Michael Novati, a former Meta engineer who earned the nickname "coding machine" during his nearly eight-year tenure at the company, shared insights on the hidden side of elite tech recruiting. While working at Meta—then known as Facebook—Novati reached the rank of principal software engineer and became known for his exceptional coding skills. On the "A Life Engineered" podcast, host Steve Huynh asked Novati about his claim that the top five engineers in the industry aren’t on LinkedIn. Novati stood by the statement, explaining that the most sought-after talent often avoids public platforms like LinkedIn, not out of anonymity, but because they don’t need to. “At Facebook, the top engineers would say, ‘If you had a LinkedIn, people would think you’re job hunting,’” Novati recalled. He described a well-kept secret in Silicon Valley: the most in-demand engineers are rarely seen on social media, and that’s by design. These individuals are not seeking attention—they’re already being actively pursued. According to Novati, the real engine behind elite hiring is a network of senior recruiters at top tech companies who maintain long-term, personal relationships with top talent. These recruiters don’t just post jobs; they build trust and rapport over time. He gave the example of a recruiter spending a week on a university campus, like Stanford, not just interviewing students, but forming connections that last years. “These are the ‘secret backroom dealings of Silicon Valley,’” Novati said. “The engineers with the most impact are the ones you never see on LinkedIn. The $100 million engineer isn’t posting a tagline like #100millionengineer.” The competition for top AI talent has intensified, with companies like Meta investing heavily in superintelligence initiatives and poaching key figures from rivals. In some cases, even CEOs are involved. Mark Zuckerberg reportedly compiled a list of the most critical AI talent to recruit, and there are stories of him personally reaching out—like delivering soup to a target employee. OpenAI’s Sam Altman has also been known to make direct calls to potential hires. Despite the allure of staying off the grid, Novati stressed that this is a rare exception, not a strategy. “It doesn’t mean your move should be: delete LinkedIn and all the offers will come,” he said. The elite engineers he described are a specific, high-level subset of the industry—those with unique access, special equity packages, and exclusive relationships with top executives. “They don’t have big personal brands,” Novati noted. “I don’t know any of them who are doing the personal branding thing. They’re not on TikTok, they’re not posting about their daily routines. They’re not trying to be influencers.” For most engineers, building visibility and a strong professional presence remains a valuable part of career advancement. The real takeaway isn’t to disappear online, but to understand that the most coveted talent operates in a different, more discreet ecosystem—one built on trust, relationships, and long-term influence.