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8 Steps to acing your next system design interview

System design can be a huge leap forward in your career both in terms of money and satisfaction you get from your job. But if your previous job was focused on working closely on one of the components of a system, it can be hard to switch to high-level thinking

Imagine switching from roofing to architectural design. Instead of knowing the ins and outs of making one component, you need to develop a system of components that work well together. This is why so many people fail in system design interviews. They don’t understand what the interviewer wants to hear from them.

What are interviewers looking for?

You walk into an interview, ready to discuss the pros and cons of using NoSQL, fine details of implementing map-reduce, and the possibilities of using the newest node library. What do they ask you? Design Netflix from scratch.

This leaves many interviewees puzzled, and they do two crucial mistakes. The first mistake is focusing too much on the service that already exists. The interviewer doesn’t want to know how Netflix or Twitter is actually made. Rather, they want to see your thought process that goes into creating a similar system.

The second mistake is focusing too much on details. That’s not what you need to do, at least not at first. The technical knowledge and the ability to solve bottlenecks is great, but your main goal for such interviews should be understanding the type of system you need to develop and figuring out the optimal way of solving user problems.

How to ace a system design interview: A step by step guide

Now that you know the direction, let’s go through the interview, step by step.

Step 0: Get good

Preparing for the interview starts months before you arrive at the office. You need to work on gaining knowledge and acquiring skills to be sure that you have what it takes to crack it.

This includes a lot of reading. Start with following high scalability and getting yourself a copy of Martin Klepmann’s Designing Data-Intensive Applications. It’s a great place to start if you have limited experience with system designs.

If you have the knowledge but struggle to apply it to real-world problems, try hosting brainstorming sessions with your pals. After all, trying to design Twitter from scratch can be fun when your employment doesn’t rely on it.

You can go even further and attend a hackathon to try implementing your system design knowledge in practice and get expert advice on it. When you feel confident about your skills, start polishing them before the interview. For instance, you can focus your practice on the typical cases interviewers offer.

In most cases, the interviewer will ask you to design one of the following services:

  • URL shortener
  • Social network
  • Messenger
  • Video streaming
  • File storage
  • Search engine

If you know a bit about each of these services, you’re already on the right track. To gain even more confidence before the actual interview, attend a mock one. You can do it online, and instead of “we’ll call you back”, you’ll receive an expert opinion on your performance.

Step 1: Define the key assumptions about the system

Now, let’s say you’ve made it to the interview. Given the number of applications big tech companies receive, it’s already an achievement. You feel good about yourself, and when the interviewer asks you to develop something like Facebook, you start talking about peculiarities of data storage and what is the best way to create a dynamic feed.

That’s not what they expect to hear. First, you need to understand what kind of system are you building. What is the intended audience? What problems are they solving with this service? You’ll need to answer those questions before you can go any further.

In many cases, the interviewer won’t know the answer. Why? Here’s a very important thing about system design interviews: it’s not about giving the correct answer to a well-defined problem, but it’s about your ability to define the open-ended problem and solve it creatively.

This means you can pretty much decide on these key assumptions together with the interviewer.

Step 2: Define the key features

Once that is out of the way, your next step is defining what kind of features your hypothetical service must possess. Even though your task is designing an already existing service from scratch, it doesn’t mean they should be identical.

For instance, if you’re tasked with designing Facebook, you can take the features this social media has as the basis and work from that. Think of ways you can combine Messenger and Facebook into one app instead of two or suggest how to make ads more user-friendly.

If you’re tasked with developing a Discord-like chat, you’ll need to include secure chat rooms with stable voice chat features. You can also suggest a streaming option. If you need to develop a digital product marketplace such as Pro Essay Writer, you’ll need to combine features like dynamic display of offers, secure access to database, and several payment options. You can throw in a Ai live chat or a monitoring feature to make sure the freelancer the user has hired is busy working on the project.

This will show the interviewers that you’re not only capable of reverse-engineering a service, but actually thinking about the problems customers face and solving them.

Step 3: Define the scale

While the system you design should be scalable, you need to start somewhere. This is why you need to define the scale of the system at first. Think about the read-to-write ratio, the number of concurrent requests the system should expect, and various data limitations.

Once you define these parameters together with your interviewer, you can think of the best way to make that system work well and be scalable. But before that, there’s one more step.

Step 4: Define the data model

Before you can design the hypothetical system, you need to define how you’re going to process data. Find out the main inputs and outputs, how they’re going to be stored, and how the data will flow.

This doesn’t require you to know every little aspect of implementing MongoDB or the latest MySQL library. If you know what database would serve the purpose better, it’s going to be enough. Remember, you don’t need to go into detail too much at this stage.

Step 5: Design the high-level system

By this time, you should have all the information necessary to design the system your interviewer wants. Ideally, you should be no more than 15-20 minutes into the interview.

Start with the entry-points and work your way up to the database. If the interview room has a whiteboard, it’s a great opportunity to visualize your ideas, but even a sheet of paper will do. Draw the architecture that’s needed to support all user and API interactions and present a decent response time.

Don’t be afraid to change the layout of the system on the go. Interviewers don’t care about you making mistakes. They want to see if you’re able to iterate your ideas and improve as you go along.

Step 6: Look for bottlenecks

Once your version of the system seems more or less final, you can get down to details. Look for possible bottlenecks that can slow down or hinder the functions of the system. It’s also okay to take the interviewer’s advice on this. In many cases, the interviewer is an expert on the topic, so you’ll only show your readiness to learn and improve by this.

Find out the bottlenecks and come up with ways of eliminating them either by redesigning a part of the system, or scaling up the hardware.

Step 7: Go in-depth on the subsystem you know well

This is an optional step, but many interviewers ask you to go through this as well. You’ll have to go low-level and elaborate on a subsystem. If you can, steer the conversation to the one you know best.

There’s no shame in admitting you don’t know much about a certain subsystem. After all, you’re no Renaissance man, and the company you’re applying to has teams of experts working on each subsystem, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to consult with them.

Show off the knowledge you have, and move to the next step.

Step 8: Acknowledge the trade-offs

No system is ideal, and a good system design engineer knows that well. Let the interviewer understand what trade-offs did you make to let the system work well at this stage.

Stay in touch

With that, your 45-minute interview should be over, and the interviewer would be either impressed or bored with your take on the problem. Regardless, you should try to stay in touch with them to increase your chances of getting hired. At the very least, you may get an expert opinion on what went wrong.

If you’ve failed the interview, don’t stop in your tracks. It’s just an opportunity to learn more and practice more. Join Hackathons and do mock interviews to up your skills, and you’ll get the job you’ve been dreaming about.

7 steps to improve your data structure and algorithm skills

This blog is a guest contribution from Harsh Goel, Founder@ InterviewCamp.io – Online Bootcamp for Technical Interviews

Machine Learning or Blockchain might be the next big thing, but interview problem-solving is the skill of the decade.

Here is a step-by-step plan to improve your data structure and algorithm skills:

Step 1: Understand Depth vs. Breadth

We all have that friend who has solved 500 coding problems. They love to wear it as a badge of honor. But when it comes to interviews, they fail miserably. This is a very common scenario. It’s what we call the “Breadth-Only” approach. They are solely focused on solving as many problems as they can.

The Breadth-Only approach has a problem—you don’t build a strong foundation. Interviews require deep problem-solving knowledge and the ability to code fast and accurately. You only develop these skills with focused preparation.

Here’s a counter-intuitive approach that works better:

Focus on less problems, not more

This is comforting, right? Who wants to focus on 500 problems when you can focus on 100?

But here’s the key—you want to learn them in depth. This is where depth comes in.

When you analyze a problem in depth, it means:

  1. You can code it quickly
  2. You can code it with correct syntax, which means you are good at the language
  3. You can write clean code in one go, because it’s second nature to you
  4. You can apply the same code to a new problem quickly
  5. You know the data structure you are using and can implement it if asked to

To achieve this, you need to focus on a few representative problems (around 100 works well.) Solve them a few times and you’ll start seeing patterns. You also start getting better at the coding part.

So you’ve covered Depth, congratulations! You have acquired a solid base.

You can now go all out and solve as many problems as you want. And best of all, you won’t need to code many of them. Figure out a solution, and if it’s similar to one of your core problems (which it often is), you’re done. No need to actually code and debug it because you’re already good at that.

