The Ultimate Guide for Making the Best Career Choices in Tech
“How hard can it be to find a new Java developer?” I was asked this question by our engineering director, frustrated with my lack of progress in finding a new software developer for our project. By then, I had interviewed several candidates and concluded they would not be successful in the role. Our team found a good fit a couple of weeks after the nudge, so I never had to explain the real reason why I did not recommend the previous candidates. It was us, not them. My reservation, which I helped the candidates understand, is that while they could meet the immediate requirements of the project — we would be fortunate to have them aboard — working with our technology stack was not an optimal choice for them in the long run. With enough time passed and that entire project no longer active, I can explain my assessment using a structured framework. In this story, I explain that framework and share a couple of personal anecdotes illustrating why it is relevant whether you are starting o...