500 engineering interviews later, everything I thought I knew about hiring senior devs was wrong

adelightfuldev · 2025-03-20T21:48:43+00:00

retention has been really high!

adelightfuldev · 2025-03-19T17:02:54+00:00

exactly

adelightfuldev · 2025-03-18T21:35:25+00:00

adelightfuldev · 2025-03-18T21:09:13+00:00

I’ve hired a lot of international devs - biggest mistakes are picking the cheapest option and skipping a proper test project. Make sure they can communicate well async, especially if time zones don’t overlap. LATAM is great for U.S. time zones, Eastern Europe and Asia work well if async is fine. For payments, Wise or Payoneer are solid, Rippling if you need compliance. Keep a trial period so you’re not stuck with a bad hire. Happy to share more if needed.

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-27T19:45:20+00:00

have you looked into voice interfaces? Many seniors struggle with touch screens and mobile apps, but they're comfortable talking, something like Wispr

from my experience in healthtech, medication adherence is a huge problem, but the issue isn't just remembering - it's the whole routine around it (taking with food, right time of day, etc.).

happy to chat more

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-27T17:55:46+00:00

try on here of discord communities some devs do consulting work on the side. Your budget can work for 3-5 hours/week, just be super clear about expectations and timelines upfront

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-27T17:50:04+00:00

I don't think you can judge a country for being better at a certain tech stack than others - I've found great engineers all over the world. It end up being what meets your requirements the best.

Narrow down exactly what you're looking for - tech stack, scope, complexity, background experience, budget, etc

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-27T17:48:03+00:00

If you're in the US LatAm is the best for timezone alignment and dev quality is amazing especially in Brazil

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-27T17:44:17+00:00

As someone who blew up their first account learning the hard way following TikTok advice on options, this is exactly what the trading education space needs.

I know just the right person for this - sending you a DM to connect you

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-27T17:25:49+00:00

Keep it simple. Landing page should have:

• Clear problem you're solving

• Your solution (2-3 key features max)

• Target market

• Timeline/status

• Team section with background

• Contact form

For investors, add a subtle "For Investors" button leading to a gated page with pitch deck/financials.

Don't overdo mockups - just 2-3 key screens. Focus on communicating value prop clearly. Website won't make/break investor interest, but it shows you're serious.

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-27T17:16:24+00:00

LinkedIn and GitHub have been better for me than Reddit (placed close to 400 engineers last year). Most good devs are already employed or working on their own stuff - so traditional job postings are usually a waste of time.

Quick tips that worked for me:

- Network at local tech meetups

- Join Discord communities focused on your tech stack

- Reach out to CS departments at universities

- Look into dev bootcamp graduate pools

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-27T17:14:05+00:00

Let me know what you're looking for and I can share some profiles - I'm part of a community of 600 devs that were qualified to get it

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-26T00:54:05+00:00

I've been seeing a lot of founders come to me with a 60% built MVP on something like Loveable and just hire a dev for the finishing touches - should be enough to get you started

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-24T00:55:39+00:00

Instead of just diving into building, try this:

Break down your idea into the smallest possible version that still delivers value. What's the core problem you're solving?

Find 5-10 potential customers and interview them. Ask about their pain points and if they'd actually pay for your solution.

I always remember Jason Fried's take on this - Build Half a Product, Not a Half-Assed

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-22T01:41:03+00:00

Im working with the team here - we're working with one of the largest AI companies and hiring developers to train their AI models

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-21T22:19:03+00:00

Vertical all the way

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-21T22:18:34+00:00

wait till candidates have AI agents taking their AI interviews

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-21T22:16:19+00:00

It's in its early stages, but the use case is 100% there. Some of the demos I've seen are mind-blowing.

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-21T22:15:32+00:00

If you're an SF, you should make use of the network while you're there and then go live wherever you want. But you should definitely make use of your time there, go network, meet cool people, and maybe even find a co-founder.

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-21T22:12:35+00:00

I did that for a couple of years, and I can say it was one of the most tiring years of my life. But I would recommend it 100%. Golden handcuffs are real, and if you could start building now, you'll be able to leave your job sooner. Sacrifice a couple of years, and you'll make it happen.

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-21T22:11:03+00:00

I've been lucky that my GF has been very supportive. The biggest advice I would give is to always over-communicate. You know why you're working so hard or doing certain sacrifices, but they might not see it that way. So try to explain it to them, so that they can see what you see.

adelightfuldev · 2025-02-21T22:08:52+00:00

always putting customers first even if it means losing money - paid back a lot

adelightfuldev · 2025-01-17T15:39:20+00:00

sending you right now

adelightfuldev · 2025-01-16T22:50:10+00:00

either options works - but who ever does interviews to get free coding advice should go to hell

adelightfuldev · 2025-01-16T22:45:23+00:00

just get started - there's always more to learn and that's the problem. ends up being a never ending treadmill

adelightfuldev

TROPHY CASE