Step 2: Start the Depth-First Approach—make a list of core questions

Identify a list of ~100 core problems. Many sites give you 100 curated problems.

Here’s another way:

Get these two books:

  1. Elements of Programming Interviews
  2. Cracking the Coding Interview.

Collectively, they give you a good variety of hand-picked problems. If you want a structured course for this, check out InterviewCamp.io

Step 3: Master each data structure.

Now that you have finalized your list, start with the basics. Know every data structure.

Learn how to use each data structure in your language.

Also, learn how to implement them. Yes, implement them by hand. Many people ignore this, but it’s extremely important. Interviewers can ask you about data structure internals. Many problems modify data structures or re-engineer them for a specific use case. To utilize them fully, you need to know how they work.

For example:

Interviewer: “So you initialized an array-backed list. Good. Now let’s say you reach its capacity, what happens when you try to add another element?”

Candidate: *blank* “What do you mean capacity? I can keep adding elements to this list.”

Interviewer: *facepalm*

In this case, the candidate had been using Python, and there’s no concept of list capacity. You just keep adding elements. But that’s not what happens under the hood. You need to know what data structures back a list, and how that works.

Here’s another example:

Let’s say you’re asked to Implement a Queue using just Stacks (a popular question). This is a modified data structure. If you haven’t implemented either of those before, you’ll have trouble getting started.

Now, this doesn’t mean you need to know every implementation’s code. Some data structures are pretty hard to implement – for example, deleting a node from a Binary Search Tree is not trivial to code. But you should know how it works.

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Further Reading

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Here is a list of data structures to master :

  • Arrays and Lists
  • 2D Arrays
  • Strings
  • Linked List
  • Stack
  • Queue
  • Hash Table & Hash Set
  • Heap
  • Graphs
  • Binary Tree
  • Binary Search Tree
  • Trie

How to go about it? Let’s say your core problems are divided by data structure. You can master each data structure when you start each section. Or, you can master them all at the beginning. Do what works for you.

(Check HackerEarth Data Structure & Algorithm practice)

Step 4: Spaced Repetition

Alright. You made a list of questions and you started solving them. Here’s a common question we get:

“I solve many questions but can’t solve them a week later! How do I remember solutions?”

The key is to not remember solutions. The key is to practice them. When you see a problem, you should immediately be able to break it down and re-create the solution. This is different from rote learning. You’re recognizing different components, breaking them down and solving the problem.

The best technique we’ve seen – solve the problem again in 3 days. Then in a week. Then in a month. It will become second nature to you.

Step 5: Isolate techniques that are reused. Isolate actual code blocks.

This is where the Depth-First approach gets exciting. As you solve these problems, you’ll start to notice patterns.

Let’s say you solved 5 problems that used Binary Search. You can isolate the Binary Search code and practice it over and over. You know it will be used in similar problems.

And this is one of many techniques you can isolate. Here are some other common ones:

  • Depth First Search
  • Recursion + Memoization
  • Hash Table + Linked List combination
  • Searching a Binary Tree etc.

Now, you have a collection of techniques you can apply to new problems.

Step 6: Now, it’s time for Breadth.

Let’s say you’ve mastered your core problems. Using common data structures is second nature to you. You can now look beyond your core set. Because you’ve implemented so many techniques already, you don’t even have to code all the new questions.

During this time, try to solve realistic interview problems. Once you get good, there’s a tendency to focus on really hard problems. The thought process is – “if I can solve these really hard problems, then interview problems will be a piece of cake!”. That’s not usually the case. Techniques in really hard problems often have nothing to do with interview-level problems.

Step 7: Practice on paper

We recommend practicing on paper at some point in your prep. When you code without an IDE and Stack Overflow, it takes you away from your comfort zone.

Here are some benefits of practicing on paper:

  1. You’re forced to plan your code before writing. You can’t just go back and retype.
  2. You will start learning correct language syntax and data structure usage. With an IDE, code used to write itself.
  3. You can take a paper and pen anywhere with you to practice.

And more importantly, it is a realistic simulation of a whiteboard interview.

Congratulations, you’re now a pro! Let’s get those interviews rolling.

Also read – Top 7 algorithms and data structures every programmer should know about

HackerEarth Community—Get ready for spooktacular updates!

As October draws to an end, Halloween creeps upon us. Prepare to be spellbound with our delightfully dark but magical updates.

Want to know what's going on in the HackerEarth community? Find all the information you need to know, here.

What's inside? Halloween charms!

Get wicked with mock coding interviews: No tricks just treats


The HackerEarth platform uses AI to give you access to more than 2,500 questions used by Fortune 500 companies in several coding challenges and programming interviews.

These mock coding interviews questions are divided into three levels—easy, medium, and hard. Also, the platform generates reports to let you benchmark your programming skills and lets you take a test as many times as you want, with a new set of questions each time!.

The HackerEarth platform provides a real-time coding interview environment to test your coding skills in Java, Python, and C++.We provide an excellent opportunity for developers to become familiar with coding interview questions and formats. In the process, people can gain confidence by acquiring knowledge about their strengths and areas of improvement before an actual interview.

PEEK A BOO at last month’s coding challenges

At Hackerearth, we understand that every passionate programmer likes to showcase his/her programming skills and competing in a coding challenge is the best way to do so. Last month we conducted the following two coding contests.
  • CodeStar Contest #1
In association with the AlphaStar Academy, HackerEarth conducted the CodeStar Contest #1. This programming challenge was intended for high school and college students.

It was a 3-hour individual contest consisting of 8 problems that were roughly arranged from very easy to hard difficulty levels. The winners took home exciting cash prizes, an Xbox One S, and HackerEarth t-shirts.

Know more here.
  • Classify the Lunar Rock: HackerEarth Data Science Competition
HackerEarth joined hands with Dataquest and hosted a highly engaging and informative coding challenge—Classify the Lunar Rock:HackerEarth Data Science Competition.

Its aim was to help people improve their Deep Learning skills by competing and learning from fellow participants.

Know more here.

Broomsticks, cobwebs, and old witches’ brew, we’ve hosted fantastic webinars just for you!



HackerEarth has a deep-rooted love toward webinars. We have hosted a hundred of them to date. When webinars are good, they are helpful and useful. When they’re great, they’re transformative!

We recently conducted two such informative webinars.

Don’t be afraid. The November spookmaster plan lies ahead.

Help pave the way for the future of coding at HackerEarth!

We are excited to announce the beginning of challenges:
  • November Easy—This is a series of HackerEarth’s beginner-level coding challenges that are hosted on the first weekend of every month. The purpose of this challenge is to help beginners hone their coding skills in a programming language of their choice. Easy is a rated contest and is open for everyone to participate.
  • Data Structures and Algorithm (DSA) coding contest—We have in store a one-of-a-kind, Data Structures and Algorithm coding contest where you can compete in a real-time interview environment and hone your skills.

    If you are interested in creating problems for our challenges, do write to us to problem_setting@hackerearth.com.Get involved and code your way to glory!

What's the difference between front-end, back-end, and full-stack developers?

This blog is a guest contribution from Wendy Dessler.
The number of web development jobs is set to increase by nearly 13% in the next few years. As more and more businesses embrace the power of the Internet and mobile technology, developers will be hired to create websites and mobile apps.

If you are in the process of trying to figure out what type of web developer you want to be, you have come to the right place.

In this article, you will find out more about front-end, back-end, and full stack developers. Once you have this information, you should have no problem figuring out the type of developer you want to be.

The job of a front end developer

When you log onto a website or mobile app, you will be presented with a variety of tools to make your experience easier and more enjoyable. Any aspect of the website or app that involves interaction with consumers is the job of a front end developer.

Business owners understand how important it is to provide a great user experience when putting a website or app out for mass consumption. This is where a great front end developer will come in. If you want to fully grasp this concept, it's worth exploring how to create a website from scratch.

Everything from the colors and fonts used on a website or application to sliders and drop-down menus is the responsibility of a front end developer.

Some front end developers also work on client-side technology. This technology generally includes things like customized software programs or web-based apps that will be used specifically by employees of the business.

If you are thinking of becoming a front end developer, you will need to hone your knowledge of concepts such as UI, JavaScript frameworks, and HTML. Many front end developers are also proficient in CSS and UX.

