AI has evolved from an emerging trend to a critical driver of business performance, with companies hiring for AI skills consistently outperforming their peers. 

In our 2024 AI Skills Report,  we found that companies actively hiring for AI-related roles outperformed the market by 13% in share price growth between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024. AI is already having a noticeable impact, driving not just the bottom line of early adopters, but their value as well.

In this article, we delve into the latest findings from our AI adoption survey, exploring how companies leveraging AI talent are achieving exceptional growth and the steps tech teams can take to harness AI’s transformative potential.

Why Companies Can’t Afford to Delay AI Adoption

Despite its transformative potential, some companies remain hesitant to integrate AI, viewing it as a compliance or security risk rather than a value driver. However, delaying AI adoption can mean falling behind faster-moving competitors. 

HackerRank data shows that companies engaging in AI hiring posted a remarkable 40% growth in share price year-over-year, with the most engaged firms—those with 15 active tests that assess AI skills—achieving a 46% increase.

Companies that integrate AI effectively see tangible benefits beyond share price growth. For instance, AI-driven tools can reduce operational bottlenecks by automating repetitive tasks, freeing up teams to focus on strategic goals. 

Take e-commerce, for example. Companies in this industry that use AI for personalized recommendations report up to a 25% increase in sales conversions. For hiring managers, this highlights the importance of finding candidates who can deploy AI solutions that directly align with business priorities.

These numbers underscore the importance of acting now. But scaling hiring for cutting-edge disciplines like AI is easier said than done. Here are a few challenges you might face during your journey to embrace AI, and how to overcome them.

Overcoming Challenges in AI Hiring

1. The AI Skills Gap

One of the biggest barriers to hiring for AI is the skills gap. Many organizations struggle to find candidates who can manage complex AI implementations and align these technologies with business goals.

Solution

Future-proofing your AI hiring strategy doesn’t have to be daunting—it’s about staying informed and proactive. Roles like AI ethicists are essential for ensuring technologies align with ethical standards, while prompt engineers help fine-tune generative AI(GenAI)  tools for better performance. Here’s how to get ahead:

1. Spot Trends Early: Follow industry insights from platforms like LinkedIn and tech blogs. Emerging titles like AI compliance officers signal shifts in regulatory needs.
2. Upskill Internally: Offer training to current employees on AI tools or compliance frameworks.
3. Diversify Recruitment: Look for cross-disciplinary talent—ethics scholars or linguists might bring fresh perspectives.
4. Collaborate with Academia: Partner with universities to attract fresh graduates trained in cutting-edge AI.

By embracing these strategies, you’ll build a team equipped to navigate the evolving AI landscape​.

2. Unmonitored Generative AI Use

Developers and employees increasingly use generative AI tools, which, if unsupervised, could expose companies to compliance and data security risks. We recently found that 49% of developers use GenAI without company support.

Solution

To address the unmonitored use of generative AI effectively, businesses must combine policies, training, and oversight:

1. Establish AI Governance: Create comprehensive policies outlining acceptable uses, including restrictions on sensitive data input, ethical considerations, and compliance mandates.
2. Train Employees: Educate staff on the strengths, limitations, and risks of generative AI, emphasizing data privacy and security.
3. Implement Monitoring Tools: Use software to track AI interactions, ensuring policy adherence.
4. Foster a Culture of Accountability: Encourage employees to report potential misuse and provide regular updates on AI-related risks.
5. Stay Adaptive: Regularly review and revise policies as AI technology evolves.

How Companies Can Gain a Competitive Edge

Assess AI Skills Effectively

Relying on traditional resumes or interviews might not be enough when evaluating AI candidates. Instead, use technical skill assessments tailored to AI competencies, such as data modeling, natural language processing, or machine learning frameworks.

Invest in Ethical AI Practices

The rapid growth of AI adoption has brought ethical concerns to the forefront. Companies must ensure their AI initiatives are transparent and unbiased to avoid regulatory issues and reputational damage.

Organizations can incorporate fairness and bias audits into their AI workflows, ensuring that algorithms don’t inadvertently harm specific groups. Establishing a diverse AI ethics board can provide oversight and accountability.

Conclusion: Embracing AI to Stay Competitive

Companies that treat AI as an opportunity instead of a threat are already seeing substantial benefits, from market outperformance to operational efficiencies. By investing in AI hiring today, organizations can position themselves as leaders in their industries, ready to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities of tomorrow.

