
Mission: Impossile — Finding a Good Analogy
Not every company wants to hire a super star; also niching down can make you a star in your niche.

Does Tom Cruise still audition?
Asking Cruise to audition is likely a way to _not_ get him into your film. The same can be true for take-home coding challenges.

Tiny DevOps episode #41 Morgan Craft — Is a fractional CTO right for your company?
Morgan Craft is a New York-based former software engineer and CTO, and currently a founder and Fractional CTO. He joins me to discuss the concept of a fractional CTO, why they're growing in popularity, and how to decide whether one is right for you.
Adventures in DevOps 110: Building and Organizing DevOps Teams
The panel breaks down the process of building a "DevOps team".

How to detect "real" programmers
New research suggests simple questions for basic technical screening.

I've never fired anyone for technical incompetence
I've done a fair amount of hiring and firing over the years. But I've come to notice a disconnect.

Shop talk
There's nothing like an expert and a poser talking shop to expose the poser in just a few seconds.
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Hiring, Fast and Slow
Hiring screening optimizes for fast thinking, but IT success depends on slow thinking.

When should you assign technical homework during an interview?
I once worked with a company that had a take-home assignment as the first stage of an interview process. Ugh. Here are my suggested alternatives.

What if we can't afford to hire an expert?
When you can't afford to hire an expert, “moneyball it”. Hire a fractional expert.

Who to hire first: A senior or junior?
For a first hire, select a candidate with seniority in line with the role's ability to destroy your business.