Deliveroo has successfully navigated the challenges of hiring and upskilling top talent through its partnership with HackerRank. In an industry where tech and its applications change rapidly, Deliveroo has not only doubled its tech hiring but also effectively upskilled its developers, ensuring they are equipped with the latest skills required in the industry.

In a recent chat with Adam Coleman, Deliveroo’s Senior Recruiting Manager, at HackerRank’s AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit in London, we delved into their hiring and talent development strategy. Adam shared some amazing insights into what has made their approach so successful.

HackerRank Adoption, Assessments, and More

Deliveroo selected HackerRank for its leading position within the tech hiring market. A compelling argument was the significant engagement of engineers with HackerRank. Engineers use the platform not only for screening processes but also in their daily jobs. This widespread usage highlighted HackerRank’s effectiveness.

Additionally, HackerRank’s speed, affordability, and accuracy were crucial factors. The platform allows the Deliveroo team to create tests easily, understand and calibrate them against Deliveroo’s current engineering organization, and guide their external testing processes. These features made the decision to adopt HackerRank straightforward.

“We bought HackerRank mainly due to its position within the market. There was a compelling argument regarding the number of engineers engaging with HackerRank, which is fantastic. Its speed, affordability, and accuracy of tests were key factors. Creating tests and calibrating them against our engineering organization is very easy.”

Achieving Results Beyond Expectations

HackerRank has performed beyond Deliveroo’s expectations, significantly enhancing their hiring process. The platform’s efficiency has allowed Deliveroo to streamline its recruitment efforts, leading to remarkable results.

“Moving forward, it has performed beyond our expectations. We nearly doubled our hiring across software engineering due to its speed, covering backend, frontend, and full-stack roles.”

The key to this success lies in HackerRank’s ability to facilitate rapid and accurate candidate assessments. By providing a comprehensive library of coding challenges and assessments, tailored to different skill levels and job requirements, HackerRank ensures that only the most qualified candidates progress through the hiring pipeline. This not only speeds up the recruitment process but also improves the quality of hires, as candidates are evaluated on their actual coding abilities rather than just their resumes.

Additionally, HackerRank’s user-friendly interface and seamless integration with Deliveroo’s existing systems have made it easier for hiring managers to create, deploy, and manage assessments.

Hire to Retire: Deliveroo’s Upskilling Initiatives for the Tech Teams

Deliveroo introduced HackerRank SkillUp to their engineering organization, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. Initially, there was concern it might be perceived as a time burden, potentially leading to resistance. However, the engineers welcomed the initiative enthusiastically, recognizing its long-term benefits.

Deliveroo maintains a high hiring bar and hires agnostically across various programming languages. This means they hire candidates based on overall technical proficiency rather than specific language expertise. As a result, upskilling their software engineering team quickly becomes imperative to ensure proficiency in the technologies and languages most relevant to Deliveroo’s projects.

The upskilling initiative was designed to address this need comprehensively. The program includes a structured curriculum that covers a wide range of technical skills and programming languages. The training modules are tailored to different experience levels, ensuring that both junior and mid-level engineers can benefit.

“Within three months, it received rave reviews. We started with our junior team and have now extended it to our mid-level. It won’t be long until we launch it for our senior and staff engineers.”

The overwhelmingly positive response to HackerRank SkillUp highlights the engineering team’s commitment to professional growth and excellence. By investing in their engineers’ development, Deliveroo not only enhances individual capabilities but also strengthens the overall technical proficiency of the organization. This initiative is a testament to Deliveroo’s dedication to maintaining a cutting-edge engineering team well-equipped to tackle the evolving challenges of the tech industry.

Looking Forward

The partnership with HackerRank has been enriching for Deliveroo. The insights gained from using HackerRank have provided a deeper understanding of the tech hiring landscape, enabling data-driven decisions and continuous improvement of recruitment processes.

By leveraging HackerRank, Deliveroo has optimized its hiring process and enhanced its ability to upskill its engineering team while embracing innovative AI solutions.

“We are excited about what the future holds for HackerRank. I think you guys are on a good track, and we’re eager to see the continued impact on our hiring and talent development strategies.”

The post Boosting Hiring and Upskilling: Deliveroo’s Journey with HackerRank appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

In the latest episode of HackerRank Radio, Ben Stollard, General Manager at HackerRank, hosts two dynamic leaders in the tech industry—Jayson Vincent, Division Leader of Software Architecture and Engineering at Daugherty, and Maurice Mahone, Access Point National Program Director. Their conversation explores the groundbreaking work at Daugherty and the transformative power of the Access Point program.

Meet the Experts

Jayson Vincent brings over six years of experience at Daugherty and 16 years at Boeing in software architecture and engineering. He also serves as the National Director of Technology and Education Deployment for Access Point, working alongside notable colleagues like Maurice Mahone and Ron Daugherty.

Maurice Mahone has been with Daugherty for five years, overseeing the Access Point program. His extensive IT background includes roles at Monsanto (now Bayer), MasterCard, and the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis. His passion for STEM and workforce development is evident as he shares his journey.

Daugherty’s Unique Approach and the Birth of Access Point

Maurice described Daugherty as the largest IT consulting firm in St. Louis, partnering with companies to deliver business solutions and provide expertise for large-scale projects. Daugherty’s collaborative efforts have helped major clients like Royal Caribbean and Southwest Airlines enhance their operations.

The need for consistent, progressive learning and tracking for AccessPoint candidates led Daugherty to partner with HackerRank. Maurice highlighted how HackerRank’s ability to monitor and report on apprentices’ progress made it an ideal solution, providing transparency and satisfaction for both trainees and employer partners.

Jayson added that HackerRank’s customizable challenges and insights have been invaluable for Access Point. The platform’s ability to offer real-world experience and feedback has been crucial in preparing candidates for their roles. He emphasized the importance of transparency, collaboration, and visibility in the program, ensuring that each candidate receives the support they need.