The post Companies Hiring for AI Skills Outperform Market by 13% appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming the tech landscape faster than any other technology in recent memory. For instance, ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just three months, 20 times faster than Google. Today, around 75% of knowledge workers worldwide use GenAI to boost productivity, save time, and spark creativity—and software development is at the forefront of this transformation.

How GenAI is Changing Software Development

In software development, GenAI is reshaping workflows, allowing developers to focus on creative problem-solving rather than mundane tasks. Developers now work alongside advanced AI models, which automate routine processes like generating boilerplate code, conducting code reviews, and automating testing. This human + AI collaboration significantly enhances efficiency.

With AI now embedded throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC), companies need developers who can seamlessly integrate these AI tools into their workflows. And hiring practices need to evolve to meet this new reality.

The Rise of Specialized AI Agents

Basic automation is just the beginning of AI’s role in shaping software development. Advances in machine learning and natural language processing are giving rise to specialized AI agents capable of accelerating the development cycle, from idea to implementation. AI tools like GitHub Copilot can generate production-quality code—with developers retaining 80% of the AI-generated code—and AWS CodeWhisperer has demonstrated its power by drastically reducing software upgrade times, leading to impressive time savings and an estimated $260 million in annual efficiency gains.

These advancements allow developers to shift focus from repetitive tasks to more meaningful, high-impact activities. Imagine starting a workday by brainstorming solutions with an AI partner, generating initial code, reviewing it, and seamlessly moving to the next challenge—all while AI handles the grunt work.

The Developer as an Orchestrator

As AI handles more routine coding tasks, developers are transitioning into orchestrators—leading and guiding the overall development process. This new role demands creativity, critical thinking, and a solid understanding of core computer science (CS) fundamentals.  AI enhances productivity, but human expertise ensures the quality and reliability of the results.

The future of software development is one of partnership: developers working in tandem with AI, combining human ingenuity with the computational power of advanced models. The key skills of the future will be creativity, adaptability, and the ability to direct AI to achieve high-quality outcomes.

The Future of Hiring in Software Development

At HackerRank, we see big changes coming for software development hiring:

1. AI as the Primary Coder: AI will take on most coding tasks, allowing developers to focus on managing AI agents and solving complex problems.
2. Emerging Skills: As AI handles routine work, developers will need to sharpen skills like code review and prompt engineering, along with deepening their CS knowledge.
3. Role Consolidation: Traditional roles such as back-end, front-end, and QA may converge into a more unified “App Developer” role, with AI supporting the diverse tasks involved.
4. AI/ML Ubiquity: AI and machine learning will become deeply integrated across industries, increasing demand for developers who understand these technologies.
5. Increased Demand for Developers: Contrary to fears about AI replacing developers, we foresee efficiency gains leading to a greater demand for talented developers who can tackle new and complex challenges. The outdated notion that there’s a fixed amount of work—known as the lump of labor fallacy—doesn’t apply here.

Rethinking Hiring Practices

The rise of AI calls for a shift in how we hire developers. Companies need to move away from theoretical, algorithmic-style challenges and focus on real-world scenarios that reflect daily development tasks. 

HackerRank’s next-gen hiring approach does exactly this. Leveraging code repositories that simulate real-world environments helps us better assess a candidate’s ability to collaborate with AI, build features, and solve real issues.

Going a step further and integrating AI assistants into these environments enables candidates to receive real-time coding support while still being challenged to think critically and independently—mirroring the AI-augmented workplaces they’ll join.

Conclusion

Generative AI is reshaping software development, and as the industry evolves, so too must our approach to hiring. By focusing on real-world assessments, integrating AI into the hiring process, and emphasizing skills like creativity and problem-solving, companies can attract top talent and drive innovation in an AI-enhanced environment.

The future of software development will be driven by the partnership between human creativity and AI capabilities, pushing boundaries and expanding possibilities. As AI redefines what it means to be a developer, organizations need to adapt their hiring strategies to locate top-tier talent and stay ahead in this dynamic field.

HackerRank’s next-generation hiring solution

HackerRank is ready for the future of developer hiring. Our next-gen solution leverages code repositories and AI assistants to deliver real-world challenges that reflect the evolving realities of software development in an AI-first world. To learn more about how we can upgrade your hiring for the AI-driven era, download our whitepaper or speak with an expert today.

