc
Top posts of the week
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I also share my own personal insights and thoughts on Engineering Leadership and Talent Acquisition every other day, let’s connect.