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Practical advice on technical hiring, assessments, and building engineering teams.

September 26, 20265 min read

A silent 1,000-row limit, and the same email sent over and over

Our dedupe read got 1,000 of 12,928 rows and nothing said so. What broke, why it ran for months, and what changed.

September 21, 20267 min read

How to screen software engineers in 2026, when every candidate uses AI

Four signals that still predict the job when every candidate uses AI, plus a screening sequence a small team can run, with the time cost of each step.

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September 21, 20266 min read

Take-home test alternatives that still tell you something

Six ways to replace the take-home test, what each one measures and what it costs, and how to keep any of them under 90 minutes of candidate time.

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September 21, 20266 min read

How to interview engineers who use AI: a rubric you can run this week

A 45 minute interview format and a five row rubric for judging how well engineers work with an AI assistant.

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September 21, 20265 min read

Coding assessment tools compared: what each one actually measures

A fair look at what HackerRank, CodeSignal, Codility, CoderPad, TestGorilla, Karat and Woven each measure.

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September 21, 20266 min read

How to tell whether a candidate can code, or just prompt

The signals that separate a candidate who understands AI-assisted code from one who is just pasting it.

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September 21, 20267 min read

Designing a technical interview process for a team of ten

A four-stage interview process sized for a ten-person engineering team, with the time, owner, and pass rate at each stage.

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April 14, 20266 min read

Why Generic Coding Assessments Fail (And What to Do Instead)

LeetCode-style problems test algorithmic puzzles, not real engineering ability. Here is why tailored assessments produce better hiring outcomes.

hiringassessmentsengineering

April 14, 20268 min read

Why Teams Are Switching From HackerRank to AI-Powered Assessments

HackerRank was built for a different era. Here is why engineering teams are moving to AI-powered alternatives that test real job skills, cost less, and detect cheating.

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April 14, 20269 min read

Best Codility Alternatives in 2026 for Technical Hiring

Codility is showing its age with an outdated question bank, rigid customization, and no AI detection. Here are the best Codility alternatives for teams that want better signal and a better candidate experience.

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April 12, 20267 min read

How to Detect AI-Generated Answers in Technical Interviews

With ChatGPT and Copilot widely available, integrity monitoring is essential. Here is how to tell if a candidate used AI to complete a technical assessment.

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April 10, 20265 min read

The True Cost of a Bad Engineering Hire (And How to Reduce It)

A single bad engineering hire can cost $50K to $150K when you factor in recruiting, onboarding, lost productivity, and team impact. Better assessments are the highest-leverage fix.

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April 8, 20265 min read

HackerRank Alternatives in 2026: What to Use Instead

HackerRank and Codility are the defaults, but they test algorithmic puzzles, not real engineering skills. Here are the alternatives worth considering.

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Blog

A silent 1,000-row limit, and the same email sent over and over

How to screen software engineers in 2026, when every candidate uses AI

Take-home test alternatives that still tell you something

How to interview engineers who use AI: a rubric you can run this week

Coding assessment tools compared: what each one actually measures

How to tell whether a candidate can code, or just prompt

Designing a technical interview process for a team of ten

Why Generic Coding Assessments Fail (And What to Do Instead)

Why Teams Are Switching From HackerRank to AI-Powered Assessments

Best Codility Alternatives in 2026 for Technical Hiring

How to Detect AI-Generated Answers in Technical Interviews

The True Cost of a Bad Engineering Hire (And How to Reduce It)

HackerRank Alternatives in 2026: What to Use Instead

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