The post The future of developer hiring: Embracing AI and evolving hiring processes appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, conversations about AI’s role in tech have shifted from distant hypotheticals to immediate realities.

There’s a growing chorus of questions about the implications of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. How well can conversational AI code? And will AI replace developers?

But in contrast with the alarmism, a recent HackerRank survey found developers have an optimistic perspective on AI. 

Only 9% believe AI will replace them, with the majority expecting AI to enhance, rather than replace, their roles. This optimism among developers should guide hiring managers in their strategic planning, offering valuable insights into how AI can be an ally rather than an adversary in workforce development.

In this article we break down our survey’s findings in more detail, allowing hiring managers and developers to get an accurate picture of the tech industry’s future with AI.

Developers Are Embracing AI as a Tool, Not a Threat

Two years ago, the launch of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools stirred a wave of speculation about AI’s potential to disrupt jobs, particularly in software development. With AI’s ability to generate code snippets, troubleshoot, and optimize workflows, concerns were understandable. However, data today presents a clearer picture.

Developers are not overwhelmingly anxious about being replaced. Instead, they increasingly view AI as a valuable tool that complements their skills. In fact, 64% of developers feel AI will moderately or greatly increase their career opportunities. 

This shift in perception is pivotal for hiring managers, as it highlights developers’ willingness to leverage AI to boost productivity rather than seeing it as a competitor.

Career Prospects: An Optimistic Outlook

A significant portion of developers remains optimistic about their career prospects, with two-thirds of respondents predicting growth in job opportunities. In fact, 35% anticipate a large increase in future career opportunities, and another 29% expect a moderate increase. This confidence in future job market growth suggests that developers are preparing to adapt and thrive in an AI-enhanced environment, not retreat from it.

This insight is essential for tech hiring managers who are grappling with talent strategies. As the industry evolves, organizations that foster a positive view of AI will attract forward-thinking developers eager to integrate AI into their workflows. Companies that emphasize AI upskilling and career growth are likely to see lower turnover rates and greater loyalty, as developers recognize the potential for long-term career development.

The Role of AI in Enhancing, Not Replacing, Developer Skills

One of the key takeaways from this survey is that developers view AI as a way to enhance their work, not replace it. AI tools can handle certain aspects of coding, but they still rely on human insight, creativity, and problem-solving. 

AI excels at repetitive, rule-based tasks, freeing developers to focus on more complex, strategic projects. This augmentation rather than replacement should reassure hiring managers and provide clarity on AI’s true role within tech teams.

Rather than seeking candidates solely focused on manual coding, companies can look for developers who understand how to use AI to optimize workflows. This mindset aligns with the industry’s shift toward embracing hybrid skills that combine technical expertise with AI proficiency.

Building a Future-Proof Team: Why AI Training Is Key

Developers’ positive outlook on AI reflects a growing acceptance of AI as a critical skill. For hiring managers, this shift underscores the importance of building a future-proof team by prioritizing AI literacy and training. 

Consider incorporating AI training into onboarding or as part of ongoing professional development to  increase productivity and inspire innovation. With AI tools, developers can automate repetitive tasks, streamline code reviews, and enhance their problem-solving capabilities. 

AI training also fosters adaptability—a skill that will become increasingly valuable as AI technology continues to evolve. Hiring managers can stay ahead by ensuring their teams are equipped to learn and leverage the latest AI tools. This approach allows companies to remain agile, attracting talent that is both skilled and adaptable to the rapid technological changes ahead.

How Hiring Managers Can Leverage Developer Optimism

The positive sentiment among developers offers hiring managers a unique opportunity to leverage this optimism in recruitment and retention strategies. Companies that position AI as a productivity tool rather than a job-replacement risk are more likely to attract candidates who see value in continuous learning and adaptation. 

Emphasizing a forward-looking company culture—one that sees AI as an ally—can be a major draw for candidates. Companies that actively promote AI upskilling and professional development signal to candidates that they are committed to future-proofing their teams. This approach can also reduce turnover, as employees will feel secure in their roles and confident in the company’s dedication to career growth.

