Titles, tenure, and paths don't matter

What It Covers

37signals cofounders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson explain their hiring process for designers and programmers, emphasizing how actual work samples outweigh credentials, tenure, and prestigious company backgrounds when evaluating candidates.

Key Questions Answered

• •Portfolio creation without clients: Candidates can redesign existing company websites like FedEx or banks without permission to demonstrate skills and build portfolios with recognizable brand names, bypassing the need for prestigious work history or formal client relationships.
• •Take-home project structure: Designers receive five-day projects with broad prompts and zero research or requirements, allowing assessment of creative range and thinking process. Programmers complete four-to-six hour tests, enabling evaluation of 75 candidates from 2,200 applicants for four positions.
• •CV unreliability at scale: Resumes frequently contain half-truths about individual impact versus team contributions, especially from large tech companies. Work samples reveal whether candidates can operate at 37signals' pace and scale, which differs fundamentally from billion-user platforms requiring different skill applications.
• •Open source as proof: Programmers can contribute to existing open source projects relevant to target companies, creating undeniable work records in three months. Companies may already use these contributions before candidates apply, providing immediate credibility without requiring years of professional experience.