The Hiring & Firing System

A complete, runnable system for hiring and firing engineers: one written bar used at every stage — the pillars, the interview loop, the scorecard and leveling rules, sourcing and offers, onboarding, performance review, the improvement plan, the termination conversation, and offboarding. Generalized from practice, with no company-specific detail.

1. 01Philosophy & the BarThe bar you tolerate is the bar you have. • A hiring system and a performance system are the same instrument, pointed at two different moments in time.Published 05 Aug 20266 sections
2. 02The Pillars: What "Good" Looks LikeYou cannot call something "under" performance without a written definition of "at" performance. • Score a coverage map, not a quiz.Published 05 Aug 20265 sections
3. 03The Interview Loop, Stage by StageEach round is self-contained: its own probes, scenarios, and rubric, so no one has to cross-reference a master doc live. • The candidate's questions at the end of every round are themselves scored.Published 05 Aug 20268 sections
4. 04Scorecards, Leveling & Decision RulesIf maybe, then no. • Leveling is settled before the offer, because level sets the band.Published 05 Aug 20267 sections
5. 05Sourcing, Headcount & OffersAgree the level per role before sourcing, so recruiter, manager, and panel share one bar. • Approved headcount is not the same as hiring throughput.Published 05 Aug 20268 sections
6. 06Onboarding: The First Ten DaysOnboarding is a working contract, not a checklist. • Measured on outcomes, not activity.Published 05 Aug 20266 sections
7. 07Performance & the YardstickRatings are relative to the level, not to each other. • Optimize the review process for speed; never optimize an individual's due process for speed.Published 05 Aug 20266 sections
8. 08Detecting Underperformance & the Improvement PlanEscalate facts, not feelings. • A good improvement plan is a contract, not a threat.Published 05 Aug 20266 sections
9. 09The Termination Decision & ConversationThe manager recommends; people and legal gate. • It is a notification, not a negotiation.Published 05 Aug 20265 sections
10. 10Offboarding, Backfill & Closing the LoopA verbal "I'm leaving" is not a resignation — get it in writing. • Decide the backfill as part of the exit, not after it.Published 05 Aug 20265 sections