September 29, 2025 • 9 mins
The podcast episode discusses the drawbacks of the prevalent trend in companies of focusing solely on hiring senior engineers. It highlights the untapped potential of junior engineers, who, due to AI tools, can quickly become productive. The conversation emphasizes the need for mentoring juniors, leveraging their fresh perspectives, and integrating them effectively to build strong, dynamic teams.
#HiringTrends, #SeniorEngineers, #JuniorEngineers, #AITools, #Mentorship, #TeamBuilding, #TechIndustry
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Bite-Sized L&D, your quick no-nonsense update on the latest in workplace learning.
(00:11):
Today we'll uncover the hidden potential of junior engineers and discuss how leveraging
AI and mentoring can revolutionize your hiring strategy.
Alright, let's get straight into it.
Alright everybody, welcome back to another episode of Bite-Sized L&D.
I'm Donna, and as always I've got my co-host Yakov Lasker here with me.
(00:33):
Yakov, what are we diving into today?
Donna, we're tackling something that's been bugging me for a while.
This whole obsession companies have with only hiring senior engineers, and I think we're
finally seeing some pushback on that trend.
Ooh, interesting!
So you're saying the seniors-only club might be doing more harm than good?
(00:54):
Exactly.
Look, here's the thing.
There's this massive pool of talented junior engineers out there that companies won't
even look at.
Everyone's fighting over the same senior talent, paying premium rates, while these hungry,
motivated juniors are just sitting there waiting for a chance.
Okay, but play devil's advocate with me for a second.
(01:15):
I've heard all the usual excuses, right?
Startups say they're too small to mentor.
Midsize companies need people who can handle scale.
And big companies say their infrastructure is too complex.
What's wrong with wanting someone who can hit the ground running?
Those excuses sound logical on paper, but here's what they're missing.
AI has completely changed the game.
(01:37):
Junior engineers today can get up to speed way faster than we ever could.
They're using AI to understand code bases without constantly interrupting their teammates,
generating boilerplate code, learning new technologies at lightning speed.
So you're saying the whole 6-12 months to productivity assumption is outdated?
Exactly.
(01:57):
And here's another kicker.
A lot of these experienced hires aren't actually that much more productive than a well-meantored
junior anyway.
Software development isn't rocket science.
There are diminishing returns.
Sure, you can tell the difference between someone with one year versus five years of
(02:18):
experience, but 10 versus 15?
Not really.
Huh.
That's a fair point.
So what are companies actually missing out on when they skip over juniors?
Oh man, where do I start?
First off, fresh perspectives.
Juniors aren't restricted by, that's just how we've always done it.
They're not trying to recreate some design pattern from their last company that only
(02:41):
made sense in that specific context.
They come in with less baggage and more openness to change.
Less resistance to new ideas, I like that.
Right.
And they're hungry for feedback.
They want to learn.
They want to improve.
And honestly, they're easier to manage because of it.
Plus, loyalty, if you train someone from the ground up, they tend to stick around.
(03:05):
They understand your systems deeply and can eventually mentor the next generation.
Makes sense.
What about that energy factor?
I feel like that's something people don't talk about enough.
Oh absolutely, juniors bring this contagious drive and motivation.
They want to prove themselves and that energy can lift the whole team.
Even your existing seniors benefit from working with smart, motivated people who are excited
(03:31):
to learn.
Okay, I'm sold on the benefits.
But here's the million dollar question.
How do you actually find the good ones?
I mean if everyone's avoiding juniors, there must be a flood of applicants, right?
Bingo!
And that's where most companies mess up.
They're still interviewing like it's 2019.
(03:51):
They ban AI during technical interviews.
They focus on algorithm memorization and whiteboard coding.
All these skills that matter way less now.
So what should they be doing instead?
First, filter for mindset.
Ask about projects they've built, then keep drilling down.
Why did you build this?
How does that work?
(04:12):
Keep going until you hit the bottom of their understanding.
You want to see if they can actually think through complex problems.
And look for the passion, right?
The ones who light up when talking about what they've built?
Yes.
Those conversations should be energizing for both of you.
Then, and this is key, give them a home assignment where they can use any tools they want.
(04:35):
AI, Stack Overflow, whatever.
The magic isn't in the code they submit.
It's in the follow-up.
What happens in the follow-up?
You ask them to walk through their solution.
Why did you make that choice?
How does this part work?
You're testing whether they actually understand what they built, or if they just copy-pasted
(04:57):
from chat GPT without comprehension.
Oh, that's smart.
So you're separating the ones who can think from the ones who are just AI dependent?
Exactly.
But here's the balance.
You also want to see how well they work with AI.
Give them a live coding task.
Watch their prompting strategies.
See if they can effectively guide the AI towards solutions that make sense.
(05:21):
So you're testing both their ability to think independently and their ability to leverage
AI effectively?
Right.
The engineers who can't think without AI hit walls on new problems.
The ones who resist AI get outpaced by their peers.
You want the engineers who excel in both.
The ones who understand AI's huge benefits, but also know where it hurts.
(05:43):
Okay, so let's say a company follows this process and hires some juniors.
What comes next?