The Bottom Line: AI as a Catalyst for Growth

The AI Skills Survey underscores an important message for the tech industry: AI is not here to replace developers; it’s here to empower them. The majority of developers are embracing AI, expecting it to create opportunities and propel their careers forward. This optimistic outlook on AI’s role in tech offers hiring managers a roadmap for building resilient teams that thrive in an AI-driven world.

Hiring managers can respond to these insights by prioritizing AI training, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and positioning AI as a valuable tool rather than a threat. In doing so, they’ll attract and retain top talent, create a competitive advantage, and align their workforce with the future of tech.

The post Are Developers Worried AI Will Take Their Jobs? appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Table of contents

1. Company overview
2. The challenges with technical assessment and hiring 
3. HackerRank’s solutions 
4. HackerRank’s impact on PTC’s technical hiring  

Company overview

PTC is a global leader in digital transformation, empowering companies across industries to achieve breakthroughs with cutting-edge technology. With a robust portfolio in CAD, IoT, AR, and PLM, PTC helps enterprises redefine their innovation processes and accelerate productivity. Known for its visionary approach, PTC enables organizations to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver outstanding value by integrating physical and digital worlds seamlessly. PTC’s commitment to transforming the way we create and operate products has made it a trusted partner for industry leaders worldwide.

The challenge

Prior to adopting HackerRank, PTC’s hiring process for technical roles was manual and cumbersome.

• Managers created custom tests, leading to a fragmented approach across different departments.
• The HR team struggled to effectively support technical hiring because they lacked coding expertise, making it challenging to align with hiring managers.

As a result, time-to-hire stretched out, and ensuring that candidates possessed the right skills before moving forward was difficult. Additionally, ensuring the integrity of the assessments was a concern, as candidates could easily search for answers online.

The solution

By implementing HackerRank, PTC transformed its approach to hiring technical talent.

The platform enabled PTC to standardize technical assessments, ensuring consistency and fairness in evaluating candidates. This shift allowed the HR team to collaborate more effectively with hiring managers, reducing the friction caused by technical complexities. HackerRank’s user-friendly interface provided a positive candidate experience, enabling developers to focus on showcasing their skills rather than navigating a complicated platform.

One standout feature for PTC was HackerRank Interview [CodePair] which enabled live coding sessions between candidates and hiring managers. This interactive format allowed managers to engage candidates in real-time problem-solving discussions, gaining deeper insights into their thought processes, critical thinking, and technical capabilities. It allowed managers to ask candidates about their decisions on the spot, providing a richer understanding than a pre-recorded test could offer.

“Before we had HackerRank, our managers and our technical roles were sort of creating their own tests, which obviously took a lot of time… once we got HackerRank in place, we were able to streamline the process… we were also able to speed up the time to hire between the hiring managers and my team in HR because we don’t speak coding.”

– Joshua Bellis, Global Head of Talent Attraction & Programs, PTC

The results

The impact of HackerRank on PTC’s hiring process was significant:

• Reduced Time-to-Hire: The streamlined testing process sped up the time to hire, allowing PTC to move candidates through the pipeline faster. The HR team and hiring managers were able to collaborate more efficiently, even without technical expertise.
• Improved Candidate Experience: Candidates appreciated the well-organized and professional assessment process, especially when compared to the manual tests previously used. The positive feedback highlighted the ease of use and the intuitive interface of HackerRank.
• Better Quality Hires: HackerRank’s assessments helped PTC identify candidates who truly possessed the skills needed for mid-level technical roles. This was especially valuable in roles where gauging the depth of a candidate’s experience through interviews alone was challenging.

“HackerRank definitely helped us narrow down candidates who we know for a fact have the skills, because sometimes it is hard in an interview process to really understand the depth of someone’s experience.”

– Joshua Bellis, Global Head of Talent Attraction & Programs, PTC

Conclusion

With HackerRank, PTC has enhanced the efficiency, fairness, and overall experience of its technical hiring process. The solution has enabled them to focus on what matters most-finding and hiring the best talent to drive innovation in the manufacturing industry.

The post Accelerating Tech Talent Acquisition: PTC’s Wins with HackerRank appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

Generative AI (GenAI) has transformed how developers work. But what exactly are they using it for?

To answer this question, we conducted a survey of 6,300 developers and tech leaders and gathered insights into how developers leverage GenAI to streamline workflows, learn new concepts, and automate tedious tasks. 

