Tech Hiring Has a Fraud Problem (and why it matters to developers) | Jon Gould at Django London

I've given this as a lightning talk three times this year at DjangoCon Europe, PyCon US and DjangoCon US and ran out of time every time. Thanks to Django London for letting me give the full version. This was recorded on 4th November 2026 Fake candidates are now showing up in almost every tech hiring process. Deepfake filters, AI scripts, hacked LinkedIn profiles. The uncomfortable bit is that the red flags hiring teams look for also describe a lot of genuine developers. This talk covers what I'm seeing as a Python and Django recruiter since 2008, the theories on why people are doing it, and what REAL developers can do to stand out. Short version... you can't build a history the day you need it. 📌 Chapters 0:00 Intro 1:43 Why this matters to job seekers 2:34 The deepfake candidate 6:08 Why? What's the end goal? 6:57 Theory 1: Getting someone else the job 7:23 Theory 2: State hackers 7:53 Theory 3: Collecting salaries until they're found out 8:43 Theory 4: Being sent the tech 10:05 These aren't edge cases anymore 10:30 Hacked LinkedIn profiles (turn on 2FA!) 12:53 The red flags that also describe real developers 13:43 How to stand out: add a photo 15:00 Leave a digital paper trail 16:21 Write your own CV 17:47 Remember this guy? 18:53 You can't build a history the day you need it 20:39 Recap: CVs, links and your network 22:03 Thank you 22:34 Q&A: How do candidates stand out? 24:48 Q&A: AI in tech tests 28:14 Q&A: How's the job market? 29:24 Q&A: How big is the problem? 🔗 Links Blog: Tech Hiring Has a Fraud Problem https://foxleytalent.com/blog/fake-candidates-tech-hiring/ The original deepfake candidate video https://youtu.be/0tNymaqcIbc Django London meetup https://www.meetup.com/djangolondon/ Looking for work (and a real person)? https://foxleytalent.com/jobs Hiring REAL Python or Django developers? https://foxleytalent.com Thanks to the Django London organisers for having me back and to Octopus Energy for hosting. #Django #Python #TechHiring