You can't just throw them in the deep end, right?
Definitely not.
You need real mentoring infrastructure.
Make sure your senior engineers have time to pair with them.
Create clear learning paths.
Be available for questions.
Don't just assume they can use AI to learn everything.
(06:06):
And I'm guessing patience is key here?
Absolutely.
Don't expect magic overnight just because they're AI native.
Give them time to learn your systems, your company culture, the basics.
But also, and this is important, start small.
Don't hire 10 juniors at once and let them run wild on your code base.
Start with one or two.
(06:27):
Learn what works.
Then scale up.
What about measuring success?
How do you know if this approach is working?
Track the right metrics.
How quickly are juniors becoming productive?
What are their retention rates?
What's blocking them?
And here's something people forget.
Actually talk to them.
Ask about their experience.
(06:48):
What could be improved for the next batch?
They have fresh eyes.
Use that perspective.
And appreciate their work.
Even superstars need encouragement.
Exactly.
Now, before we wrap up, I have to mention this example that really drives the point home.
Shopify recently hired 25 interns.
And their head of engineering said they're aiming for a thousand more by the end of the
(07:11):
year.
A thousand?
That's bold.
Right?
And he said something really interesting.
That interns bring energy, drive and intensity that pushes the whole team forward.
That's a major tech company putting their money where their mouth is.
So what's the bottom line here for our HR and L&D listeners?
The bottom line is this.
(07:33):
Most companies are making a huge mistake by avoiding juniors entirely.
They're missing out on AI native engineers who can learn quickly, adapt to new tools,
and grow into exceptional senior engineers way faster than previous generations.
And this market inefficiency won't last forever.
So the smart companies will figure this out first and build incredible teams while everyone
(07:55):
else is still fighting over the same expensive senior talent?
Exactly.
The question isn't whether this shift will happen.
It's whether you'll start now or wait until everyone else figures it out.
Investing in passionate junior developers will absolutely pay off in the long run.
Love it.
So for our listeners out there, maybe it's time to take a fresh look at your hiring strategy.
(08:19):
Stop overlooking that pool of hungry, talented junior engineers.
Give them the right support, the right tools, and watch them grow.
And remember, the juniors you mentor today could be the senior leaders of tomorrow.
Why not be the company that helped them get there?
Perfect place to wrap it up.
Thanks for tuning in to Bite-sized L&D, everybody.
(08:40):
If this sparked some ideas about your own hiring practices, we'd love to hear about it.
Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and maybe give a junior engineer a shot.
Catch you all on the next episode.
That's a wrap for today's podcast, where we explored the benefits of hiring junior engineers
(09:03):
who bring fresh perspectives and enthusiasm, and how companies like Shopify are successfully
integrating them into their teams.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends and colleagues,
so they can also stay updated on the latest news and gain powerful insights.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Welcome to Bite-Sized L&D, your quick no-nonsense update on the latest in workplace learning.
(00:11):
Today we'll uncover the hidden potential of junior engineers and discuss how leveraging
AI and mentoring can revolutionize your hiring strategy.
Alright, let's get straight into it.
Alright everybody, welcome back to another episode of Bite-Sized L&D.
I'm Donna, and as always I've got my co-host Yakov Lasker here with me.
(00:33):
Yakov, what are we diving into today?
Donna, we're tackling something that's been bugging me for a while.
This whole obsession companies have with only hiring senior engineers, and I think we're
finally seeing some pushback on that trend.
Ooh, interesting!
So you're saying the seniors-only club might be doing more harm than good?
(00:54):
Exactly.
Look, here's the thing.
There's this massive pool of talented junior engineers out there that companies won't
even look at.
Everyone's fighting over the same senior talent, paying premium rates, while these hungry,
motivated juniors are just sitting there waiting for a chance.
Okay, but play devil's advocate with me for a second.
(01:15):
I've heard all the usual excuses, right?
Startups say they're too small to mentor.
Midsize companies need people who can handle scale.
And big companies say their infrastructure is too complex.
What's wrong with wanting someone who can hit the ground running?
Those excuses sound logical on paper, but here's what they're missing.
AI has completely changed the game.
(01:37):
Junior engineers today can get up to speed way faster than we ever could.
They're using AI to understand code bases without constantly interrupting their teammates,
generating boilerplate code, learning new technologies at lightning speed.
So you're saying the whole 6-12 months to productivity assumption is outdated?
Exactly.
(01:57):
And here's another kicker.
A lot of these experienced hires aren't actually that much more productive than a well-meantored
junior anyway.
Software development isn't rocket science.
There are diminishing returns.
Sure, you can tell the difference between someone with one year versus five years of
(02:18):
experience, but 10 versus 15?
Not really.
Huh.
That's a fair point.
So what are companies actually missing out on when they skip over juniors?
Oh man, where do I start?
First off, fresh perspectives.
Juniors aren't restricted by, that's just how we've always done it.
They're not trying to recreate some design pattern from their last company that only
(02:41):
made sense in that specific context.
They come in with less baggage and more openness to change.
Less resistance to new ideas, I like that.
Right.
And they're hungry for feedback.
They want to learn.