Back-end developers play a very important role

A back-end developer is integral to the overall success of a website. Without a great framework to build the front end on, a website or mobile app will be unable to function.

A back-end developer will handle everything from coding to the making of Voronoi diagrams for data requirements. If you want to become a back-end developer, you will need a strong knowledge of Linux, Ruby, and Python.

You will also need to know how to use and optimize HTML, CSS, and Java.

Full stack developers have the best of both worlds

If you want to make yourself indispensable in the world of web development, you should consider becoming a full stack developer.

This type of developer handles both front end and back end development tasks. Most business owners seek out an individual who can take their website or app idea from concept to completion.

This is why you need to work on honing both your back-end and front end development skills. Generally, full stack developers will make more money and have a steadier stream of work than people who specialize in only back-end or front end development.

As a full stack developer, you will need to handle things like data modeling or structuring, client and hosting needs, and even user interface design.

Full stack developers also need great communication skills because they often work directly with the customer. The job of a full stack developer can be challenging, but it is also both lucrative and rewarding.

Read - Top skills a full stack developer must have

Success in the web development industry takes hard work

With the competition intensifying every day in the web development world, you need to find a way to set yourself apart. The best way to do this is by showing potential employers how eager you are to work hard and complete projects on time.

Applications of Artificial Intelligence in business [Infographic]

Businesses that use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technology to reveal new insights “will steal $1.2 trillion per annum from their less informed peers by 2020.” predicts Forrester Research. Although AI has been around since the 1950s, it is only recently that the technology has begun to find real-world applications (such as Apple’s Siri). The investment in AI by both tech giants as well as start-ups has increased 3 folds to $40 Billion as of 2017. Recent advances in AI have been helped by three factors:

  1. Access to big data generated from e-commerce, businesses, governments, science, wearables, and social media
  2. Improvement in machine learning (ML) algorithms—due to the availability of large amounts of data
  3. Greater computing power and the rise of cloud-based services—which helps run sophisticated machine learning algorithms.

Applications of AI

AI is important because it can help solve immensely difficult issues in various industries, such as entertainment, education, health, commerce, transport, and utilities. In fields like software testing, AI enables more efficient and accurate identification of bugs, enhances test automation processes, and contributes to the development of innovative solution, such as an AI companion app. AI applications can be grouped into five categories:

  • Reasoning: The ability to solve problems through logical deduction. e.g. financial asset management, legal assessment, financial application processing, autonomous weapons systems, games
  • Knowledge: The ability to present knowledge about the world. e.g. financial market trading, purchase prediction, fraud prevention, drug creation, medical diagnosis, media recommendation
  • Planning: The ability to set and achieve goals. e.g. inventory management, demand forecasting, predictive maintenance, physical and digital network optimization, navigation, scheduling, logistics
  • Communication: The ability to understand spoken and written language. e.g. real-time translation of spoken and written languages, Ai voice generation, real-time transcription, intelligent assistants, voice control
  • Perception: The ability to infer things about the world via sounds, images, and other sensory inputs. e.g. medical diagnosis, autonomous vehicles, surveillance
Here is an infographic by Mckinsey that shows the extent to which AI can be used end-to-end in the retail industry from identifying customers to personalizing promotion to inventory management. Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in retail

Source: McKinsey

AI trends in various sectors

1. Healthcare

AI and ML technology has been particularly useful in the healthcare industry because it generates massive amounts of data to train with and enables algorithms to spot patterns faster than human analysts.

  • Medecision developed an algorithm that detects 8 variables in diabetes patients to determine if hospitalization is required.
  • An app called BiliScreen utilizes a smartphone camera, ML tools, and computer vision algorithms to detect increased levels of bilirubin in the sclera (white portion) of a person’s eye, which is used to screen people for pancreatic cancer. This cancer has no telltale symptoms, hence it has one of the worst prognoses of all cancers.
  • NuMedii, a biopharma company, has developed a platform called Artificial Intelligence for Drug Discovery (AIDD), which uses big data and AI to detect the link between diseases and drugs at the systems level.
  • GNS Healthcare uses ML algorithms to match patients with the most effective treatments for them.

2. Entertainment

A familiar application of AI in everyday life is seen with services like Netflix or Amazon, wherein ML algorithms analyze the user’s activity and compare it with that of other users to determine which shows or products to recommend. The algorithms are becoming intelligent with time—to the extent of understanding that a user may want to buy a product as a gift and not for himself/herself, or that different family members have different watching preferences.

3. Finance

  • Investment companies like Aidya and Nomura Securities use AI algorithms to conduct trading autonomously and robo-traders to conduct high-frequency trading for greater profits, respectively.
  • Fintech firms like Kensho and ForwardLane use AI-powered B2C robo-advisors to augment rebalancing decisions and portfolio management performed by human analysts. Wealthfront uses AI algorithms to track account activity and help financial advisors customize their advice.
  • Chatbots, powered by natural language processing, can serve banking customers quickly and efficiently by answering common queries and providing information promptly.
  • Fraud detection is an important application of AI in financial services. For example, Mastercard uses Decision Intelligence technology to analyze various data points to detect fraudulent transactions, improve real-time approval accuracy, and reduce false declines.

4. Data security

Cyber attacks are becoming a growing reality with the move to a digital world. There are also concerns about AI programs themselves turning against systems.

  • Automatic exploit generation (AEG) is a bot that can determine whether a software bug, which may cause security issues, is exploitable. If a vulnerability is found, the bot automatically secures it. AEG systems help develop automated signature generation algorithms that can predict the likelihood of cyberattacks.
  • PatternEx and MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed an AI platform called AI2 which claims to predict cyber attacks better than existing systems. The platform uses Active Contextual Modeling, a continuous feedback loop between a human analyst and the AI system, to provide an attack detection rate that is better than ML-only solutions by a factor of 10.
  • Deep Instinct, an institutional intelligence company, says that malware code varies between 2%-10% in every iteration and that its AI model is able to handle the variations and accurately predict which files are malware.

5. Manufacturing

  • Landing.ai claims to have created machine-vision tools to find microscopic defects in objects like circuit boards using an ML algorithm trained using tiny volumes of sample images. In the future, self-driving robots may be created which can move finished goods around without endangering anyone or anything around.
  • Robots in factories are often stationary but are still in danger of crashing into objects around it. A new concept called collaborative robots or “cobots, enabled by AI, can take instructions from humans, including instructions that the robot has not been previously exposed to, and work productively with them.
  • AI algorithms can influence the manufacturing supply chain by detecting the patterns of demand for products across geographies, socioeconomic segments, and time, and predicting market demand. This, in turn, will affect inventory, raw material sourcing, financing decisions, human staffing, energy consumption, and maintenance of equipment.
  • AI tools help in predicting malfunctions and breakdown of equipment and taking or recommending preemptive actions as well as tracking operating conditions and performance of factory tooling.

6. Automotive industry

  • Tesla introduced TeslaBot, an intelligent virtual assistant integrated with Tesla models S and X, allows users to interact with their car from their phone or desktop.
  • Uber AI Labs is working on developing self-driven cars with the help of the best engineers and scientists. Uber has already tested a batch of self-driving cars in 2016.
  • Nvidia has partnered with Volkswagen to develop “intelligent co-pilot systems” in cars that will enable safety warnings, gesture control, and voice and facial recognition.
  • Ericsson predicts that 5G technology will improve vehicle-to-vehicle communication wherein sensors will be implanted in airport runways, railways, and roads.

Conclusion

Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, warned the audience at the World Economic Forum 2018 at Davos that AI and big data were a threat to humans and would disable people instead of empowering them. However, given the sweeping real-world applications of AI and ML and the constant advancements in the field, it is more likely that the technology will transform the way we work—enabling faster, more informed decisions, increasing operational efficiency, and innovating new products and services.

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World Music Hackathon: Re-engineering Music

Music is the universal language of mankind—a great uniter. It’s astonishing how music can connect souls, overcome barriers, and bring people closer. It is something that people who differ on anything and everything can have in common.

The World Music Hackathon is a festival of music, innovation, and creativity. We are pushing down the boundaries between “hacking” and “music” to bring the music and tech world together. There are no limits to what you can create; we encourage hacking of music in the broadest conceivable sense, for example, through instrument-building, data visualization, collaboration, improvisation, or any other way you can imagine.