The Genesis and Goals of Access Point

Access Point was born out of discussions within the CIO Alliance, where CIOs from major companies in St. Louis highlighted workforce development challenges. The lack of diversity in IT, particularly among African Americans, people of color, and women, was a significant issue. Access Point aims to address this by targeting high school students and providing specialized training in collaboration with St. Louis Community College.

Access Point’s unique approach includes providing college credit for training, offering soft skills and professional development, and guaranteeing job placements for successful graduates. Maurice noted that this model ensures students have jobs waiting for them, contingent on their performance.

Jayson elaborated on the program’s holistic approach, emphasizing the importance of addressing individual student needs. The hypercare program, led by Christy Miller, supports students from start to finish, overcoming challenges that might hinder their progress. He also highlighted the program’s focus on diversity and the value of different perspectives in creating the best products and services.

HackerRank’s Impact 

The integration of HackerRank into Daugherty’s Access Point program has been a game-changer. Jayson and Maurice emphasized that HackerRank’s tools have provided a structured and scalable way to assess and develop technical skills among candidates. The platform’s extensive library of challenges, ranging from beginner to advanced levels, allows for tailored learning experiences that align with the needs of Daugherty’s partners.

One of the standout features of HackerRank is its ability to simulate real-world coding environments, which helps students transition smoothly into their roles. The platform’s comprehensive feedback system enables rapid skill assessment and development, ensuring that students can continuously improve. This feedback loop is critical for maintaining high standards and preparing students for the demands of their future jobs.

Jayson highlighted how HackerRank’s plagiarism detection feature also serves an educational purpose. By identifying and addressing instances of plagiarism early, students learn the importance of integrity in their work, a lesson crucial for their professional growth. This feature, combined with the rigorous challenge sets, helps in creating a culture of honesty and hard work among the students.

Furthermore, HackerRank’s interview tools have been instrumental during the apprenticeship phase. These tools allow mentors to conduct live coding interviews, providing immediate, practical feedback and coaching. This hands-on approach not only reinforces learning but also builds confidence among the students as they prepare for their careers.

Maurice shared that Access Point students completed around 4,000 HackerRank tests last year, reflecting the program’s intensive use of the platform. The high engagement levels and positive feedback underscore the effectiveness of HackerRank in supporting the program’s goals. The ability to create custom challenges tailored to specific skill requirements of their partners further enhances the relevance and impact of the training.

HackerRank truly has been highly respected and appreciated across all the different company partners that we work with as we show them the nature of the questions and challenges and the insights that are available and the varying degree of difficulty of the challenges as well as the opportunity to add custom challenges.

Apprenticeships: Bridging Training and Real-World Experience

The discussion then shifted to the apprenticeship aspect of Access Point. Maurice explained that while comprehensive training is essential, real-world experience is irreplaceable. The apprenticeship phase allows students to apply their skills in a corporate environment, with continuous monitoring and feedback from partners.

Jayson detailed how HackerRank supports this process by offering a vast library of challenges and the ability to create custom tasks. This ensures that students receive relevant practice and feedback, helping them reach proficiency. The interview feature in HackerRank further enhances this by enabling live code reviews and coaching sessions.

Measuring Success: Impact and Metrics

Maurice proudly shared some impressive metrics: Access Point has placed 75 students into apprenticeships and full-time jobs, generating approximately $4.5 million in revenue for the St. Louis region. These students are not only gaining employment but also making significant life changes, such as buying cars and homes—truly showing the impact and requirement of the program.

Jayson highlighted the value of HackerRank’s tools in providing quick feedback and supporting continuous development. The platform’s ability to handle a high volume of tests and offer a wide range of challenges has been instrumental in maintaining the program’s effectiveness.

If you wish to know more about the Access Point Program, visit here, and to know more about Daugherty, visit here.

To watch the full podcast, head to HackerRank Radio.

The post Empowering the Next Generation: How Daugherty’s Access Point Program and HackerRank propel Early Career Success appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

On May 23, 2024, HackerRank hosted the AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit at the Royal Society in London. This event masterfully blended history and innovation, marking a significant milestone in understanding the transformative power of Gen AI in recruiting, upskilling, internal mobility, skills strategy and all things developer experience

Attendees had the unique opportunity to engage with thought leaders from all over Europe and UK in a venue renowned for its rich scientific heritage. The agenda was packed with captivating keynotes, innovative product showcases, and invaluable networking opportunities. From insightful discussions on integrating AI into skill development to networking with top professionals in Technology, Talent, and HR roles, the summit offered a wealth of knowledge and connections.

Hung Lee, the curator of Recruiting Brainfood and the event’s emcee, kept the energy high and the conversations engaging. Participants connected with leading professionals, gained insights from top innovators in tech and talent, and discovered how HackerRank is shaping the future of technical talent management in the era of GenAI. The summit was an enriching experience, filled with engaging conversations and exploration of the latest trends and strategies in tech talent acquisition and development.

The event kicked off with an introduction by AI-Saac Newton, the AI reincarnation of Sir Isaac Newton. AI Sack humorously welcomed attendees and highlighted the profound impact of Newton’s discoveries on modern technology, setting the stage for an inspiring event focused on AI and tech talent.

Keynote by Juan Herrera, President of Field Operations, HackerRank

Juan Herrera from HackerRank delivered the keynote, sharing insights from HackerRank’s 2024 Developer Skills Report. He highlighted five key trends: the stabilizing job market, the importance of learning opportunities for developers, the disconnect between college education and job readiness, the gap in leaders’ understanding of team skills, and the rapid adoption of AI by developers. Juan emphasized that the future of tech work is a collaborative effort between humans and AI, where developers orchestrate AI tools to enhance their work.

Juan also discussed the need for companies to build dedicated AI and machine learning teams to decide on the appropriate AI tools and models for their businesses. He pointed out that despite economic downturns, roles in data science, machine learning, and cybersecurity have remained stable due to their critical importance.

