If this were remotely true, there wouldn't have huge layoff rounds. The opposite is true: they hire thousands upon thousands of people and teach them how to build scalable software, and then set them loose. I'm frankly surprised by the lack of competition, but I suppose that's gated at multiple levels (visas, personal risk, funding, network effects, etc)

It was true. Then they needed money for other things and whole orgs get laid off.

> Don't they screen to hire people who already know that?

There was a time when big tech widely hired dor entry-level jobs.

Also, cramming for the design portion of an interview, and doing it for real, and interacting with the architects/design documents are 2 very different things

That was more an issue when rates were low and borrowing capital was “free”.

I am more leaning towards them simply having infinitely more money than sense. So they keep throwing it at anything that looks like it could be something. Well same goes for Google...