Signs of engineering competence (that even non-engineers can sniff out): 1. When asked to explain a complex topic you know little about, does their explanation make you feel confused / dumb or way smarter afterward? 2. When confronting a bug, is it case closed when the bug is gone, or do they dig like a dog on a bone until they find the systemic root cause(s)? 3. When faced with major technical decisions, do they rely on social proof (Youtube / forums / friends), or are they also reading the full documentation / relevant papers? Independent, clear thinking is getting harder and harder to find, especially in the era of AI!

BTW if you are an engineer nodding along to this, come work with me @TeamSundial! Looking for generalists in Bay Area with 2+ years experience, obsessed with AI and analytically rigorous. DMs are open.