To address these challenges, Juan outlined HackerRank’s approach, which includes setting up a skills strategy, showcasing tech brands through hackathons, optimizing the hiring process with effective assessments, and continuously upskilling employees. He introduced HackerRank’s Developer Skills Platform, which integrates AI to enhance the recruitment and talent development process while ensuring a positive developer experience.

AI-first Approaches by Alla Pavlova, Recruitment Partner at Riot Games

Following Juan’s keynote, Alla Pavlova from Riot Games took the stage. Described as ‘a leading thinker and doer in tech recruitment’ by Hung Lee, Alla shared her innovative approaches to finding and hiring tech talent, particularly in data science, data engineering, and machine learning.

Alla showcased AI tools she uses to streamline her hiring process. She demonstrated how quickly Gen AI can generate outlines and presentations, emphasizing the efficiency and time-saving benefits these tools offer. Alla highlighted that by leveraging AI, she can save up to 40 hours a week, which allows her to focus on more strategic tasks.

Alla also discussed the practical applications of AI in her daily work. She uses various AI tools for note-taking, summarizing videos, and tracking activities. These tools not only enhance productivity but also ensure a more structured and disciplined approach to her recruitment process. She encouraged the audience to integrate AI tools into their workflows to stay current with technological advancements and improve efficiency.

In her interactive session, Alla engaged the audience and revealed that many companies still have reservations about data security and privacy. She underscored the importance of understanding the broader spectrum of AI tools available and encouraged recruiters and talent professionals to stay informed about technological trends to remain competitive.

Alla concluded with practical advice for recruiters: dedicating time each week for learning and experimenting with new AI tools.

Expert Panel Discussion on the Adoption of Gen AI

The panel discussion at the AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit, moderated by Ben Stollard of HackerRank, delved into the future of tech talent. The panelists included Andy Young, Managing Director at Accenture, Libby Cook, Program Head of WiseWomenCode at Wise, and Alla Pavlova, Recruitment and Sourcing partner at Riot Games.

The discussion highlighted AI’s transformative potential while emphasizing the importance of human-centric approaches in recruitment. It provided valuable insights and practical strategies for navigating the evolving tech talent landscape in the era of AI.

Andy Young shared his journey from a psychology major to a tech delivery leader at Accenture, highlighting how AI is transforming workflows. He discussed AI’s ability to handle unstructured data and enhance productivity, allowing professionals to focus on strategic tasks. He provided an example of how AI in underwriting significantly reduced processing time, improving efficiency and client relationships.

Libby Cook also discussed Wise’s tech talent programs, particularly the Wise Women Code initiative. This program addresses the disparity in women taking technical tests by offering workshops, coding sessions, and mentorship. She emphasized the importance of human interaction in nurturing talent and ensuring inclusivity in AI adoption. Libby also noted the significant increase in applications due to AI’s ease of use and the need for robust skills assessments.

Alla Pavlova emphasized the need for recruiters to be tech-savvy and leverage AI tools to enhance recruitment. She shared her journey from a law PhD to a career in human resources, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and using AI for data visualization and ATS improvements. Alla stressed that recruiters should enjoy their work and seek ways to improve processes through technology.

HackerRank Experience Lab: Introducing SkillUp and Engage

The Experience Lab session at the AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit, led by Adil Chinoy from HackerRank, showcased how Gen AI is seamlessly integrated into HackerRank’s offerings, specifically focusing on two key products: Engage and SkillUp.

Adil highlighted how Engage is a tool designed to simplify the setup of hackathons and tech events. Traditionally, organizing such events required significant resources from marketing, development, and talent acquisition teams. Engage automates much of this process using AI, from creating event microsites to setting up challenges and managing marketing campaigns. With just a few prompts, users can customize their events, targeting specific demographics and capturing essential data. Adil highlighted the efficiency and ease of use, sharing a personal anecdote about setting up a fully branded event demo in just minutes.

The second part of the session focused on SkillUp, HackerRank’s platform for assessing and developing internal talent. Adil demonstrated how employees can set up their skill profiles, receive personalized learning paths, and earn certifications. The platform includes an AI assistant to help employees learn and solve problems in real-time, enhancing their development experience. Managers can access a comprehensive dashboard to track the skills and certifications of their teams, enabling better resource allocation and career planning.

The AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit proved to be an inspiring and informative event, offering a deep dive into the current and future landscape of AI in tech talent management. With practical insights, innovative strategies, and a focus on continuous learning, the summit set a new benchmark for understanding and leveraging AI in recruitment and upskilling.

Conclusion

The AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit hosted by HackerRank at the Royal Society in London was a remarkable blend of history and cutting-edge innovation. With Hung Lee as the dynamic emcee, the event successfully brought together thought leaders from across Europe and UK to explore the transformative power of AI in recruitment and upskilling. The summit offered attendees a wealth of knowledge through captivating keynotes, innovative product showcases, and invaluable networking opportunities.

Participants left the event with a deeper understanding of how AI is reshaping the landscape of tech talent management. They gained insights into the latest trends and strategies, discovered practical tools and approaches for enhancing their recruitment processes, and connected with leading professionals in the fields of Technology, Talent, and HR roles.

The event concluded with AI-friendly discussions over champagne, wine, and gourmet, providing a perfect setting for further networking and reflection on the day’s insights. Guests also enjoyed the delightful experience of traditional cream tea and the exciting displays of molecular gastronomy, adding a unique flavor to the event. The event concluded with AI-friendly discussions over champagne, wine, and cocktails, providing a perfect setting for further networking and reflection on the day’s insights.

The post From Insightful Keynotes to AI-Driven Solutions: A Recap of the 2024 AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Online coding assessments are the strongest tool hiring teams have to assess the soft and technical skills of a candidate. 

However, online coding tests are only effective if they are held to a high standard of integrity. When left unchecked, threats like cheating, content leaks, and impersonation can undermine the fairness and validity of these tests. 

At HackerRank, we understand the importance of maintaining a level playing field for all candidates, and we have implemented a robust set of measures to address these challenges and uphold assessment integrity.

