> The problem is, the term “top talent” is a thought-terminating cliché – something we’ve all gotten used to saying, without examining what it really means. In

> The problem is, the term “top talent” is a thought-terminating cliché – something we’ve all gotten used to saying, without examining what it really means. In fact, new challenge: every time you hear the phrase from here on out, ask, “What do you really mean by that?” People who actually write software. I will shout this from the rooftops and people from HN will continue to tell me that no, 8-5’ers can be as good as if not better than people who are prolific writers and it’s just not true, statistically, most of the time. > Hot take: “Top talent” doesn’t exist. It definitely does. You can find them. You can verify it. It looks like the tinkerer. The developer who makes things they care about. Maybe none of it takes off. But they’ve done something. Maybe they have been successful, but not enough to start a business and not work for you or another org. Top talent exists, it’s rare, like 1% rare, but they’re out there. They exist because you and I have seen it, and many times you straight up cannot hire them. But there are many that you can.