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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Our mission at HackerRank is to match every developer to the right job, focusing on skills rather than resumes, which often poorly correlate to actual abilities.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

As a developer, you can practice and improve your skills on HackerRank across various dimensions like algorithms, artificial intelligence, and data-based skills.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Instead of submitting a resume, developers can take a company's coding challenge, which allows them to demonstrate their skills directly.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Companies can create custom coding challenges on our platform, ranging from simple problem-solving tasks to real-world scenarios involving their codebase.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Before joining Y Combinator, we initially focused on helping students prepare for interviews through mock interviews, which highlighted the disconnect between resumes and actual skills.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

We pivoted to connecting students with individuals already studying in the U.S. to help them review their application materials for master's programs, but this model faced limitations due to the application cycle.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Realizing we were selling to students with limited funds, we shifted our focus to building a product for companies to help them identify the right developers based on skills.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Cultural nuances in communication vary significantly between regions, and we need to address these differences in our product to help international applicants succeed in U.S. job markets.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

I learned that every little detail matters when pitching to investors, from how you talk to how you follow up.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The intensity of the Y Combinator experience was high, with weekly dinners and a fixed three-month timeline leading up to demo day.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

We surveyed a million developers and received responses from nearly 40,000, which was a huge engagement success.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The most popular programming language developers want to learn is Python, with Go also gaining popularity.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

One in every four developers learned to code before they learned to drive, highlighting the rise of self-learning.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The quality of coding boot camps varies, and some hiring managers view them as a negative signal if the candidate lacks prior experience.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Startups prioritize problem-solving skills and contributions to open source over formal qualifications when hiring.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Work-life balance is more important to developers than perks like free food or ping-pong tournaments.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

At HackerRank, we encourage developers to work on side projects and support their learning endeavors. Even developers with a computer science degree often learn a lot from YouTube and platforms like HackerRank.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Continuous learning is crucial for developers, as new frameworks and technologies emerge frequently.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The recruitment paradigm is shifting; companies are moving away from using GPAs and university names as proxies for talent.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

It's becoming more important to assess candidates based on their skills and projects rather than their educational background.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The trend of self-learning and free resources is beneficial for developers and the industry as a whole.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Developers should focus on building unique projects that showcase their skills, rather than just completing boot camp assignments.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

A candidate's motivation and depth of thinking can be assessed during interviews, which is crucial for hiring decisions.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Companies need to educate themselves on hiring based on skills rather than pedigree, which is a significant shift in the hiring process.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Effective communication is essential for remote teams to stay in sync, as demonstrated by companies like GitLab.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The future of hiring will involve building engineering teams globally, not limited to specific geographic areas.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Companies are starting to recognize the importance of both IQ and EQ in hiring remote developers, focusing on skills and personality.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

HackerRank is being used by companies to efficiently hire remote developers by assessing their skills before they come on-site.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Developers are interviewing companies as much as companies are interviewing them, assessing the hiring process and company culture.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The hiring process should focus on a candidate's ability to contribute to the business strategy, not just technical skills.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

It's important for developers to ask about the company's product and business strategy during interviews, not just technical questions.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The quality of a candidate's thinking should be evaluated through the questions they ask during the interview process.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

The traditional use of brain teasers in interviews is becoming less relevant; companies should focus on practical problem-solving skills instead.

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Vivek Ravisankar

03/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Hiring should prioritize passion for the mission and the ability to connect with the company's goals over traditional qualifications.

Breaking Down HackerRank's Survey of 40,000 Developers with Vivek Ravisankar

Takeaways