Detecting Suspicious Spatial Environments

One of the primary concerns in online assessments is the use of physical surroundings to gain an unfair advantage. Candidates could attempt to cheat by seeking help from nearby individuals. Some might also resort to using unauthorized external devices such as webcams or additional monitors. To counter these threats, HackerRank employs a number of advanced proctoring techniques.

Multiple Monitor Detection

This feature detects if an external monitor is connected to the device on which the candidate is taking the assessment. By identifying potential sources of unauthorized information, we can ensure that candidates are focused solely on the task at hand and don’t receive external assistance.

Image Proctoring

During an assessment, HackerRank’s image proctoring feature records images of the candidate’s environment and displays them on the candidate’s report for review. This allows hiring teams to identify any suspicious activities, unauthorized materials, or additional individuals in the candidate’s surroundings.

Image Analysis

Complementing image proctoring, our advanced image analysis algorithms analyze the candidate’s environment and detect potential irregularities, such as multiple faces appearing on camera. This technology helps identify potential instances of impersonation or unauthorized assistance from nearby individuals.

Mitigating Impersonation Risks

Impersonation, where someone else takes the test for the candidate, can challenge the integrity of the assessment process. To address this risk, HackerRank employs identity verification measures to ensure the candidate is the only person taking the test.

Photo Identification

Before starting an assessment, HackerRank’s system captures a photo of the candidate. This image serves as a reference for verifying the candidate’s identity throughout the assessment process.

Image Proctoring & Analysis

In addition to capturing the candidate’s photo, our image proctoring feature captures the candidate’s image in 60 seconds intervals throughout the assessment. These images are then analyzed using facial recognition techniques to detect potential instances of impersonation or external assistance.

Identifying Suspicious Coding Behavior

In addition to monitoring the candidate and the physical environment, HackerRank also employs techniques to detect suspicious coding behavior during assessments. Candidates may attempt to gain an unfair advantage by using unauthorized resources like browser extensions or AI agents, copying solutions directly from other websites, or collaborating with another person on the assessment.

Copy-Paste Tracking

Our copy-paste tracking feature detects if a candidate pastes copied code from an external source during the assessment. This ensures that candidates are not relying on pre-written solutions obtained from unauthorized sources.

Tab-Switch Proctoring

By monitoring tab switches during an assessment, HackerRank can identify if a candidate is accessing unauthorized resources or seeking external assistance. This feature helps maintain a controlled testing environment.

AI-Powered Plagiarism Detection

To identify instances of plagiarism, HackerRank uses an advanced detection system that feeds proctoring signals and user-generated data into a supervised machine learning algorithm. Our plagiarism detection system can identify and flag suspicious behavior during an assessment, such as the use of browser extensions, AI agents, or external assistance.

This ML-based approach is three times more accurate at detecting plagiarism than traditional code similarity approaches and dramatically reduces the number of false positive plagiarism flags.

Preventing Test Content Leaks

Test content leaks pose a significant threat to the validity of assessments, as candidates may gain access to leaked solutions or question structures from online forums or developer communities. This provides an unfair advantage to test takers who have access to this information. To combat this issue, we use the following techniques:

Shuffled Sections & Questions

By presenting test sections and questions in a randomized order to each candidate, we mitigate the risk of content sharing and ensure that no candidates benefit from leaked information or online solutions tailored to specific question types or structures.

Watermarking

HackerRank’s watermarking feature adds the logged-in user’s email ID as a watermark to certain types of questions. This acts as a deterrent against candidates taking pictures and sharing question content, as the watermark can be used to trace the source of any leaked material.

Hiding Question Labels

To further prevent content sharing and online searches, HackerRank hides the titles of questions from candidates during assessments. This makes it more difficult for candidates to search for questions by using keywords, limiting the potential impact of leaked content.

AI-Solvable Content Label

Our library questions are labeled according to their potential solvability by AI assistants. Armed with this information, hiring teams can filter out questions that may be susceptible to AI-generated solutions. This ensures a more reliable assessment of a candidate’s skills and knowledge while mitigating the risk of content leaks facilitated by AI tools.

Key Takeaways

At HackerRank, we’re committed to maintaining the highest standards of assessment integrity. By combining advanced technologies with robust proctoring measures we’re able to identify and contain a range of potential threats to assessment integrity.

Upholding this high standard is an ongoing process, and HackerRank is committed to staying ahead of emerging risks by using the latest advancements in AI, machine learning, and proctoring technologies. By partnering with HackerRank, companies can confidently assess candidates’ skills and abilities, knowing that our rigorous integrity measures safeguard the validity and reliability of the assessment process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Your Plagiarism Detection System Detect Code From ChatGPT?

Yes. Our AI-enabled plagiarism detection system feeds several proctoring and user-generated signals into an advanced machine-learning algorithm to flag suspicious behavior during an assessment. By understanding code iterations made by the candidate, the model can detect if they copied and pasted code from an external source. However, it isn’t possible to identify what source the candidate used to obtain or create the code.

Does Your Plagiarism Detection System Automatically Fail Candidates?

No. Our detection system identifies potential cases of plagiarism and empowers hiring teams to decide if it’s an actual case of plagiarism.

I Still Have Questions About Plagiarism. Who Should I Contact?

If you’re a customer looking for support on plagiarism and its impact on your business, you can contact your customer success manager or our team at support@hackerrank.com.

The post Maintaining a Level Playing Field: HackerRank’s Commitment to Assessment Integrity appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Juniper Networks’ commitment to refining and optimizing their recruitment methodologies is evident in their strategic adoption of AI, particularly through their partnership with HackerRank. 

AI at the Core: Juniper’s Tech-Driven Recruitment Strategy

At Juniper Networks, the integration of AI into their recruitment processes represents a strategic shift towards innovation in talent acquisition. Leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning, Juniper has redefined how they identify and engage with potential candidates. 

