“What’s the difference between a competent AI engineer and one you’d actually hire?”
Jackie, one of our members, asked me this question today.
Here’s what I told her.
Competence is the entry ticket. The real differentiator is demonstrated curiosity.
Why? This field changes faster than almost any other. If you’re competent today, I can’t assume you’ll still be competent a year from now.
New tools ship. Best practices flip. Fresh vulnerabilities appear. Skills have a shelf life now.
So when I look at you, I’m not just asking where you are. I’m asking how you got there.
Show me your last 12 months. Did you keep learning, keep building, keep adapting? Or did you build something impressive once, years ago, and quietly coast on it since?
That’s the line. Complacency is sitting comfortably at your level and floating. I’d rather back someone who keeps moving.
Because when I hire you, I’m not just paying for who you are today. I’m also betting on your future.
On our future together.
And demonstrated curiosity is the best evidence you can give anyone about the future.
Keep moving,
Kirill
P.S. This cuts both ways. If you’re learning AI right now, your trajectory is your biggest asset — show people the path, not just the end product. That’s why I encourage “learning in public.”