How to Build a Talent Pipeline for Tech Roles

If your hiring still uses resume screening or quizzes or tests, you’re mostly getting weak hires. a key lesson great CEOs of small companies truly understand (or are open to understand : ) Hiring for tech roles is still stuck in the past. Quizzes, coding puzzles, and theory-heavy tests are easy to run but do not give strong signals of people who can actually do the job. You end up with candidates who are good at theory knowledge, not at engineering. What works better? 3 methods stand out from our experience - 1. Proof of Skill Assessments Run open-ended technical discussions based on real job problems. Skip the “explain this concept” type of question. Instead, ask them to debug a slow API, optimize a SQL query, or fix a broken Docker setup. You see how they think, solve, and adapt when facing work they will actually do. The best signal for deep technical judgment. 2. Video Cover Letters Ask for a 2-minute video where they explain a recent technical challenge or onboard a new team member. Use the video as an effort filter and a way to check clarity, communication, and authenticity in one shot. You quickly cut down a large pool to people who care enough to apply properly and communicate well. 3. Open-Ended Project Submissions Give a real-world project and 48 hours. Candidates can use any tool, resource, or documentation (yes, they can use even AI tools). You see how they break down requirements, make trade-offs, and deliver working code. This is close to real work. Look for how they document, build, and explain decisions. You find builders, not test-takers. Here's a critical point -- most traditional hiring steps (resume screening, quiz, theory interview) filter for the wrong things. They reward memory, not skill. What to assess instead: -- Can the candidate solve actual real problems under realistic conditions? -- Do they show clear thinking and practical judgment? -- Is their code readable and well-organized? -- Can someone else follow their process? If you want confidence in your next hire, start with one of these methods. Test for actual work, not theory.

Most companies don’t have a talent problem. They have a standards problem. You’re not going to build a high-performing org by posting job descriptions and hoping the right person applies. 10x talent doesn’t scroll job boards. They’re not passively “open to work.” They’re building. Leading. Winning. If you want them, you have to go get them. Hope is not a strategy. Employer branding won’t help you. Here’s how high-performing exec teams do it: 1. Build a talent pipeline like a sales funnel. Track top 10% of the market by name. Nurture relationships early. Assign follow-ups like you would in enterprise sales. 2. Write the 6-month press release before you hire. If you can’t clearly articulate what success looks like in six months, you’re not ready to hire. 3. Use the bar-raiser model. No one gets hired unless they raise the average quality of the team. Period. 4. Move fast—with precision. 10x talent has options. Don’t lose them to your own process. 5. Be a magnet for talent. Great people follow great leaders. Be the kind of operator they want to bet on. Read that again. Build the engine. Top talent isn’t looking for a job. They’re already in motion—with their next three plays mapped out. Your job is to understand their arc—and show how your opportunity helps them go further, faster. That’s not recruitment. That’s acceleration. And when it’s done right, it’s a double win.

*The playbook I use to recruit a team* How companies hire people right now is changing dramatically, with AI-powered tools popping up everywhere. But many fundamentals stay the same — finding candidates, setting up interviews, and closing people. I know many talented people who are working hard to find the right opportunity in a changing industry, and I wanted to share how I've hired in case that sheds light on the mechanics. This remains one of the most important jobs of a manager. Every new hire can be a multiplying force for the team, and it's paid off to hire in a disciplined and fair way. What’s helped me: 1. Get specific about the role. - Do I really need a new hire or can I reallocate work inside the team? This isn’t just a chance to do more with less, but to give people growth paths they’re excited about. - What are the most important skills we need? It’s tempting to look for a “unicorn”, but what we need is someone who can tackle the problems of today. - Craft a tight pitch for the role & practice it. People will decide whether to interview based on it. 2. Own the process. - As a hiring manager, I’m ultimately responsible. - Invest the time. The 1hr/day I spent recruiting turns into 8hrs/day of a new colleague being an expert at their job -- highest ROI ever? - Just like with product execution, clear goals, canonical docs, and regular tracking make things more efficient. 3. Build the pipeline. - I'm building a team for the long-term, so I need to talk to more amazing candidates even if it takes longer. - Great roles are a good way to attract people who might not normally interview with my team. Meeting them is a long-term investment. - Always have multiple candidates in the pipeline until the offer is closed. Otherwise I get tunnel vision on one candidate. 4. Execute the interview and decision process fast. - Build a consistent interview loop. Each interviewer is assigned ~1-3 specific skills to assess, so we get a full picture without repeating the same areas. - Hold a structured debrief ASAP with concrete details. - Own the judgment call. No one can guarantee a candidate will be a great fit, but after a full interview loop we have all the information we're likely to get. 5. Close a great candidate. - Be honest about the job. What will feel good and bad six months in? - I ask,”What would prevent you from taking this job?” Then I can address it directly or help them think through it. - Become their growth partner. Can I help them plot up front what their growth could look like and how I’ll support them? Metrics, product launches, and quarterly goals are all important. But a manager’s underlying job is to build the team that builds the product. No process is foolproof, but investing in a fair, disciplined process has been worth every hour that it takes. Watching great people work together and grow (and getting to be part of their team!) is one of my favorite parts of every job I’ve had. (full post at amivora.substack.com)