The journey begins with AI-powered candidate sourcing, where sophisticated algorithms scan through vast pools of applicants to pinpoint individuals with the right skill sets and qualifications. This automated screening process not only saves time but also ensures that recruiters can focus their efforts on engaging with the most promising candidates.

Leveraging their partnership with HackerRank, Juniper employs AI-driven assessments to rigorously evaluate candidates’ technical proficiencies and problem-solving abilities. HackerRank’s platform offers tailored coding challenges and tests that provide recruiters with valuable insights into how candidates perform in real-world scenarios.

Juniper Network’s Tech Recruiting Partnership with HackerRank

At Juniper Networks, the partnership with HackerRank has been pivotal in reshaping their recruitment strategies. Faced with a vast pool of candidates and hundreds of applications per role, Juniper sought a more efficient way to identify top talent. And that’s where the integration of HackerRank’s innovative platform aided in their hiring processes.

Through intuitive testing modules and comprehensive assessments, Juniper has streamlined its screening, ensuring only the most qualified candidates progress. Leveraging HackerRank’s user-friendly interface and automation, Juniper’s recruiters now navigate assessments and candidate evaluations effortlessly, leaving behind manual assessments. With detailed insights from HackerRank, tailored tests and effective candidate analysis have become the norm, leading to a more efficient hiring process. 

This platform has really simplified our work. What used to take five hours now helps us in just 30 minutes to create and attempt a test. The tests are also integrated into the HackerRank platform, which is very convenient. HackerRank has greatly simplified our process. We no longer need to painstakingly think through all the questions about coding, such as which Python functions to use—it’s all there. It has made our job much easier by streamlining the filtering of candidates. Out of 5,000, I can confidently identify the top 10 candidates for interviews. This efficiency has truly simplified our recruitment process.

— Trupti Ambore, Talent Acquisition Lead

Conclusion 

Juniper Networks’ partnership with HackerRank has exemplified the transformative power of technology in modern recruitment processes. By leveraging HackerRank’s AI-driven platform, Juniper Networks has streamlined their hiring workflows, effectively identifying and selecting top talent from a vast pool of candidates. This collaboration not only demonstrates Juniper Networks’ commitment to innovation but also underscores the importance of embracing advanced technologies to stay competitive in today’s dynamic talent landscape. As the partnership continues to evolve, Juniper Networks remains poised to further enhance their recruitment strategies, driving efficiency, and effectiveness in securing the best talent for their organization.

The post Enhancing University Recruiting: Juniper’s Success Story with HackerRank appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Being a SaaS platform admin isn’t easy. Defining the right level of user access can be challenging when you start factoring in numerous users and complex internal workflows. 

In addition, your platform may not give you enough customization to define what your users can and can’t do, which can lead to users being given a role with the wrong amount of access. 

Recognizing this need for flexibility and efficiency, we’re always working to make the lives of admins easier. That’s why we’re excited to unveil flexible user roles.

Gain Granular Control

Now, you can control granular capabilities for your HackerRank users and fine-tune access across 30 different entitlements. 

These entitlements define whether users can take specific actions, such as editing tests, creating interviews, sending test invites, and more. 

Adjust Access at the Right Level

Need to adjust settings for everyone in a certain role? Just adjust capabilities at the user role level. For example, if you toggle off “Edit Tests” at the developer role level, you can disable your developers’ ability to edit tests.

You can also adjust entitlements at the individual level. If you don’t want all of your developers to have the ability to edit tests, but you want a specific user to have that ability, you can toggle on the ability to edit tests for that individual user.

Opt in to Flexible User Roles Today

Want this granular control for yourself, simply contact our support team at support@hackerrank.com or your dedicated account manager to opt in. For more detailed information, refer to our comprehensive support article.

The post Introducing Flexible User Roles: Right Size the Access for Your Users appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

The rapid evolution of AI technologies has provided organizations like Atlassian unique opportunities to enhance their recruitment strategies. By integrating AI into their processes, Atlassian has been able to not only streamline operations but also significantly improve the interaction with candidates from the initial contact to final hiring decisions. This shift towards technology-driven recruitment is aligned with Atlassian’s broader commitment to innovation and excellence in the tech industry.

As AI continues to reshape the landscape of talent acquisition, Atlassian’s proactive adoption highlights the potential benefits of such technologies in making recruitment more efficient and effective. This includes everything from reducing biases in candidate selection to facilitating more engaging and personalized candidate experiences. The insights from Srividya underscore the importance of AI in modern recruitment and Atlassian’s role as a pioneer in this space, leveraging HackerRank’s cutting-edge AI capabilities to optimize their campus recruitment efforts.

The Impact of AI on Talent Acquisition

Atlassian’s adoption of artificial intelligence in recruitment reflects a broader industry trend where companies are harnessing the power of AI to transform how they attract and engage potential employees. Srividya underscored the significant shift in how AI has matured over the years, moving from a mere backend analytical tool to a robust, front-line asset that actively shapes recruitment strategies.

AI’s role at Atlassian is multifaceted, touching every part of the recruitment process, from the initial candidate scouting to the final steps of onboarding. In scouting candidates, AI technologies enable a more precise and efficient search, helping identify individuals who not only have the requisite skills but also are likely to align well with Atlassian’s culture and values. This precision reduces the time and resources spent on less promising candidates and allows recruiters to focus on engaging with top talent more effectively.

Once candidates are identified, AI continues to play a crucial role. Automated scheduling tools, AI-driven assessments, and dynamic interview guides help maintain a consistent and fair evaluation process. Furthermore, AI’s capability to analyze vast datasets means that Atlassian can continually refine its recruitment tactics based on real-time feedback and outcomes, ensuring that the process is not only efficient but also continuously improving.

During onboarding, AI contributes to creating personalized experiences for new hires. By automating routine processes and providing new employees with tailored learning and integration plans, AI helps ensure that the transition into the company is smooth and engaging. This not only helps new hires feel welcomed and valued but also significantly shortens the time it takes for them to become productive members of the team.

