# Artifact-based hiring: ship code before titles | Mattia Ciuni

> Everyone who joins Noesia shipped working code before we ever talked about roles. How artifact-first recruiting filters for builders.

- URL: https://mattiaciuni.com/thoughts/artifact-based-hiring
- Type: Blog post
- Published: 2026-09-20

## Full article

# Artifact-based hiring: ship code before titles

Everyone who joins Noesia shipped working code before we ever talked about roles. No exceptions, including me. Resumes describe the past; *artifacts predict the future*.

## How it works

- A small, real task from our backlog, not a puzzle, not a take-home theater piece.
- Strict acceptance tests: they fail before the fix and pass after.
- One review round on the artifact itself. Titles and comp come last.

## Why it works

It selects for people who finish. You see code quality, communication, and judgment under real constraints, the exact skills the job needs. It also respects candidates: their work is judged, not their pedigree. It is the same rule I use for software, [verification over vibes](/#principles), applied to hiring.

Building the money layer for AI agents at [Noesia](https://withnoesia.com). Reply via [m@withnoesia.com](mailto:m@withnoesia.com).

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