How Hiring Managers Really Evaluate Junior Engineers

I recently asked a friend of mine, who has been at Google for twenty years, how he would assess a junior engineer we both know. This person had about a year of experience. Would he see him as entry-level, or something more?

His answer was instant: “He clearly cares, and he clearly ships.” That was enough, in his mind, to put him at L4, which at Google means an experienced engineer above entry-level.

What struck me was not just the conclusion, but how quickly he made it. He did not need to see LeetCode scores, a live coding session, or months of collaboration. He was asking himself the same three questions most hiring managers ask:

1. Can this person get things done? (aptitude)

2. Do they care about the mission? (attitude)

3. What is my confidence level in the above?

Why It Is Hard for Juniors and Career Changers

This is where many early-career professionals struggle. You may have the skills, but proving it is another matter.

• A course project rarely counts. You built it because you had to, not because you cared, and no one outside that class will ever see it.

• Company projects are often under NDA, which means you cannot show them publicly.

• Even when you share, most hiring managers do not have time to review your work in depth. Research shows recruiters spend an average of six to eight seconds on an initial resume scan. They fall back on shortcuts like brand names, schools, or trophies because those are quick signals.

This explains why many talented people feel overlooked. They are capable, but they have not shown it in a way that hiring managers can quickly trust.

What Actually Builds Confidence

The decision often comes down to one core question: do you care about the problem, and have you delivered real solutions in the past?

That is why going big with your personal projects matter so much. They are not graded assignments or corporate work hidden behind an NDA. They are proof that you cared enough to invest your own time, and that you had the ability to build something real.

When a hiring manager sees that you:

• Identified a problem worth solving,

• Built a working solution,

• And gained trust in-person

you have answered the three questions that matter most.

The Takeaway

If you are a junior engineer or a career changer, do not rely only on degrees, certificates, or employer names. They can open doors, but they are not proof. The strongest proof is something you built because you cared, and something you are proud enough to put your name on.