There are craftsmen, researchers, and other music programmers who are doing great work in the field of music, however, they are not getting the consideration they merit for whatever reason.

This is your platform to change the future of the underserved music community and is by no means is limited to young and old, regional or cultural genres or gender identity. It is a platform that can induce diversity across backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities to drive personal growth through creation, collaboration, and communication.

Music is becoming more digital every day. What's more, the World Music Hackathon is the phase to explore different avenues regarding its progression and create thoughts for the future of music and music groups.

Your ideas can connect the artist with his or her audience, on- and offline, real-time or over time. Your ideas will interface the path in rethinking and re-engineering music for the digital age.

Here are the primary focus areas:
  • Enabling music for the disabled: For people with disabilities, technology has the potential to unlock new possibilities. Technology can enable communication, navigation, and independence of disabled people while learning and creating music.
  • Anti-piracy: According to Woolley, about 12.5 billion dollars are lost due to file sharing and music piracy, and 5 billion of that is profits lost from the music industry directly every year. Innovative technology can minimize and discourage music piracy.
  • Improving music recommendations: With the advent of technology, the glory of Radio DJs has passed, replacing musical gatekeepers with personalized algorithms and unlimited streaming services. With listeners now interested in a very diverse genre of music, content recommendation is at the heart of most subscription-based streaming platforms to enhance user experience and increase user engagement.
  • Ease of learning and playing music: New innovations provide fun and creative ways to enhance the learning experience. Apps and online tools can ease the more unsavory aspects of learning an instrument through gamification and progress tracking which help the learner stay motivated.
  • Innovate (reengineering music for the digital age): Innovate solutions that can make a difference in the world of music. You are only limited by your own imagination of what you can create.
We wish to bring together creative developer, designers, musicians, and product visionaries to test ideas and create products with the potential to change the world of music. There’s a lot that can be done here, so let’s unpack those beautiful ideas.Also, in addition to being good for humanity, this also helps foster innovation.
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7 Tech Recruiting Trends To Watch Out For In 2024

The last couple of years transformed how the world works and the tech industry is no exception. Remote work, a candidate-driven market, and automation are some of the tech recruiting trends born out of the pandemic.

While accepting the new reality and adapting to it is the first step, keeping up with continuously changing hiring trends in technology is the bigger challenge right now.

What does 2024 hold for recruiters across the globe? What hiring practices would work best in this post-pandemic world? How do you stay on top of the changes in this industry?

The answers to these questions will paint a clearer picture of how to set up for success while recruiting tech talent this year.

7 tech recruiting trends for 2024

6 Tech Recruiting Trends To Watch Out For In 2022

Recruiters, we’ve got you covered. Here are the tech recruiting trends that will change the way you build tech teams in 2024.

Trend #1—Leverage data-driven recruiting

Data-driven recruiting strategies are the answer to effective talent sourcing and a streamlined hiring process.

Talent acquisition leaders need to use real-time analytics like pipeline growth metrics, offer acceptance rates, quality and cost of new hires, and candidate feedback scores to reduce manual work, improve processes, and hire the best talent.

The key to capitalizing on talent market trends in 2024 is data. It enables you to analyze what’s working and what needs refinement, leaving room for experimentation.

Trend #2—Have impactful employer branding

98% of recruiters believe promoting company culture helps sourcing efforts as seen in our 2021 State Of Developer Recruitment report.

Having a strong employer brand that supports a clear Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is crucial to influencing a candidate’s decision to work with your company. Perks like upskilling opportunities, remote work, and flexible hours are top EVPs that attract qualified candidates.

A clear EVP builds a culture of balance, mental health awareness, and flexibility—strengthening your employer brand with candidate-first policies.

Trend #3—Focus on candidate-driven market

The pandemic drastically increased the skills gap, making tech recruitment more challenging. With the severe shortage of tech talent, candidates now hold more power and can afford to be selective.

Competitive pay is no longer enough. Use data to understand what candidates want—work-life balance, remote options, learning opportunities—and adapt accordingly.

Recruiters need to think creatively to attract and retain top talent.

Recommended read: What NOT To Do When Recruiting Fresh Talent

Trend #4—Have a diversity and inclusion oriented company culture

Diversity and inclusion have become central to modern recruitment. While urgent hiring can delay D&I efforts, long-term success depends on inclusive teams. Our survey shows that 25.6% of HR professionals believe a diverse leadership team helps build stronger pipelines and reduces bias.

McKinsey’s Diversity Wins report confirms this: top-quartile gender-diverse companies see 25% higher profitability, and ethnically diverse teams show 36% higher returns.

It's refreshing to see the importance of an inclusive culture increasing across all job-seeking communities, especially in tech. This reiterates that D&I is a must-have, not just a good-to-have.

—Swetha Harikrishnan, Sr. HR Director, HackerEarth

Recommended read: Diversity And Inclusion in 2022 - 5 Essential Rules To Follow

Trend #5—Embed automation and AI into your recruitment systems

With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, automation is being adopted across every business function—including recruiting.

Manual communication with large candidate pools is inefficient. In 2024, recruitment automation and AI-powered platforms will automate candidate nurturing and communication, providing a more personalized experience while saving time.

Trend #6—Conduct remote interviews

With 32.5% of companies planning to stay remote, remote interviewing is here to stay.

Remote interviews expand access to global talent, reduce overhead costs, and increase flexibility—making the hiring process more efficient for both recruiters and candidates.

Trend #7—Be proactive in candidate engagement

Delayed responses or lack of updates can frustrate candidates and impact your brand. Proactive communication and engagement with both active and passive candidates are key to successful recruiting.

As recruitment evolves, proactive candidate engagement will become central to attracting and retaining talent. In 2023 and beyond, companies must engage both active and passive candidates through innovative strategies and technologies like chatbots and AI-powered systems. Building pipelines and nurturing relationships will enhance employer branding and ensure long-term hiring success.

—Narayani Gurunathan, CEO, PlaceNet Consultants

Recruiting Tech Talent Just Got Easier With HackerEarth

Recruiting qualified tech talent is tough—but we’re here to help. HackerEarth for Enterprises offers an all-in-one suite that simplifies sourcing, assessing, and interviewing developers.

Our tech recruiting platform enables you to:

  • Tap into a 6 million-strong developer community
  • Host custom hackathons to engage talent and boost your employer brand
  • Create online assessments to evaluate 80+ tech skills
  • Use dev-friendly IDEs and proctoring for reliable evaluations
  • Benchmark candidates against a global community
  • Conduct live coding interviews with FaceCode, our collaborative coding interview tool
  • Guide upskilling journeys via our Learning and Development platform
  • Integrate seamlessly with all leading ATS systems
  • Access 24/7 support with a 95% satisfaction score

Recommended read: The A-Zs Of Tech Recruiting - A Guide

Staying ahead of tech recruiting trends, improving hiring processes, and adapting to change is the way forward in 2024. Take note of the tips in this article and use them to build a future-ready hiring strategy.

Ready to streamline your tech recruiting? Try HackerEarth for Enterprises today.

(Part 2) Essential Questions To Ask When Interviewing Developers In 2021

The first part of this blog stresses the importance of asking the right technical interview questions to assess a candidate’s coding skills. But that alone is not enough. If you want to hire the crème de la crème of the developer talent out there, you have to look for a well-rounded candidate.

Honest communication, empathy, and passion for their work are equally important as a candidate’s technical knowledge. Soft skills are like the cherry on top. They set the best of the candidates apart from the rest.

Re-examine how you are vetting your candidates. Identify the gaps in your interviews. Once you start addressing these gaps, you find developers who have the potential to be great. And those are exactly the kind of people that you want to work with!

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Hire great developers

What constitutes a good interview question?

An ideal interview should reveal a candidate’s personality along with their technical knowledge. To formulate a comprehensive list of questions, keep in mind three important characteristics.

  • Questions are open-ended – questions like, “What are some of the programming languages you’re comfortable with,” instead of “Do you know this particular programming language” makes the candidate feel like they’re in control. It is also a chance to let them reply to your question in their own words.
  • They address the behavioral aspects of a candidate – ensure you have a few questions on your list that allow a candidate to describe a situation. A situation where a client was unhappy or a time when the developer learned a new technology. Such questions help you assess if the candidate is a good fit for the team.
  • There is no right or wrong answer – it is important to have a structured interview process in place. But this does not mean you have a list of standard answers in mind that you’re looking for. How candidates approach your questions shows you whether they have the makings of a successful candidate. Focus on that rather than on the actual answer itself.