The integration of AI into Atlassian’s recruitment process demonstrates a powerful shift towards more strategic, efficient, and candidate-friendly hiring practices. This technology has become an indispensable ally in the competitive talent market, enabling Atlassian, and companies alike, to remain agile and innovative in their approach to talent acquisition.

Atlassian’s Experience with HackerRank

One of the significant highlights of Atlassian’s AI adoption has been its collaboration with HackerRank, particularly in handling large-scale campus recruitments. This partnership has enabled Atlassian to address and refine several crucial aspects of their hiring process.

• Innovations in Plagiarism Detection

Srividya discussed a notable advancement in plagiarism detection, facilitated by AI, which dramatically reduced false positives in candidate assessments. Traditionally, a plagiarism check could flag as high as 10% of applications. However, with HackerRank’s AI-enabled features, this was brought down to just 4%. This reduction signifies not only improved accuracy but also substantial time savings in manual verifications.

• Strategic Partnership and Productivity Gains

The collaboration between Atlassian and HackerRank is described as a strategic partnership that empowers Atlassian to scout and secure top talent effectively. By incorporating AI-driven tools from HackerRank into their recruitment framework, Atlassian has seen considerable productivity improvements. Specifically, the time saved from manual checks for their 35,000 applicants has been significant, marking a major milestone in their operational efficiency.

Conclusion: The Future of AI in Recruitment

Atlassian’s proactive approach in integrating AI into their recruitment processes demonstrates a commitment to innovation and efficiency. The journey with HackerRank not only reflects a successful adaptation to technological advancements but also sets a benchmark for future recruitment practices. As AI continues to evolve, its role in transforming the recruitment landscape remains promising, with potential to unlock even greater efficiencies and accuracies in talent acquisition.

The post Embracing AI in Talent Acquisition: Insights from Atlassian’s Journey with HackerRank appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

In this discussion, Bhardwaj explores the significant technological shifts that have influenced hiring processes, particularly emphasizing the pivotal role of AI in enhancing both the efficacy and fairness of IBM’s recruitment practices. 

Transition to Virtual Processes

Abhishek Bhardwaj opened the session by addressing the significant shifts in recruitment methodologies following the COVID-19 pandemic. With a move towards virtual engagements, IBM Consulting has adopted new strategies to minimize human intervention early in the hiring process. This shift was crucial as it helped to eliminate inherent biases and paved the way for more structured and fair assessments.

Leveraging AI for Non-Biased Assessments

Bhardwaj emphasized how traditional methods, such as voice assessments, have been replaced by AI-driven tools. These tools, based on sophisticated algorithms, not only standardize the evaluation process but also help in reducing human biases, ensuring that talent is assessed purely on merit and relevant skills.

The Integral Role of HackerRank

Abhishek also talked about the strategic deployment of HackerRank within IBM’s hiring processes. He details how HackerRank has been instrumental in revolutionizing IBM’s technical assessments. By customizing HackerRank’s platform, IBM has been able to tailor their evaluations to better meet the specific needs of their roles and projects. This customization aids in handling volume hiring by facilitating quicker and more efficient screening of candidates, thereby enhancing both the scale and speed of recruitment operations. Furthermore, the quality of hires has improved as the platform allows for more targeted questions that accurately gauge a candidate’s capabilities and fit for the role.

Enhancing Engagement and Onboarding with AI

Beyond initial assessments, Bhardwaj also highlighted how AI tools contribute to engaging and onboarding new hires. These tools enable IBM to maintain frequent and personalized communication with candidates, an approach that is crucial in high-volume hiring environments like BPM (Business Process Management). The AI’s ability to understand and adapt to the unique personas of candidates ensures that all communication is relevant and engaging, thereby keeping candidates warm and interested throughout the hiring process.

Future Prospects with Advanced AI Technologies

As IBM looks to the horizon, Abhishek Bhardwaj conveyed excitement about the possibilities that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and generative AI hold for the field of talent acquisition. These sophisticated technologies are set to deepen and refine the recruitment processes by facilitating a more nuanced understanding of candidates and potentially transforming every phase of hiring.

The promise of these technologies in recruitment lies in their ability to simulate complex human cognitive functions, allowing for assessments that can evaluate a candidate’s creative problem-solving skills and adaptability in real-time scenarios. This could lead to more dynamic interactions during the hiring process, where AI-driven systems dynamically adapt interview questions based on the candidate’s previous responses, ensuring a thorough evaluation that is both comprehensive and deeply personalized.

Bhardwaj also touched upon the role of these technologies in improving the candidate experience. By automating and personalizing communication, AGI and generative AI could offer each candidate tailored guidance and feedback, making the hiring process more engaging and transparent.

Importance of Candidate Experience

Finally, Bhardwaj discussed the critical role of candidate experience in the recruitment process, as reflected by metrics such as the Candidate Net Promoter Score (NPS). For IBM, ensuring a positive candidate experience is paramount, as it directly influences the employer brand and its perception in the job market.

Conclusion

From the enlightening discourse on the integration of technology in recruitment at IBM Consulting, it is clear that the future of hiring is being dramatically transformed. By embracing HackerRank, IBM is not only streamlining its recruitment process but also setting new standards for efficiency, fairness, and engagement in talent acquisition. These technologies allow IBM to address the nuances of each candidate’s experience and capabilities, ensuring that the hiring process is both comprehensive and candidate-friendly.

The post Partners in Innovation: How IBM Uses HackerRank to Hire Skill-fit Candidates at Scale appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

In an era where technology continually reshapes how businesses operate, Akamai stands at the forefront of innovation, particularly in its recruitment processes. Kurian Thomas, Head of Talent Acquisition for Akamai in India, sheds light on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a pivotal tool in enhancing their hiring methodology, specifically by minimizing bias and streamlining candidate evaluation.

