Atrophy has really been an issue in my recent hiring cycles for good senior engineers.
80% of senior candidates I interview now aren’t able to do junior level tasks without GenAI helping them.
We’ve had to start doing more coding tests to weed their skill set out as a result, and I try and make my coding tests as indicative of our real work as possible and the work they current do.
But these people are struggling to work with basic data structures without an LLM.
So then I put coding aside, because maybe their skills are directing other folks. But no, they’ve also become dependent on LLMs to ideate.
That 80% is no joke. It’s what I’m hitting actively.
And before anyone says: well then let them use LLMs, no. Firstly, we’re making new technologies and APIs that LLMs really struggle with even with purpose trained models.
But furthermore, If I’m doing that, then why am I paying for a senior ? How are they any different than someone more junior or cheaper if they have become so atrophied ?
80% of senior candidates I interview now aren’t able to do junior level tasks without GenAI helping them.
We’ve had to start doing more coding tests to weed their skill set out as a result, and I try and make my coding tests as indicative of our real work as possible and the work they current do.
But these people are struggling to work with basic data structures without an LLM.
So then I put coding aside, because maybe their skills are directing other folks. But no, they’ve also become dependent on LLMs to ideate.
That 80% is no joke. It’s what I’m hitting actively.
And before anyone says: well then let them use LLMs, no. Firstly, we’re making new technologies and APIs that LLMs really struggle with even with purpose trained models. But furthermore, If I’m doing that, then why am I paying for a senior ? How are they any different than someone more junior or cheaper if they have become so atrophied ?