The Digital Press

The article discusses how many talented software engineers remain "invisible" or "illegible" in traditional hiring and promotion systems because their contributions don't fit easily measurable criteria. It highlights how reliance on observable signals like social media activity or open source contributions can overlook highly skilled engineers who work quietly, steadily, and effectively.

Why it matters: Traditional evaluation methods miss valuable engineers who don’t showcase their skills publicly or conform to standard performance metrics.

The big picture: Measuring software talent is inherently difficult due to the abstract nature of the work and the variety of contributions beyond coding alone.

The stakes: Overreliance on visible signals risks losing or undervaluing highly capable engineers, harming team performance and diversity.

Commenters say: Many resonate with the challenge of capturing true skill, noting diverse paths and personalities among great engineers, and the inadequacy of current hiring frameworks.