Cal Evans
Systems Architect specializing in APIs built with PHP
A manager’s #1 job
Wondering how to be a good dev manager? If you’re not running interruption interference, you need a new game plan. I’ve said for a long time that developers should only be managed by other developers. You should not bring in a “professional manager” (is there such a thing?) to manage your development team. I get […]
Developer farming for fun and profit
There are a lot of articles being written about: Gen Z loving to switch jobs The Great Resignation The talent shortage in tech How all of these things combined make hiring in tech hard This is not one of those articles.
Networking for introverts
There are few places where it feels like networking matters more than it does in tech. In this week’s episode, Cal sits down with Nashville’s very own Dave Delaney to talk about how to make the most of a networking event, even if people aren’t really your jam. Transcript of Conversation: Cal Evans: Welcome to The […]
Inside Gun.io – Victoria Stahr
One of the things that sets Gun.io apart from other job marketplaces is our personal connection with every developer and every client. Your resume isn’t just another one thrown into the ether, and your job description isn’t just another post to a scrolling list. With that in mind, we want to introduce you to some […]
Management lessons I learned as a dungeon master
I wasted a good portion of my teen years playing Dungeons and Dragons. (Kids, this was back when the world was young, and the game was new.) They were fun times spent whiling away the hour by killing skeletons and dodging dragons. Our little group never got into major campaigns–we preferred “one-shot” campaigns. This way, […]
How to write a job ad that gets results
Writing job ads is a common part of a manager’s job. Many times, I’ve had to sit down and write the copy that would be posted across the web to attract new talent to my team. Yes, sometimes it was as easy as posting “I need a developer” on Craigslist.com, and I was immediately flooded […]
Inside Gun.io – Faith Benson
An interview with Faith Benson One of the things that sets Gun.io apart from other job marketplaces is our personal connection with every developer and every client. Your resume isn’t just another one thrown into the ether, and your job description isn’t just another post to a scrolling list. With that in mind, we want […]
Are coding tests necessary for hiring developers?
I talk to a lot of people about how to find, interview, hire, and retain software developers. When I am talking about hiring software developers, the conversation invariably comes around to the topic of coding tests.
Moving from management back to engineering
Management is often seen as the pinnacle of your development career. But what happens when you get to that level and decide it just isn’t for you? Take some tips from Jip Moors and his time with Yoast, where he moved up in the ranks, only to decide the trenches were where he felt most […]
Interviewing developers: what to listen for
So, you need to start interviewing developers. Do you know how? Can you tell if a developer actually knows what they are talking about or just blowing smoke? It is tough for non-technical people to evaluate technical expertise. Most fall back into patterns like “they sounded like they knew what they were talking about” and […]
Gunslinger interview: Wolf Donat
At the heart of everything we do here at Gun.io are our incredible Gunslingers. They’re the talent we send out to tackle the big ideas and help brands build and scale. And we want to share their stories with you in a new series called the Gunslinger Interviews. This week, Cal Evans talks tech with […]
Interviewing developers: what questions to ask
So you need to hire a software developer. Do you know how? Can you tell if a developer actually knows what they are talking about or just blowing smoke? Do you know what questions to ask a developer to find the difference? It is tough for non-technical people to evaluate technical expertise. Most fall back […]