Designing a conversation around these buckets of interview questions brings you to my next question, “What should you look for in each candidate to spot the best ones?”

Hire GREAT developers by asking the right questions

Before we dive deep into the interview questions, we have to think about a few things that have changed. COVID-19 has rendered working from home the new normal for the foreseeable future. As a recruiter, the onus falls upon you to understand whether the developer is comfortable working remotely and has the relevant resources to achieve maximum productivity.

#1 How do you plan your day?

Remote work gives employees the option to be flexible. You don’t have to clock in 9 hours a day as long as you get everything done on time. A developer who hasn’t always been working remotely, but has a routine in place, understands the pitfalls of working from home. It is easy to get distracted and having a schedule to fall back on ensures good productivity.

#2 Do you have experience using tools for collaboration and remote work?

Working from home reduces human interaction heavily. There is no way to just go up to your teammate’s desk and clarify issues. Virtual communication is key to getting work done. Look for what kind of remote working tools your candidate is familiar with and if they know what collaborative tools to use for different tasks.

Value-based interview questions to ask

We went around and spoke to our engineering team, and the recruiting team to see what questions they abide by; what they think makes any candidate tick.

The result? – a motley group of questions that aim to reveal the candidate’s soft skills, in addition to typical technical interview questions and test tasks.

Recommended read: How Recruiting The Right Tech Talent Can Solve Tech Debt

#3 Please describe three recent projects that you worked on. What were the most interesting and challenging parts?

This is an all-encompassing question in that it lets the candidate explain at length about their work ethic—thought process, handling QA, working with a team, and managing user feedback. This also lets you dig enough to assess whether the candidate is taking credit for someone else's work or not.

#4 You’ve worked long and hard to deliver a complex feature for a client and they say it’s not what they asked for. How would you take it?

A good developer will take it in their stride, work closely with the client to find the point of disconnect, and sort out the issue. There are so many things that could go wrong or not be to the client’s liking, and it falls on the developer to remain calm and create solutions.

#5 What new programming languages or technologies have you learned recently?

While being certified in many programming languages doesn't guarantee a great developer, it still is an important technical interview question to ask. It helps highlight a thirst for knowledge and shows that the developer is eager to learn new things.

#6 What does the perfect release look like? Who is involved and what is your role?

Have the developer take you through each phase of a recent software development lifecycle. Ask them to explain their specific role in each phase in this release. This will give you an excellent perspective into a developer’s mind. Do they talk about the before and after of the release? A skilled developer would. The chances of something going wrong in a release are very high. How would the developer react? Will they be able to handle the pressure?

SUBSCRIBE to the HackerEarth blog and enrich your monthly reading with our free e-newsletter – Fresh, insightful and awesome articles straight into your inbox from around the tech recruiting world!

#7 Tell me about a time when you had to convince your lead to try a different approach?

As an example of a behavioral interview question, this is a good one. The way a developer approaches this question speaks volumes about how confident they are expressing their views, and how succinct they are in articulating those views.

#8 What have you done with all the extra hours during the pandemic?

Did you binge-watch your way through the pandemic? I’m sure every one of us has done this. Indulge in a lighthearted conversation with your candidate. This lets them talk about something they are comfortable with. Maybe they learned a new skill or took up a hobby. Get to know a candidate’s interests and little pleasures for a more rounded evaluation.

Over to you! Now that you know what aspects of a candidate to focus on, you are well-equipped to bring out the best in each candidate in their interviews. A mix of strong technical skills and interpersonal qualities is how you spot good developers for your team.

If you have more pressing interview questions to add to this list of ours, please write to us at contact@hackerearth.com.

(Part 1) Essential Questions To Ask When Recruiting Developers In 2021

The minute a developer position opens up, recruiters feel a familiar twinge of fear run down their spines. They recall their previous interview experiences, and how there seems to be a blog post a month that goes viral about bad developer interviews.

While hiring managers, especially the picky ones, would attribute this to a shortage of talented developers, what if the time has come to rethink your interview process? What if recruiters and hiring managers put too much stock into bringing out the technical aspects of each candidate and don’t put enough emphasis on their soft skills?

A report by Robert Half shows that 86% of technology leaders say it’s challenging to find IT talent. Interviewing developers should be a rewarding experience, not a challenging one. If you don’t get caught up in asking specific questions and instead design a simple conversation to gauge a candidate’s way of thinking, it throws up a lot of good insight and makes it fun too.

Developer Hiring Statistics

Asking the right technical interview questions when recruiting developers is important but so is clear communication, good work ethic, and alignment with your organization’s goals.

Let us first see what kind of technical interview questions are well-suited to revealing the coding skills and knowledge of any developer, and then tackle the behavioral aspects of the candidate that sets them apart from the rest.

Recruit GREAT developers by asking the right questions

Here are some technical interview questions that you should ask potential software engineers when interviewing.

#1 Write an algorithm for the following

  1. Minimum Stack - Design a stack that provides 4 functions - push(item), pop, peek, and minimum, all in constant order time complexity. Then move on to coding the actual solution.
  2. Kth Largest Element in an array - This is a standard problem with multiple solutions of best time complexity orders where N log(K) is a common one and O(N) + K log(N) is a lesser-known order. Both solutions are acceptable, not directly comparable to each other, and better than N log(N), which is sorting an array and fetching the Kth element.
  3. Top View of a Binary Tree - Given a root node of the binary tree, return the set of all elements that will get wet if it rains on the tree. Nodes having any nodes directly above them will not get wet.
  4. Internal implementation of a hashtable like a map/dictionary - A candidate needs to specify how key-value pairs are stored, hashing is used and collisions are handled. A good developer not only knows how to use this concept but also how it works. If the developer also knows how the data structure scales when the number of records increases in the hashtable, that is a bonus.

Algorithms demonstrate a candidate’s ability to break down a complex problem into steps. Reasoning and pattern recognition capabilities are some more factors to look for when assessing a candidate. A good candidate can code his thought process of the algorithm finalized during the discussion.

Looking for a great place to hire developers in the US? Try Jooble!

#2 Formulate solutions for the below low-level design (LLD) questions

  • What is LLD? In your own words, specify the different aspects covered in LLD.
  • Design a movie ticket booking application like BookMyShow. Ensure that your database schema is tailored for a theatre with multiple screens and takes care of booking, seat availability, seat arrangement, and seat locking. Your solution does not have to extend to the payment option.
  • Design a basic social media application. Design database schema and APIs for a platform like Twitter with features for following a user, tweeting a post, seeing your tweet, and seeing a user's tweet.

Such questions do not have a right or wrong answer. They primarily serve to reveal a developer’s thought process and the way they approach a problem.

Recommended read: Hardest Tech Roles to Fill (+ solutions!)

#3 Some high-level design (HLD) questions

  • What do you understand by HLD? Can you specify the difference between LLD and HLD?
  • Design a social media application. In addition to designing a platform like Twitter with features for following a user, tweeting a post, seeing your tweet, and seeing a user's tweet, design a timeline. After designing a timeline where you can see your followers’ tweets, scale it for a larger audience. If you still have time, try to scale it for a celebrity use case.
  • Design for a train ticket booking application like IRCTC. Incorporate auth, features to choose start and end stations, view available trains and available seats between two stations, save reservation of seats from start to end stations, and lock them till payment confirmation.
  • How will you design a basic relational database? The database should support tables, columns, basic field types like integer and text, foreign keys, and indexes. The way a developer approaches this question is important. A good developer designs a solution around storage and memory management.
Here’s a pro-tip for you. LLD questions can be answered by both beginners and experienced developers. Mostly, senior developers can be expected to answer HLD questions. Choose your interview questions set wisely, and ask questions relevant to your candidate’s experience.

#4 Have you ever worked with SQL? Write queries for a specific use case that requires multiple joins.

Example: Create a table with separate columns for student name, subject, and marks scored. Return student names and ranks of each student. The rank of a student depends on the total of marks in all subjects.

