The best engineers aren't just coders. They're curious explorers who: • Question everything • See interconnections • Make complex things simple Your interview process should identify these traits.

Technical skills are table stakes. What's far more important is how someone thinks and approaches problems. After interviewing hundreds of engineers and building teams that sold for $200M, I've developed an unusual way to spot top performers:

I ask them to describe their home internet setup. This single question tells me more about a candidate than hours of technical interviews. Here's why this works so well:

True engineers are obsessed with optimization. They can tell you: • Their router model • Network configuration • Backup systems • Troubleshooting protocols If they respond with "I don't know, it just works" - that's a red flag. But here's what's fascinating:

The best engineers treat their home network like it's mission-critical infrastructure. "If the Internet dies at my house, I'm going ninja-level to figure this shit out. The Internet is like breathing." This reveals the first key trait I look for: Deep curiosity about things.

The second trait: Systems thinking. I ask candidates to explain how email works. Not looking for textbook answers. I want to see how deep they can go: • DNS lookups • MX records • Spam filtering • Multi-tier architecture The patterns are revealing:

Average candidates give surface-level explanations. Great candidates dive into rabbit holes, exploring edge cases and interconnections. They can't help themselves - they're fascinated by complex systems. But there's one more critical trait:

The ability to simplify complexity. At Acompli (acquired by Microsoft), I interviewed 100 iOS engineers to hire ONE. The key screening question: "How would you build an app where very longs lists scroll at 60 frames per second?" Here's what happened:

99% jumped straight into technical solutions. The 1% we hired? They started by asking questions about user experience and performance tradeoffs. They understood that technical excellence serves a greater purpose.

These 3 traits combined: • Deep curiosity • Systems thinking • Simplifying complexity Are worth more than any coding test or algorithm puzzle. But here's the counterintuitive part:

You can't teach these traits. They're deeply ingrained patterns of thinking that develop over years. That's why I'd rather hire someone who compiled their own router firmware as a hobby than someone who aced every CS course.

This approach helped me build teams that: • Scaled to hundreds of engineers • Shipped products used by millions • Led to multiple $100M+ exits But most companies still rely on outdated interview methods.

The hard truth: Technical skills can be taught. But curiosity, systems thinking, and the ability to simplify complexity? Those are the real predictors of success.

Want to master the founder mindset and build better? Join Founder Mode for free weekly insights on startups, systems, and personal growth:

I hope you've found this thread helpful. Follow me @KevinHenrikson for more. Like/Repost the quote below if you can:

Video credits: • YT link • YT link • YT link • YT link • YT link • YT link

It’s a two way street. I was always interviewing the interviewer. The best engineers don’t work for the monies and won’t accept jumping into teams that have incompetent members. Glad I’m still solo and building things for the love of it. Technical interviews? Who tf knows what they’re after. I’m not in their minds. They all have different ideas for what’s a sane or good response and what’s insane or bad. They’re basically just telling me repeatedly that I’m wasting my time and should be opening my own business. Here’s to round 4 of that.

When Keller talks, I always listen.

this was epic

“think simple enough” - Jim Keller

We embrace the exponentially curious mind, thinkers who see engineering and logic in everything, people that dream and do. Come and join our team of engineers.

@threadreaderapp unroll here

@KevinHenrikson @Thrasymachus5 Halo! you can read it here: See you soon. 🤖