Tackling Bias with AI

Historically, recruitment processes have been susceptible to various forms of bias, including educational, gender, experience, and company-related biases. These biases not only hinder diversity but also prevent the hiring of potentially outstanding candidates based on their innate talents and skills. Akamai has turned to AI to address this challenge head-on. AI’s ability to impartially evaluate resumes based on skills and potential has significantly reduced these biases, ensuring a more equitable hiring process.

By leveraging AI algorithms, Akamai has been able to systematically analyze resumes and profiles, focusing on the competencies and capabilities that are most relevant to the roles being filled. This technology sifts through the data with an objective lens, unaffected by the biases that can influence human decision-makers. The result is a selection process that prioritizes merit, skill, and potential, creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Kurian Thomas recognized early-on the transformative potential of AI in redefining the recruitment process. “Our goal was to dismantle the barriers that biases erected in our path to finding the right talent. AI emerged as a potent tool in our arsenal, enabling us to look beyond the conventional markers of a candidate’s worth,” says Kurian. This vision led to the adoption of AI-driven processes designed to evaluate candidates based on their skills and potential rather than their backgrounds or identities.

Enhancing Candidate Experience with HackerRank

In the digital age, creating a seamless and fair recruitment process is crucial, especially for companies like Akamai, where remote work is prevalent. The company’s strategic use of HackerRank exemplifies how technology can be leveraged to not only assess technical skills accurately but also to uphold the integrity of the evaluation process.

HackerRank’s proctoring features are at the forefront of combating malpractices, a common concern in remote hiring scenarios. These features ensure that the candidate’s performance accurately reflects their abilities, thereby fostering a level playing field. This technology has become indispensable for Akamai, particularly when conducting remote interviews, hackathons, and technical tests across colleges. By filtering out malpractices, HackerRank helps Akamai identify genuine talent efficiently and effectively.

Kurian Thomas emphasizes the importance of this approach in maintaining the quality of their hiring process: “The proctoring features of HackerRank have been a game-changer for us. It’s not just about filtering out candidates who try to circumvent the system; it’s about ensuring that every candidate we consider has been evaluated fairly and accurately. This has a profound impact on the candidate experience, as it reassures them that their skills and potential are what truly matter to us. In a way, it democratizes the recruitment process, making it more about merit and less about shortcuts.”

The positive implications of such a system extend beyond just the hiring process. By ensuring a transparent and equitable evaluation, Akamai reinforces its commitment to meritocracy and fairness, values that resonate well with prospective employees. Moreover, this approach significantly enhances candidate experience by providing a clear and honest assessment environment, setting the stage for a healthy and productive employer-employee relationship from the outset.

In summary, the utilization of HackerRank not only streamlines Akamai’s recruitment process but also significantly enhances candidate experience by ensuring fairness and transparency. This strategic adoption of technology underscores the company’s commitment to integrity and equality in its hiring practices, setting a benchmark for the industry.

Measuring Success

The effectiveness of AI in recruitment at Akamai is measured through various metrics, including the efficiency of moving from interview stages to offer stages and the ability to handle a high volume of applications. For example, a single senior software engineer position can attract thousands of applications. AI’s capability to stack rank and calibrate resumes has been invaluable, allowing recruiters to focus on the most relevant candidates, thus saving time and resources.

Conclusion

As Kurian Thomas shared, the journey of integrating AI into Akamai’s recruitment processes has been both challenging and rewarding. The strategic use of AI has significantly reduced biases, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced the candidate experience. This innovative approach not only positions Akamai as a leader in leveraging technology for recruitment but also serves as a model for other organizations to follow.

The post How Akamai Utilizes AI to Eliminate Bias and Improve Tech Hiring appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

It’s a wrap on HackerRank AI Day 2024!

AI Day has left us with a treasure trove of insights, inspirations, and excitement. Hosted by HackerRank, AI Day celebrates the boundless possibilities of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on technology, software development, and society at large. This year, the event was nothing short of spectacular, drawing thousands of attendees from around the globe who shared a common enthusiasm for AI’s potential to redefine our future.

Hosted by HackerRank’s AI host and companion, Ada, this year’s AI day aimed to demystify AI, its role in coding and future innovation, and offered insights for the next wave of technical evolution. We also spotlighted the incredible strides we’ve made in AI!

Vivek’s Keynote: A Glimpse into AI’s Future

Vivek Ravisankar, Co-founder and CEO of HackerRank, kicked off the event with a compelling keynote underscoring AI’s role in shaping the future of coding assessments and technical hiring. His vision for a world where AI seamlessly integrates with human ingenuity to solve complex problems sets the tone for the day. He emphasizes the importance of harnessing AI to enhance human capabilities, rather than replace them, painting a future where technology and humanity work hand in hand.

Vivek’s emphasis on the exponential growth in data availability is starkly demonstrated by comparing images from the Pope’s ceremony in 2002 versus 2010, showing the popularity of smartphones and, by extension, the surge in data generation. In terms of algorithms, the development from Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), and finally to Transformers, showcases the rapid advancements in AI’s ability to process and interpret vast datasets. Furthermore, the growth in computing power, evidenced by a 1000x increase in petaflops over the last five years, highlights the technological leaps enabling AI’s capabilities.

Contrary to the expected progression of AI displacing jobs from mechanical to cognitive and finally to creative roles, the reality is unfolding in reverse. AI’s foray into creative domains, exemplified by its participation in serious film competitions, challenges preconceived notions about the limits of AI’s capabilities.

The developer’s role is rapidly transforming, as Vivek describes. Developers are now seen as orchestrators in an AI-enhanced orchestra, where AI agents take on roles traditionally held by musicians, symbolizing a shift towards strategic oversight. This change touches every part of a developer’s lifecycle and the five key job tasks (JTBDs) our customers encounter, highlighting the evolving, integral role of developers in the AI-driven tech landscape.

In summary, Vivek’s keynote substantiates how AI’s impact on the developer ecosystem is both profound and expansive, heralding a future where developers leverage AI not as a replacement, but as a powerful ally in crafting the next generation of software solutions.