Here’s what we found.

1. Learning New Concepts

GenAI is an invaluable assistant for developers venturing into new technologies or programming languages. Whether understanding complex algorithms or breaking down intricate frameworks, AI can be an interactive learning tool, providing real-time answers and guiding developers through unfamiliar territory.

What Developers Say:
“I use AI to get a start on unknown concepts as a conversational assistant.”

Tip for Developers: Use GenAI platforms like ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot as learning companions. When faced with new challenges, ask the AI to break down complex ideas step by step. For example, AI can simplify explanations if you need help understanding recursion or machine learning models. 

2. Debugging

Debugging is a time-consuming task that GenAI helps automate. Developers can input their problematic code, and the AI will point out potential issues and suggest fixes. This significantly reduces the trial-and-error process and helps developers resolve bugs faster.

What Developers Say:
“[GenAI] helps me find answers for niche questions and summarizes documentation, allowing me to get to building faster.”

Tip for Developers: Consider tools like Tabnine that integrate AI into your development environment. These tools can automatically scan your codebase and identify real-time errors or inefficiencies.

3. Code Review

While code reviews are critical to ensuring high-quality, maintainable software, the work can be time consuming. GenAI can automate this process by flagging common coding mistakes, suggesting improvements, and even rewriting code sections for better performance.

What Developers Say:
“I use AI for repetitive tasks where I can see a pattern…for stuff that does not require a personal or human touch.”

Tip for Developers: Use AI tools like CodeGuru or Codacy to automate your code review process. These tools can help spot common errors, enforce best practices, and even improve code quality by suggesting alternative approaches.

4. Documentation

Maintaining up-to-date documentation is essential for team collaboration and code sustainability, but keeping pace with ongoing changes can be challenging. GenAI can automatically generate and update documentation, ensuring developers can access the latest information without sacrificing extra time.

Tip for Developers: Platforms like Scribe AI can automatically generate documentation from recorded workflows or live coding sessions. This tool can save developers time by keeping their project documentation in sync with their code changes.

5. Codebase Understanding

Navigating a large, unfamiliar codebase can be overwhelming, but GenAI can help developers quickly grasp the structure and relationships between various components. This is especially helpful when joining new projects or taking over a codebase developed by another team.

What Developers Say:
“AI helps me find answers for niche questions and summarizes documentation.”

Tip for Developers: Use tools like Sourcegraph to search, understand, and fix bugs more efficiently across large codebases. These tools make exploring the entire code structure and understanding dependencies easier.

6. Implementation

GenAI can be used to suggest optimized code during the implementation phase. It can take an initial problem statement and generate code solutions, allowing developers to focus on refining and adjusting the results to fit their needs.

What Developers Say:
“Mainly I use it to write some blocks of code…I don’t have to waste time writing the usual code again and again.”

Tip for Developers: Try using GitHub Copilot to generate code based on the problem you’re trying to solve. This allows you to implement initial solutions quickly and spend more time refining your approach.

7. Testing

Creating thorough test cases is vital, but manually writing them for every function can be tedious. AI can automatically generate test cases, improving code coverage and helping catch potential bugs before they become significant issues.

Tip for Developers: Tools like Test.ai can automate test generation and even create edge cases that a human developer might overlook. This improves the depth and breadth of testing coverage without extra effort from developers.

8. Refactoring

Refactoring code ensures long-term maintainability and efficiency, but it can be hard to prioritize due to how time consuming it can be. GenAI simplifies this by automatically suggesting refactoring options that clean up code and improve performance without changing its functionality.

What Developers Say:
“Optimizing code to reduce its complexity & increased speed is where AI proves to be most useful.”

Tip for Developers: Use refactoring tools like Refactor.ai that suggest code improvements while maintaining original logic. This can significantly reduce the time spent on manual refactoring and improve code quality.

9. Design & Architecture

While AI can’t entirely replace human creativity, it can assist in designing software architectures by suggesting frameworks, libraries, or technologies that fit the project’s scope. AI’s data-driven approach to recommending best practices can be a helpful guide in the initial stages of system design.

Tip for Developers: Use AI-driven architecture tools like AWS Well-Architected Tool to guide design decisions based on the architecture’s needs. It provides suggestions for frameworks, database setups, and infrastructure options based on your project’s requirements.