Not all developers would have experience working with SQL but some knowledge about how data is stored/structured is useful. Developers should be familiar with simple concepts like joins, retrieval queries, and the basics of DBMS.

#5 What do you think is wrong with this code?

Instead of asking developer candidates to write code on a piece of paper (which is outdated, anyway), ask them to debug existing code. This is another way to assess their technical skills. Place surreptitious errors in the code and evaluate their attention to detail.

Now that you know exactly what technical skills to look for and when questions to ask when interviewing developers, the time has come to assess the soft skills of these candidates. Part 2 of this blog throws light on the how and why of evaluating candidates based on their communication skills, work ethic, and alignment with the company’s goals.

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Best Pre-Employment Assessments: Optimizing Your Hiring Process for 2024

In today's competitive talent market, attracting and retaining top performers is crucial for any organization's success. However, traditional hiring methods like relying solely on resumes and interviews may not always provide a comprehensive picture of a candidate's skills and potential. This is where pre-employment assessments come into play.

What is Pre-Employement Assessment?

Pre-employment assessments are standardized tests and evaluations administered to candidates before they are hired. These assessments can help you objectively measure a candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and personality traits, allowing you to make data-driven hiring decisions.

By exploring and evaluating the best pre-employment assessment tools and tests available, you can:

  • Improve the accuracy and efficiency of your hiring process.
  • Identify top talent with the right skills and cultural fit.
  • Reduce the risk of bad hires.
  • Enhance the candidate experience by providing a clear and objective evaluation process.

This guide will provide you with valuable insights into the different types of pre-employment assessments available and highlight some of the best tools, to help you optimize your hiring process for 2024.

Why pre-employment assessments are key in hiring

While resumes and interviews offer valuable insights, they can be subjective and susceptible to bias. Pre-employment assessments provide a standardized and objective way to evaluate candidates, offering several key benefits:

  • Improved decision-making:

    By measuring specific skills and knowledge, assessments help you identify candidates who possess the qualifications necessary for the job.

  • Reduced bias:

    Standardized assessments mitigate the risks of unconscious bias that can creep into traditional interview processes.

  • Increased efficiency:

    Assessments can streamline the initial screening process, allowing you to focus on the most promising candidates.

  • Enhanced candidate experience:

    When used effectively, assessments can provide candidates with a clear understanding of the required skills and a fair chance to showcase their abilities.

Types of pre-employment assessments

There are various types of pre-employment assessments available, each catering to different needs and objectives. Here's an overview of some common types:

1. Skill Assessments:

  • Technical Skills: These assessments evaluate specific technical skills and knowledge relevant to the job role, such as programming languages, software proficiency, or industry-specific expertise. HackerEarth offers a wide range of validated technical skill assessments covering various programming languages, frameworks, and technologies.
  • Soft Skills: These employment assessments measure non-technical skills like communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking, crucial for success in any role.

2. Personality Assessments:

These employment assessments can provide insights into a candidate's personality traits, work style, and cultural fit within your organization.

3. Cognitive Ability Tests:

These tests measure a candidate's general mental abilities, such as reasoning, problem-solving, and learning potential.

4. Integrity Assessments:

These employment assessments aim to identify potential risks associated with a candidate's honesty, work ethic, and compliance with company policies.

By understanding the different types of assessments and their applications, you can choose the ones that best align with your specific hiring needs and ensure you hire the most qualified and suitable candidates for your organization.

Leading employment assessment tools and tests in 2024

Choosing the right pre-employment assessment tool depends on your specific needs and budget. Here's a curated list of some of the top pre-employment assessment tools and tests available in 2024, with brief overviews:

  • HackerEarth:

    A comprehensive platform offering a wide range of validated skill assessments in various programming languages, frameworks, and technologies. It also allows for the creation of custom assessments and integrates seamlessly with various recruitment platforms.

  • SHL:

    Provides a broad selection of assessments, including skill tests, personality assessments, and cognitive ability tests. They offer customizable solutions and cater to various industries.

  • Pymetrics:

    Utilizes gamified assessments to evaluate cognitive skills, personality traits, and cultural fit. They offer a data-driven approach and emphasize candidate experience.

  • Wonderlic:

    Offers a variety of assessments, including the Wonderlic Personnel Test, which measures general cognitive ability. They also provide aptitude and personality assessments.

  • Harver:

    An assessment platform focusing on candidate experience with video interviews, gamified assessments, and skills tests. They offer pre-built assessments and customization options.

Remember: This list is not exhaustive, and further research is crucial to identify the tool that aligns best with your specific needs and budget. Consider factors like the types of assessments offered, pricing models, integrations with your existing HR systems, and user experience when making your decision.

Choosing the right pre-employment assessment tool

Instead of full individual tool reviews, consider focusing on 2–3 key platforms. For each platform, explore:

  • Target audience: Who are their assessments best suited for (e.g., technical roles, specific industries)?
  • Types of assessments offered: Briefly list the available assessment categories (e.g., technical skills, soft skills, personality).
  • Key features: Highlight unique functionalities like gamification, custom assessment creation, or seamless integrations.
  • Effectiveness: Briefly mention the platform's approach to assessment validation and reliability.
  • User experience: Consider including user reviews or ratings where available.

Comparative analysis of assessment options

Instead of a comprehensive comparison, consider focusing on specific use cases:

  • Technical skills assessment:

    Compare HackerEarth and Wonderlic based on their technical skill assessment options, focusing on the variety of languages/technologies covered and assessment formats.

  • Soft skills and personality assessment:

    Compare SHL and Pymetrics based on their approaches to evaluating soft skills and personality traits, highlighting any unique features like gamification or data-driven insights.

  • Candidate experience:

    Compare Harver and Wonderlic based on their focus on candidate experience, mentioning features like video interviews or gamified assessments.

Additional tips:

  • Encourage readers to visit the platforms' official websites for detailed features and pricing information.
  • Include links to reputable third-party review sites where users share their experiences with various tools.

Best practices for using pre-employment assessment tools

Integrating pre-employment assessments effectively requires careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to follow:

  • Define your assessment goals:

    Clearly identify what you aim to achieve with assessments. Are you targeting specific skills, personality traits, or cultural fit?

  • Choose the right assessments:

    Select tools that align with your defined goals and the specific requirements of the open position.

  • Set clear expectations:

    Communicate the purpose and format of the assessments to candidates in advance, ensuring transparency and building trust.

  • Integrate seamlessly:

    Ensure your chosen assessment tool integrates smoothly with your existing HR systems and recruitment workflow.

  • Train your team:

    Equip your hiring managers and HR team with the knowledge and skills to interpret assessment results effectively.

Interpreting assessment results accurately

Assessment results offer valuable data points, but interpreting them accurately is crucial for making informed hiring decisions. Here are some key considerations:

  • Use results as one data point:

    Consider assessment results alongside other information, such as resumes, interviews, and references, for a holistic view of the candidate.

  • Understand score limitations:

    Don't solely rely on raw scores. Understand the assessment's validity and reliability and the potential for cultural bias or individual test anxiety.

  • Look for patterns and trends:

    Analyze results across different assessments and identify consistent patterns that align with your desired candidate profile.

  • Focus on potential, not guarantees:

    Assessments indicate potential, not guarantees of success. Use them alongside other evaluation methods to make well-rounded hiring decisions.

Choosing the right pre-employment assessment tools

Selecting the most suitable pre-employment assessment tool requires careful consideration of your organization's specific needs. Here are some key factors to guide your decision:

  • Industry and role requirements:

    Different industries and roles demand varying skill sets and qualities. Choose assessments that target the specific skills and knowledge relevant to your open positions.

  • Company culture and values:

    Align your assessments with your company culture and values. For example, if collaboration is crucial, look for assessments that evaluate teamwork and communication skills.

  • Candidate experience:

    Prioritize tools that provide a positive and smooth experience for candidates. This can enhance your employer brand and attract top talent.

Budget and accessibility considerations

Budget and accessibility are essential factors when choosing pre-employment assessments:

  • Budget:

    Assessment tools come with varying pricing models (subscriptions, pay-per-use, etc.). Choose a tool that aligns with your budget and offers the functionalities you need.

  • Accessibility:

    Ensure the chosen assessment is accessible to all candidates, considering factors like language options, disability accommodations, and internet access requirements.

