> But it's not an engineer's job to create and provide value out of thin air. It is management's job to only hire engineers when they have real value to create

> But it's not an engineer's job to create and provide value out of thin air. It is management's job to only hire engineers when they have real value to create that requires more engineers. I imagine 50-90% of hires are "empire building" or politics. 100% agree. Head count is like oil or Dune's Spice at these companies. Middle managers just want to grow the headcount under them to grow their own influence and get more power in whatever petty politics they are currently engaged in. You are 100% right