They want to improve.
And honestly, they're easier to manage because of it.
Plus, loyalty, if you train someone from the ground up, they tend to stick around.
(03:05):
They understand your systems deeply and can eventually mentor the next generation.
Makes sense.
What about that energy factor?
I feel like that's something people don't talk about enough.
Oh absolutely, juniors bring this contagious drive and motivation.
They want to prove themselves and that energy can lift the whole team.
Even your existing seniors benefit from working with smart, motivated people who are excited
(03:31):
to learn.
Okay, I'm sold on the benefits.
But here's the million dollar question.
How do you actually find the good ones?
I mean if everyone's avoiding juniors, there must be a flood of applicants, right?
Bingo!
And that's where most companies mess up.
They're still interviewing like it's 2019.
(03:51):
They ban AI during technical interviews.
They focus on algorithm memorization and whiteboard coding.
All these skills that matter way less now.
So what should they be doing instead?
First, filter for mindset.
Ask about projects they've built, then keep drilling down.
Why did you build this?
How does that work?
(04:12):
Keep going until you hit the bottom of their understanding.
You want to see if they can actually think through complex problems.
And look for the passion, right?
The ones who light up when talking about what they've built?
Yes.
Those conversations should be energizing for both of you.
Then, and this is key, give them a home assignment where they can use any tools they want.
(04:35):
AI, Stack Overflow, whatever.
The magic isn't in the code they submit.
It's in the follow-up.
What happens in the follow-up?
You ask them to walk through their solution.
Why did you make that choice?
How does this part work?
You're testing whether they actually understand what they built, or if they just copy-pasted
(04:57):
from chat GPT without comprehension.
Oh, that's smart.
So you're separating the ones who can think from the ones who are just AI dependent?
Exactly.
But here's the balance.
You also want to see how well they work with AI.
Give them a live coding task.
Watch their prompting strategies.
See if they can effectively guide the AI towards solutions that make sense.
(05:21):
So you're testing both their ability to think independently and their ability to leverage
AI effectively?
Right.
The engineers who can't think without AI hit walls on new problems.
The ones who resist AI get outpaced by their peers.
You want the engineers who excel in both.
The ones who understand AI's huge benefits, but also know where it hurts.
(05:43):
Okay, so let's say a company follows this process and hires some juniors.
What comes next?
You can't just throw them in the deep end, right?
Definitely not.
You need real mentoring infrastructure.
Make sure your senior engineers have time to pair with them.
Create clear learning paths.
Be available for questions.
Don't just assume they can use AI to learn everything.
(06:06):
And I'm guessing patience is key here?
Absolutely.
Don't expect magic overnight just because they're AI native.
Give them time to learn your systems, your company culture, the basics.
But also, and this is important, start small.
Don't hire 10 juniors at once and let them run wild on your code base.
Start with one or two.
(06:27):
Learn what works.
Then scale up.
What about measuring success?
How do you know if this approach is working?
Track the right metrics.
How quickly are juniors becoming productive?
What are their retention rates?
What's blocking them?
And here's something people forget.
Actually talk to them.
Ask about their experience.
(06:48):
What could be improved for the next batch?
They have fresh eyes.
Use that perspective.
And appreciate their work.
Even superstars need encouragement.
Exactly.
Now, before we wrap up, I have to mention this example that really drives the point home.
Shopify recently hired 25 interns.
And their head of engineering said they're aiming for a thousand more by the end of the
(07:11):
year.
A thousand?
That's bold.
Right?
And he said something really interesting.
That interns bring energy, drive and intensity that pushes the whole team forward.
That's a major tech company putting their money where their mouth is.
So what's the bottom line here for our HR and L&D listeners?
The bottom line is this.
(07:33):
Most companies are making a huge mistake by avoiding juniors entirely.
They're missing out on AI native engineers who can learn quickly, adapt to new tools,
and grow into exceptional senior engineers way faster than previous generations.
And this market inefficiency won't last forever.
So the smart companies will figure this out first and build incredible teams while everyone
(07:55):
else is still fighting over the same expensive senior talent?
Exactly.
The question isn't whether this shift will happen.
It's whether you'll start now or wait until everyone else figures it out.
Investing in passionate junior developers will absolutely pay off in the long run.
Love it.
So for our listeners out there, maybe it's time to take a fresh look at your hiring strategy.
(08:19):
Stop overlooking that pool of hungry, talented junior engineers.
Give them the right support, the right tools, and watch them grow.
And remember, the juniors you mentor today could be the senior leaders of tomorrow.
Why not be the company that helped them get there?
Perfect place to wrap it up.
Thanks for tuning in to Bite-sized L&D, everybody.
(08:40):
If this sparked some ideas about your own hiring practices, we'd love to hear about it.
Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and maybe give a junior engineer a shot.
Catch you all on the next episode.
That's a wrap for today's podcast, where we explored the benefits of hiring junior engineers
(09:03):
who bring fresh perspectives and enthusiasm, and how companies like Shopify are successfully
integrating them into their teams.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends and colleagues,
so they can also stay updated on the latest news and gain powerful insights.
Stay tuned for more updates.
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