Readit NewsSounds like awfully convenient motivated reasoning.
I think you should reconsider your last paragraph. MongoDB has a massive community, and many large companies opt to use it for new applications every day. Many more people want to use that product than FoundationDB.
This seems like a pretty straightforward mechanism for covert operatives, to generate a believable (and memorizable) cover that pulls attention away and maintains coherence.
That said, as someone who prizes ethical behavior, it's not possible to practice this and remain wholly honest without some sort of ethical loophole like "character work for entertainment only". A persona requires misrepresentation, which is not the same as de facto anonymity.
So, while I love the write-up, I don't think it's saying what they think it's saying.
There was an article some time ago (can't find it now) that posited that one of the only points you can beat FAANG on is speed of hire. Having worked on recruitment software for many years, I believe this is true - most people just aren't that focused on having a fast hiring process, so that can be your edge. If you manage to get the offer to the candidate many days - or weeks - before FAANG, you may be able to lock up the deal before there is any real competition.
I'd like to say it's easy but I'm not familiar with any companies that really live and breath this. But challenge yourself - why can't we fit more interviews into the day? Tell the candidate that there will be a panel decision within 30 minutes of each interview - if they pass, the next interview will follow right on, otherwise you'll wish them on their way. Why do an in person interview if you can do it virtually or over the phone? Why do two interviews when you could do one with both interviewers present? Why wait on references when you could make the offer dependant on getting them later? etc. etc.
A lot of people talk the talk about speed of hire but how many really measure it and track themselves against it?
Personally I just try to find people that have already experienced years of pain of big companies and rejoice in the freedom most startups offers.
Was it fake? Sure. I mean I instructed it to praise good changes after all. But it still felt good.
And now I’m noticing another effect, my human peers have started mimicking some its behaviours.