AI Product Showcase

One of the highlights of AI Day was the AI showcase, where HackerRank product experts unveiled two groundbreaking products: HackerRank SkillUp and HackerRank Engage. 

SkillUp is designed to revolutionize the way developers learn and hone their skills, offering personalized learning paths powered by AI. SkillUp addresses the key phases beyond hiring, such as upskilling, mobilizing, and retaining talent, making it an essential tool for continuous professional development. SkillUp provides a comprehensive solution to understand the skill sets within their developer organization accurately, strategize on bridging skill gaps, mobilize talent to adapt to the rapidly evolving AI landscape (becoming GenAI ready), and enhance developer retention and engagement through targeted upskilling. To know more about SkillUp, visit here.

Engage aims to transform the recruitment landscape by enabling companies to connect with top tech talent through AI-driven matchmaking. It is designed to amplify companies’ brand presence as a tech company. With its AI-driven technology, Engage enables organizations to set up, customize, and host virtual real-world hackathons, thus positioning them at the forefront of tech innovation and helping them build a robust talent pipeline. To know more about Engage, visit here.

Together, these platforms signify HackerRank’s dedication to empowering both developers and employers in the AI era. 

Insights from Industry Titans

The event featured an impressive lineup of speakers, each bringing a unique perspective on AI’s role in their respective fields.

• Josh Bersin: The Intersection of AI and HR

Josh Bersin, a renowned global industry analyst, shared his insights on the transformative impact of AI across various aspects of human resources and talent acquisition during HackerRank AI Day. Reflecting on his personal journey and professional experiences, Bersin likened his excitement about the advent of AI to the revolutionary introduction of personal computers. He outlined the myriad ways in which AI has already begun to streamline his workflow, from summarizing vast quantities of content to conducting swift data analyses, ultimately enhancing his overall productivity. This utilization of AI in his daily tasks highlights its potential to redefine efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace.

Delving deeper into organizational learning and development, Bersin introduced the concept of Capability Academies. He championed these as essential, comprehensive environments that foster continuous learning, extending well beyond the scope of traditional training methods. By incorporating a diverse array of learning resources and experiences, Capability Academies are poised to significantly bolster professional growth and competency development across industries.

Bersin also provided a forward-looking analysis of how AI is set to reshape the landscape of various professional roles, some of the examples are below:

• Recruiters are envisioned to transition into talent advisors, shifting their focus from sourcing to the strategic facets of talent acquisition.
• Recruiting Coordinators might find their roles evolving into data analysts or other capacities as AI takes on the brunt of coordination tasks.
• L&D Managers are anticipated to adopt roles that underscore technology strategy, performance consultation, and media strategy, reflecting the changing dynamics of workplace learning.
• Hiring Managers are expected to continue emphasizing team composition, culture, and performance, even as other aspects of their roles evolve.
• Developers are likely to remain at the forefront of exciting projects, with AI reshaping development approaches but not reducing the demand for their expertise.
• CEOs are advised to maintain their tech-savviness and curiosity, as their roles increasingly encompass a broader spectrum of responsibilities beyond technology, including people management, strategy formulation, and navigating market dynamics.

Josh Bersin’s insights not only highlight AI’s current applications but also its potential to fundamentally alter professional roles and processes. By embracing AI, companies can make talent acquisition more efficient and equitable, foster a culture of continuous learning, and ensure that their workforce is well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future.

• Beyang Liu: AI’s Role in Developer Tools

Beyang Liu, Co-founder of Sourcegraph, explored the integration of AI in developer tools, emphasizing how these advancements are making coding more intuitive and efficient. His insights into the future of software development underscored the importance of AI in fostering innovation and creativity among developers.

Beyang shared insights into the current state of AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), noting that what often appears as logical reasoning in AI outputs is actually sophisticated pattern matching. This revelation has sparked discussions on the nature of human reasoning and knowledge work.

Looking forward, Vivek and Beyang envisaged a shift in the developer’s role towards more system design and architecture, facilitated by AI removing lower-level coding toil. This evolution could lead to software engineering focusing more on creative problem-solving and high-level system planning.

• Vinod Khosla: The Bold Future of AI

Vinod Khosla, a renowned venture capitalist, shared his visionary outlook on AI’s potential to address global challenges. His thought-provoking session encouraged attendees to think big and embrace the risks associated with pioneering AI solutions, setting the stage for an inspiring exploration of the technological landscape.

As Khosla delved into the intricacies of innovation, he underscored the paramount importance of adaptability and sustainable growth in navigating the ever-evolving realm of technology. The venture capitalist painted a vivid picture of a future shaped by AI, where personalized experiences and automated solutions would redefine traditional industries. Sectors ranging from education and healthcare to transportation, entertainment, and venture capital would experience profound transformations, driven by the revolutionary potential of AI.

In a world where the stakes are high and the possibilities limitless, Khosla’s visionary insights not only showcased the vast opportunities embedded in technological advancements but also emphasized the crucial need for a thoughtful examination of their societal impact. The session left attendees inspired, armed with a fresh perspective on the dynamic intersection of AI and global challenges.

A Day to Remember

AI Day was not just about the talks and showcases; it was a celebration of community, innovation, and the shared belief in AI’s power to create a better future. With thosands of attendees, the event was a testament to the growing interest and optimism surrounding AI. The day was filled with meaningful conversations, networking opportunities, and an undeniable sense of excitement for what the future holds.

As we reflect on this year’s AI Day, it’s clear that the journey of AI is only just beginning. The discussions, innovations, and connections forged during the event will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of AI development in the years to come. HackerRank’s AI Day has once again proven to be a beacon of inspiration, illuminating the path toward a future where AI and human potential converge to unlock unimaginable possibilities.

To delve deeper into the discussions and innovations showcased at AI Day, access the event page here.

The post Innovation, Insights, and AI: Key Takeaways from HackerRank AI Day appeared first on HackerRank Blog.