> “If you need to work out whether someone can do something, ask them to do it. Talk to them about things they have done as a first step. Don't overthink it.”

> “If you need to work out whether someone can do something, ask them to do it. Talk to them about things they have done as a first step. Don't overthink it.” I agree very much. It’s why I would be substantially less likely to hire someone for a software engineering job if they don’t either have (a) a somewhat standard bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and communicate clearly about knowledge gained through coursework or (b) previous work experience already delivering software engineering solutions. If instead they have self-taught academic certification and no professional software experience, it’s too unlikely they can do the job when I ask them about doing it, regardless of their ability to talk about CS topics traditionally associated with tech interviewing.