Additional Tips:

  • Free trials and demos: Utilize free trials or demos offered by assessment platforms to experience their functionalities firsthand.
  • Consult with HR professionals: Seek guidance from HR professionals or recruitment specialists with expertise in pre-employment assessments.
  • Read user reviews and comparisons: Gain insights from other employers who use various assessment tools.

By carefully considering these factors, you can select the pre-employment assessment tool that best aligns with your organizational needs, budget, and commitment to an inclusive hiring process.

Remember, pre-employment assessments are valuable tools, but they should not be the sole factor in your hiring decisions. Use them alongside other evaluation methods and prioritize building a fair and inclusive hiring process that attracts and retains top talent.

Future trends in pre-employment assessments

The pre-employment assessment landscape is constantly evolving, with innovative technologies and practices emerging. Here are some potential future trends to watch:

  • Artificial intelligence (AI):

    AI-powered assessments can analyze candidate responses, written work, and even resumes, using natural language processing to extract relevant insights and identify potential candidates.

  • Adaptive testing:

    These assessments adjust the difficulty level of questions based on the candidate's performance, providing a more efficient and personalized evaluation.

  • Micro-assessments:

    Short, focused assessments delivered through mobile devices can assess specific skills or knowledge on-the-go, streamlining the screening process.

  • Gamification:

    Engaging and interactive game-based elements can make the assessment experience more engaging and assess skills in a realistic and dynamic way.

Conclusion

Pre-employment assessments, when used thoughtfully and ethically, can be a powerful tool to optimize your hiring process, identify top talent, and build a successful workforce for your organization. By understanding the different types of assessments available, exploring top-rated tools like HackerEarth, and staying informed about emerging trends, you can make informed decisions that enhance your ability to attract, evaluate, and hire the best candidates for the future.

Tech Layoffs: What To Expect In 2024

Layoffs in the IT industry are becoming more widespread as companies fight to remain competitive in a fast-changing market; many turn to layoffs as a cost-cutting measure. Last year, 1,000 companies including big tech giants and startups, laid off over two lakhs of employees. But first, what are layoffs in the tech business, and how do they impact the industry?

Tech layoffs are the termination of employment for some employees by a technology company. It might happen for various reasons, including financial challenges, market conditions, firm reorganization, or the after-effects of a pandemic. While layoffs are not unique to the IT industry, they are becoming more common as companies look for methods to cut costs while remaining competitive.

The consequences of layoffs in technology may be catastrophic for employees who lose their jobs and the firms forced to make these difficult decisions. Layoffs can result in the loss of skill and expertise and a drop in employee morale and productivity. However, they may be required for businesses to stay afloat in a fast-changing market.

This article will examine the reasons for layoffs in the technology industry, their influence on the industry, and what may be done to reduce their negative impacts. We will also look at the various methods for tracking tech layoffs.

What are tech layoffs?

The term "tech layoff" describes the termination of employees by an organization in the technology industry. A company might do this as part of a restructuring during hard economic times.

In recent times, the tech industry has witnessed a wave of significant layoffs, affecting some of the world’s leading technology companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, Meta (formerly Facebook), Apple, Cisco, SAP, and Sony. These layoffs are a reflection of the broader economic challenges and market adjustments facing the sector, including factors like slowing revenue growth, global economic uncertainties, and the need to streamline operations for efficiency.

Each of these tech giants has announced job cuts for various reasons, though common themes include restructuring efforts to stay competitive and agile, responding to over-hiring during the pandemic when demand for tech services surged, and preparing for a potentially tough economic climate ahead. Despite their dominant positions in the market, these companies are not immune to the economic cycles and technological shifts that influence operational and strategic decisions, including workforce adjustments.

This trend of layoffs in the tech industry underscores the volatile nature of the tech sector, which is often at the mercy of rapid changes in technology, consumer preferences, and the global economy. It also highlights the importance of adaptability and resilience for companies and employees alike in navigating the uncertainties of the tech landscape.

Causes for layoffs in the tech industry

Why are tech employees suffering so much?

Yes, the market is always uncertain, but why resort to tech layoffs?

Various factors cause tech layoffs, including company strategy changes, market shifts, or financial difficulties. Companies may lay off employees if they need help to generate revenue, shift their focus to new products or services, or automate certain jobs.

In addition, some common reasons could be:

Financial struggles

Currently, the state of the global market is uncertain due to economic recession, ongoing war, and other related phenomena. If a company is experiencing financial difficulties, only sticking to pay cuts may not be helpful—it may need to reduce its workforce to cut costs.

Also, read: 6 Steps To Create A Detailed Recruiting Budget (Template Included)

Changes in demand

The tech industry is constantly evolving, and companies would have to adjust their workforce to meet changing market conditions. For instance, companies are adopting remote work culture, which surely affects on-premises activity, and companies could do away with some number of tech employees at the backend.

Restructuring

Companies may also lay off employees as part of a greater restructuring effort, such as spinning off a division or consolidating operations.

Automation

With the advancement in technology and automation, some jobs previously done by human labor may be replaced by machines, resulting in layoffs.

Mergers and acquisitions

When two companies merge, there is often overlap in their operations, leading to layoffs as the new company looks to streamline its workforce.

But it's worth noting that layoffs are not exclusive to the tech industry and can happen in any industry due to uncertainty in the market.

Will layoffs increase in 2024?

It is challenging to estimate the rise or fall of layoffs. The overall state of the economy, the health of certain industries, and the performance of individual companies will play a role in deciding the degree of layoffs in any given year.

But it is also seen that, in the first 15 days of this year, 91 organizations laid off over 24,000 tech workers, and over 1,000 corporations cut down more than 150,000 workers in 2022, according to an Economic Times article.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a huge economic slowdown and forced several businesses to downsize their employees. However, some businesses rehired or expanded their personnel when the world began to recover.

So, given the current level of economic uncertainty, predicting how the situation will unfold is difficult.

Also, read: 4 Images That Show What Developers Think Of Layoffs In Tech

What types of companies are prone to tech layoffs?

2023 Round Up Of Layoffs In Big Tech

Tech layoffs can occur in organizations of all sizes and various areas.

Following are some examples of companies that have experienced tech layoffs in the past:

Large tech firms

Companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Twitter, Better.com, Alibaba, and HP have all experienced layoffs in recent years as part of restructuring initiatives or cost-cutting measures.

Market scenarios are still being determined after Elon Musk's decision to lay off employees. Along with tech giants, some smaller companies and startups have also been affected by layoffs.

Startups

Because they frequently work with limited resources, startups may be forced to lay off staff if they cannot get further funding or need to pivot due to market downfall.

Small and medium-sized businesses

Small and medium-sized businesses face layoffs due to high competition or if the products/services they offer are no longer in demand.

Companies in certain industries

Some sectors of the technological industry, such as the semiconductor industry or automotive industry, may be more prone to layoffs than others.

Companies that lean on government funding

Companies that rely significantly on government contracts may face layoffs if the government cuts technology spending or contracts are not renewed.

How to track tech layoffs?

You can’t stop tech company layoffs, but you should be keeping track of them. We, HR professionals and recruiters, can also lend a helping hand in these tough times by circulating “layoff lists” across social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter to help people land jobs quicker. Firefish Software put together a master list of sources to find fresh talent during the layoff period.

Because not all layoffs are publicly disclosed, tracking tech industry layoffs can be challenging, and some may go undetected. There are several ways to keep track of tech industry layoffs:

Use tech layoffs tracker

Layoff trackers like thelayoff.com and layoffs.fyi provide up-to-date information on layoffs.

In addition, they aid in identifying trends in layoffs within the tech industry. It can reveal which industries are seeing the most layoffs and which companies are the most affected.

Companies can use layoff trackers as an early warning system and compare their performance to that of other companies in their field.

News articles

Because many news sites cover tech layoffs as they happen, keeping a watch on technology sector stories can provide insight into which organizations are laying off employees and how many individuals have been affected.

Social media

Organizations and employees frequently publish information about layoffs in tech on social media platforms; thus, monitoring companies' social media accounts or following key hashtags can provide real-time updates regarding layoffs.

Online forums and communities

There are online forums and communities dedicated to discussing tech industry news, and they can be an excellent source of layoff information.

