Hiring Developers: 2010 Vs. 2025
Key topics
In 2010:
- Hard to find candidates
- Many had no online footprint
- I sourced only in my city for local clients
- LinkedIn wasn’t popular yet
- Contacting the same candidates every 2–3 months
- Ghosting was almost non-existent
- I spent time figuring out where to find candidates and how to approach them
- Recruiters asked candidates about OOP concepts and frameworks
- Interviews were always in the office
- Candidates wrote JavaScript functions on paper in front of the interviewer
In 2025:
- Too many applicants, not too few
- AI helps candidates fill out applications and tailor resumes
- Sourcing is global — from Brazil to Japan
- LinkedIn is a must-have tool for every recruiter
- As a recruiter, you most probably won’t contact the same candidate twice
- Ghosting is normal
- Fake candidates using AI try to pass interviews
- Recruiters mainly try to figure out your motivation and company fit
- Interviews are fully online
- Coding tests replaced everything (and you can even cheat them with AI)
Yeah, it seems like hiring in tech has changed.
Or maybe I changed, too?
The author reflects on the changes in tech recruitment from 2010 to 2025, highlighting shifts in candidate sourcing, interviewing practices, and the impact of AI.
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