Day 0 · 10:00Wren
Wren learns your team. Your technologies, the problems you are solving, and how your team works.
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StackPython and Postgres on the backend, Stripe for payments, a Node API for mobile
ProblemsBilling that double-charges after provider timeouts. A flaky mobile API.
CultureSmall team, shared on-call, ships weekly, and everyone reviews each other's code
Wren noticed your engineers disagreed. One said the role is billing, another said mobile. She asked, and you chose billing first. You approve what she learned before anything moves.
Day 0 · 11:30Ada
Ada builds a work simulation. It mimics your environment and your technologies, so a pass means they could start on your real work.
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The taskA billing service double-charging after a provider timeout, in your stack.
The setup90 minutes in their own workspace, with real tests. No proctoring, and you can edit it before it goes out.
A passThey reproduced it, found the root cause, and fixed it so it cannot happen again.
Applications get the same eye. Ada looks for people who have owned a payments system, not for keywords.
Day 0 · 13:00You
You start the search. Nothing goes out before this.
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Two channels open at once: a LinkedIn posting that collects applications, and Robin's own search. The $750 deposit counts toward the fee if you hire.
Day 0 · 17:00Robin
120 applications in four hours, and the search is running too. Every application reviewed within minutes.
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AppliedThe LinkedIn posting brought 120 applications. Ada reviewed each one the way a senior engineer would, and invited 34 to the evaluation.
SearchRobin found 412 engineers who fit and reached out to 31 with a personal note: the salary band, the remote policy and how long the evaluation takes.
ScreeningA short call with everyone who replies, to confirm the basics and answer questions.
Questions at any hour go to Wren, who answers in under a minute.
Day 1 · 07:30Robin
A first candidate was through by 7:30 this morning. Your team was asleep.
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02:14A candidate in Lisbon asks about the remote policy. Wren answers in under a minute.
03:52Another starts the evaluation.
05:10Ada scores the first submission within minutes.
07:30Robin: one is through. More are working on it.
09:00You open your laptop.
Day 2 · 15:20Ada
Two of five are through. Nine finished the evaluation. Two cleared the bar.
Found or applied532
120 applied through the LinkedIn posting, and Robin's search found 412 more who fit: payments or billing in production, at companies your size, in your time zones.
Invited65
34 applicants Ada reviewed and 31 engineers Robin reached out to. Each gets the salary band, the remote policy and how long the evaluation takes. No surprises later.
Screened21
Robin held a screening call with everyone who replied. Wren answered 14 questions between midnight and 6 am.
Finished the evaluation9
Ninety minutes in their own workspace, with real tests, scored within minutes. Everyone who finishes gets feedback, whether or not they move on.
Cleared the bar2
Both fixed the double-charge at the root and covered the retry case. The other seven used a code check, missed the retry case, or ran out of time. You can read what each one did.
Day 3 · 09:00Robin
Meetings are on your calendar. Availability went out the moment two cleared the bar.
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Contact details are shared when you choose to meet. Ada's note for your interview: strong on root cause. Probe how they would run the on-call rotation, because I could not verify that.
Sample search. Names, dates and figures are examples.