Government reports

Government agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publish data on layoffs and unemployment, which can provide a more comprehensive picture of the technology industry's status.

How do companies reduce tech layoffs?

Layoffs in tech are hard – for the employee who is losing their job, the recruiter or HR professional who is tasked with informing them, and the company itself. So, how can we aim to avoid layoffs? Here are some ways to minimize resorting to letting people go:

Salary reductions

Instead of laying off employees, businesses can lower the salaries or wages of all employees. It can be accomplished by instituting compensation cuts or salary freezes.

Implementing a hiring freeze

Businesses can halt employing new personnel to cut costs. It can be a short-term solution until the company's financial situation improves.

Also, read: What Recruiters Can Focus On During A Tech Hiring Freeze

Non-essential expense reduction

Businesses might search for ways to cut or remove non-essential expenses such as travel, training, and office expenses.

Reducing working hours

Companies can reduce employee working hours to save money, such as implementing a four-day workweek or a shorter workday.

These options may not always be viable and may have their problems, but before laying off, a company owes it to its people to consider every other alternative, and formulate the best solution.

Tech layoffs to bleed into this year

While we do not know whether this trend will continue or subside during 2023, we do know one thing. We have to be prepared for a wave of layoffs that is still yet to hit. As of last month, Layoffs.fyi had already tracked 170+ companies conducting 55,970 layoffs in 2023.

So recruiters, let’s join arms, distribute those layoff lists like there’s no tomorrow, and help all those in need of a job! :)

What is Headhunting In Recruitment?: Types & How Does It Work?

In today’s fast-paced world, recruiting talent has become increasingly complicated. Technological advancements, high workforce expectations and a highly competitive market have pushed recruitment agencies to adopt innovative strategies for recruiting various types of talent. This article aims to explore one such recruitment strategy – headhunting.

What is Headhunting in recruitment?

In headhunting, companies or recruitment agencies identify, engage and hire highly skilled professionals to fill top positions in the respective companies. It is different from the traditional process in which candidates looking for job opportunities approach companies or recruitment agencies. In headhunting, executive headhunters, as recruiters are referred to, approach prospective candidates with the hiring company’s requirements and wait for them to respond. Executive headhunters generally look for passive candidates, those who work at crucial positions and are not on the lookout for new work opportunities. Besides, executive headhunters focus on filling critical, senior-level positions indispensable to companies. Depending on the nature of the operation, headhunting has three types. They are described later in this article. Before we move on to understand the types of headhunting, here is how the traditional recruitment process and headhunting are different.

How do headhunting and traditional recruitment differ from each other?

Headhunting is a type of recruitment process in which top-level managers and executives in similar positions are hired. Since these professionals are not on the lookout for jobs, headhunters have to thoroughly understand the hiring companies’ requirements and study the work profiles of potential candidates before creating a list.

In the traditional approach, there is a long list of candidates applying for jobs online and offline. Candidates approach recruiters for jobs. Apart from this primary difference, there are other factors that define the difference between these two schools of recruitment.

AspectHeadhuntingTraditional RecruitmentCandidate TypePrimarily passive candidateActive job seekersApproachFocused on specific high-level rolesBroader; includes various levelsScopeproactive outreachReactive: candidates applyCostGenerally more expensive due to expertise requiredTypically lower costsControlManaged by headhuntersManaged internally by HR teams

All the above parameters will help you to understand how headhunting differs from traditional recruitment methods, better.

Types of headhunting in recruitment

Direct headhunting: In direct recruitment, hiring teams reach out to potential candidates through personal communication. Companies conduct direct headhunting in-house, without outsourcing the process to hiring recruitment agencies. Very few businesses conduct this type of recruitment for top jobs as it involves extensive screening across networks outside the company’s expanse.

Indirect headhunting: This method involves recruiters getting in touch with their prospective candidates through indirect modes of communication such as email and phone calls. Indirect headhunting is less intrusive and allows candidates to respond at their convenience.Third-party recruitment: Companies approach external recruitment agencies or executive headhunters to recruit highly skilled professionals for top positions. This method often leverages the company’s extensive contact network and expertise in niche industries.

How does headhunting work?

Finding highly skilled professionals to fill critical positions can be tricky if there is no system for it. Expert executive headhunters employ recruitment software to conduct headhunting efficiently as it facilitates a seamless recruitment process for executive headhunters. Most software is AI-powered and expedites processes like candidate sourcing, interactions with prospective professionals and upkeep of communication history. This makes the process of executive search in recruitment a little bit easier. Apart from using software to recruit executives, here are the various stages of finding high-calibre executives through headhunting.

Identifying the role

Once there is a vacancy for a top job, one of the top executives like a CEO, director or the head of the company, reach out to the concerned personnel with their requirements. Depending on how large a company is, they may choose to headhunt with the help of an external recruiting agency or conduct it in-house. Generally, the task is assigned to external recruitment agencies specializing in headhunting. Executive headhunters possess a database of highly qualified professionals who work in crucial positions in some of the best companies. This makes them the top choice of conglomerates looking to hire some of the best talents in the industry.

Defining the job

Once an executive headhunter or a recruiting agency is finalized, companies conduct meetings to discuss the nature of the role, how the company works, the management hierarchy among other important aspects of the job. Headhunters are expected to understand these points thoroughly and establish a clear understanding of their expectations and goals.

Candidate identification and sourcing

Headhunters analyse and understand the requirements of their clients and begin creating a pool of suitable candidates from their database. The professionals are shortlisted after conducting extensive research of job profiles, number of years of industry experience, professional networks and online platforms.

Approaching candidates

Once the potential candidates have been identified and shortlisted, headhunters move on to get in touch with them discreetly through various communication channels. As such candidates are already working at top level positions at other companies, executive headhunters have to be low-key while doing so.

Assessment and Evaluation

In this next step, extensive screening and evaluation of candidates is conducted to determine their suitability for the advertised position.

Interviews and negotiations

Compensation is a major topic of discussion among recruiters and prospective candidates. A lot of deliberation and negotiation goes on between the hiring organization and the selected executives which is facilitated by the headhunters.

Finalizing the hire

Things come to a close once the suitable candidates accept the job offer. On accepting the offer letter, headhunters help finalize the hiring process to ensure a smooth transition.

The steps listed above form the blueprint for a typical headhunting process. Headhunting has been crucial in helping companies hire the right people for crucial positions that come with great responsibility. However, all systems have a set of challenges no matter how perfect their working algorithm is. Here are a few challenges that talent acquisition agencies face while headhunting.

Common challenges in headhunting

Despite its advantages, headhunting also presents certain challenges:

Cost Implications: Engaging headhunters can be more expensive than traditional recruitment methods due to their specialized skills and services.

Time-Consuming Process: While headhunting can be efficient, finding the right candidate for senior positions may still take time due to thorough evaluation processes.

Market Competition: The competition for top talent is fierce; organizations must present compelling offers to attract passive candidates away from their current roles.

Although the above mentioned factors can pose challenges in the headhunting process, there are more upsides than there are downsides to it. Here is how headhunting has helped revolutionize the recruitment of high-profile candidates.

Advantages of Headhunting

Headhunting offers several advantages over traditional recruitment methods:

Access to Passive Candidates: By targeting individuals who are not actively seeking new employment, organisations can access a broader pool of highly skilled professionals.

Confidentiality: The discreet nature of headhunting protects both candidates’ current employment situations and the hiring organisation’s strategic interests.

Customized Search: Headhunters tailor their search based on the specific needs of the organization, ensuring a better fit between candidates and company culture.

Industry Expertise: Many headhunters specialise in particular sectors, providing valuable insights into market dynamics and candidate qualifications.

Conclusion

Although headhunting can be costly and time-consuming, it is one of the most effective ways of finding good candidates for top jobs. Executive headhunters face several challenges maintaining the g discreetness while getting in touch with prospective clients. As organizations navigate increasingly competitive markets, understanding the nuances of headhunting becomes vital for effective recruitment strategies. To keep up with the technological advancements, it is better to optimise your hiring process by employing online recruitment software like HackerEarth, which enables companies to conduct multiple interviews and evaluation tests online, thus improving candidate experience. By collaborating with skilled headhunters who possess industry expertise and insights into market trends, companies can enhance their chances of securing high-caliber professionals who drive success in their respective fields.

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