Anthropic Engineering Manager Offers Career Advice Amid AI-Driven Tech Layoffs

Felix Rieseberg, an engineering manager at Anthropic, has stopped using coding interviews for job candidates, noting that the AI model Claude is now more proficient at these tasks than humans. He suggests that building functional prototypes is a more effective way for junior engineers to prove their capabilities.

Rieseberg argues that newcomers possess fresh perspectives that allow them to challenge established assumptions within a company. He cites the example of two junior engineers who developed a graphical version of a tool over a single weekend, which was then released publicly shortly after.

The tech sector is currently experiencing significant workforce changes, with AI cited as a major factor in recent layoffs. Anthropic noted that its proportion of entry-level technical hires has fallen from nearly 30% to 9% since March 2025.

While some experts suggest companies may be using AI as a justification for broader cost-cutting measures, projections indicate that millions of US workers could be displaced by AI in the coming years. Rieseberg continues to seek new ways to evaluate candidates, focusing on portfolios that demonstrate empathy and design taste.