"It's all happening perfectly"
A new year, a podcast launch, and insights from the Cupalo community for interviewers and interviewees alike
Helloooo 2024, man is it nice to see YOU.
To say I am JACKED about this new year is an understatement.
After an arduous 2023 I am ready to usher in a new chapter - a sentiment echoed by so many. Innumerable were the times I said to myself in 2023 “it’s all happening perfectly” (just one of the many truisms contained in Susan Jeffers aptly named Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway) and yet felt so very much the opposite.
Fear was and still is my constant companion.
With no definitive roadmap, with no assurance that what we’re doing will work out as intended, we must all keep marching forward. Doing our best to remain true to ourselves and to trust “it’s all happening perfectly” - because, frankly, what else can we do?
To kick this year off with a BANG I am thrilled to share the launching of the Cupalo Conversations Podcast bringing on a diverse and exceptional lineup of guests (YOU could be one of them!)
From software engineering leaders to financial experts, published authors to fellow founders, and an array of rabble rousers in between, I will be exploring the multifaceted world of staffing, scaling development teams, building businesses, and delving into various topics related to self improvement. Book recommendations a must.
Each episode is a deep dive into the grit that lives between the lines of success stories, offering y’all a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs within the staffing and technology domains.
To unravel the stories of such remarkable human beings, and explore the strategies that drive success in staffing, scaling the ever-evolving landscape of the tech industry, and navigating this wild ride of entrepreneurship and life is general.
Be sure to CHECK OUT this week’s inaugural episode…
Episode #1: The Interview Experience with Eric Hunsberger. Are Coding Challenges Dead?
Trade Secrets: An anonymous interview with a Cupalo community member
Lauren: Hi M9N, thank you for being my guest and thank you for contributing your ideas and insights here for all in the Cupalo community to benefit from. Can you tell me about your journey? How did you get into software engineering and can you share some of your key milestones along the way?
M9N: I got into software engineering at the age of 14, when it was introduced into my middle school. I found it fun and interesting. Key milestones along the way:
Graduated from college with a degree in Computer Science.
Went to work for IBM, including working on the original IBM PC.
Left IBM to work in startups in Silicon Valley.
Went through 2 IPO’s with startups, thought it was easy.
Found out that startups are very hard, especially startups that have been around for a while.
Was fortunate enough to work in a group within a large company building a product from scratch and rolling the product out to the entire company.
Lauren: What would you say is your “special sauce” as an engineer and as a leader?
M9N: Focusing on what’s important, leading by example and caring, debugging and problem root cause analysis.
Lauren: It’s my understanding that you are actively interviewing for a new role. Can you share more about your interview experience in this market?
M9N: The interview experience at the end of 2023 was tough. There are dozens and even hundreds of people applying for every job. 90% of the companies that you apply to never respond. If you’re fortunate enough to get an interview, it can take weeks, even months to get through the hiring process.
Lauren: Historically, many companies have leveraged coding challenges to suss out tech chops. With the proliferation of AI, how do you think companies can adjust their methodologies when it comes to determining skill level in an interview?
M9N: I had an interview with a company this morning where they asked me to go onto HackerRank and write code to solve some trivial problems.
I refused.
I am not a trained seal.
No one is going to solve trivial problems any more by manually coding a solution, that's what ChatGPT is for.
Solving trivial problems as part of a hiring process no longer makes sense. What does this accomplish in the world where ChatGPT can generate the answer to most of the “puzzles” presented to applicants. What is the point? What risk is being mitigated?
But companies are slow to change their processes and, so far, there are no substitutes for the coding exercise hoop that candidates have to jump through. I understand that a certain level of hands-on skill needs to be demonstrated and there are people who will try to get hired and who can not do the job. But we have to find new ways to expose that.
Lauren: How do companies foster a sense of belonging? What do you think is a company’s responsibility when it comes to helping people “belong,” to integrate into a team?
M9N: I don’t think you get good results if people don’t have a sense of being part of a team. It’s especially important to be a team player and be willing to help the team succeed. Good leaders understand this and create teams that are successful.
Lauren: With many companies still grappling with what type of work model to adopt, what are your feelings on people being 100% remote vs 100% onsite vs hybrid for a work arrangement? Is it harder for people to feel a sense of belonging in 100% remote or even hybrid environments?
M9N: I think having some on site work makes sense. There are things that happen when people are physically together that don’t happen via Zoom meetings. I don’t think a sense of belonging relies on being in the office, it’s good leadership.
Lauren: At this stage in your career, do you still crave mentorship?
M9N: Sometimes, depending on what I’m doing. We all have blind spots and self-awareness is solely lacking in the world today.
Lauren: Lastly, I want you to think of the greatest boss you ever had. Without sharing who that fabulous person was, what are some of the attributes that they possessed?
M9N: I’ve had a few great bosses. They were humble and led by example. They were very focused on success. They challenged people to excel. You could tell that they cared and they showed it every day.
Lauren: Thank you so much for joining me today and for sharing your experience and insights with this community!
Meme of the Week:
Book of the Week:
Zero to One by Peter Thiel
A startup is the largest endeavor over which you can have definite mastery. You can have agency not just over your own life, but over a small and important part of the world. It begins by rejecting the unjust tyranny of Chance. You are not a lottery ticket.
Great interview! No doubt people will walk away important nuggets to consider as they job-seek or seek to hire. Love your approachability, Lauren! Looking forward to learning your insights.