Activity Update: Interviews in process, with 1 candidate in final stage. All applicants receive the same Playwright-based assessment before speaking with engineering leadership. The process is intentionally designed to remove resume bias and evaluate skill directly. If you can do the work, you move forward.
Ryan Anderson described it as evaluating how candidates think and execute against real requirements, not how they compare on paper. A few patterns stood out from the first group:
- 2 open reqs
- 250+ applications in 2 days
- 20 candidates completed the assessment, 12 did not pass
Common reasons for not passing:
- Overly complex or unstructured code (missed opportunity for reusable, modular design)
- Missed or partially followed instructions in the prompt
- Over-reliance on AI without validating outputs
What the team looks for:
- Strong fundamentals
- Clear, structured thinking
- Ability to follow requirements precisely
- Clean, maintainable automation approach
This is what skill-based hiring looks like when it’s actually enforced. Personally, I expect to see more companies follow suit over the next 12 months.
The best candidates consistently show strong fundamentals, clear thinking, and precise execution of requirements.
Ryan Anderson, President & COO, Engineering Leader