10. Deployment

AI can improve the deployment process by automating the setup and verification steps in CI/CD pipelines. It helps ensure configurations are correct and deploys new versions with minimal errors or rollback requirements.

Tip for Developers: Consider integrating AI with tools like CircleCI or GitLab to automate your deployment process. AI can handle environment setup, error checking, and automatic rollbacks.

11. Integration

Integration can often involve compatibility challenges for developers working with multiple systems or APIs. GenAI provides guidance and assistance with integrating disparate components, ensuring that everything works smoothly without conflicts.

Tip for Developers: Utilize AI-based integration platforms like MuleSoft that help developers seamlessly connect applications, reducing the time spent troubleshooting integrations.

The post The Top 11 Ways Developers Are Using GenAI (Survey) appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

From thought-provoking keynotes to panel discussions, the summit provided attendees with actionable insights, a view into the future of AI skills, and new connections to help them build the AI-powered workforce of tomorrow.

The summit kicked off with a virtual guest like no other—Albert Einstein, reimagined through AI. In a playful nod to his return, he remarked on how much had changed since his time. He set the stage for an inspiring day, introducing Stela Lupushor as the host. As the Chief Reframer at Reframe.Work Inc. and an Adjunct Faculty at NYU, Stela is known for her forward-thinking approach to building inclusive and resilient workplaces. She welcomed the audience and guided them through a day filled with innovation and fresh perspectives on the future of AI in talent strategy.

Key Highlights from the Summit

1. Keynote: The Impact of GenAI on Hiring and Upskilling Tech Talent by Vivek Ravisankar
   Vivek’s keynote explored the transformative potential of blending human intelligence with AI, particularly in the tech workforce. He introduced HackerRank’s approach to helping developers and companies navigate this shift through a lifecycle of skill-building, engagement, and hiring solutions. Vivek noted that, unlike the human brain, AI requires extensive training data and computational power yet has low generalization—a stark contrast that creates an exciting opportunity for a “human plus AI” fusion.

   “AI is here to augment, not replace, human creativity and problem-solving,” Vivek emphasized. He illustrated the evolving role of developers, envisioning them as orchestrators who guide AI agents, review their work, and integrate AI-driven insights into software development. He also shared insights from HackerRank’s AI Skills Report, revealing that developers primarily use AI to learn new concepts and automate tedious tasks, making them “more productive and happier.”

   As companies increasingly adopt AI tools, Vivek highlighted HackerRank’s mission to ensure responsible AI integration that empowers both employers and candidates. “By putting skills over pedigree,” he stated, “we are not just advancing technology—we are changing the world.”

2. Launch of the AI Skills Report
   The HackerRank team also launched the AI Skills Report 2024 on the day of the event and discussed various insights uncovered in the research.  The AI Skills Report analyzed millions of data points from developers using HackerRank to seek jobs at some of the world’s largest companies. Those insights were combined with survey data from HackerRank’s community of over 24 million software developers.

   Vivek Ravisankar, co-founder and CEO of HackerRank, highlighted the report’s findings, “AI is revolutionizing every stage of the software development lifecycle, including the role of the developer and skills required to build modern software. While some fear disruption, HackerRank’s research reveals unprecedented optimism among the developer community. The future isn’t about humans or AI. It’s about humans and AI working together to build better software that positively impacts the outcomes for society.”

   To know more about the AI Skills Report and learn how AI is challenging the pre-set notions of tech and developers, visit here. 

3. AI for Talent Leaders by Alla Pavlova, Riot Games

   

   Alla Pavlova shared how she uses AI to transform hiring in data science, data engineering, and machine learning. By integrating AI tools, she’s cut up to 40 hours per week from her workload, freeing up time for strategic priorities. She highlighted how tools like GenAI streamline tasks, from creating outlines to summarizing content.

   During her session, Alla emphasized AI’s role in boosting productivity and structure in recruitment. She urged companies to adopt AI tools to stay competitive and address concerns around data security. Her advice? Set aside time each week to explore new AI tools and stay ahead of the curve.

4. AI for Tech Leaders by Tim Lee, Founder and Chief Learning Officer, CodePath
   
   
   Tim Lee, Founder and Chief Learning Officer at CodePath, showcased how AI is transforming the role of developers, shifting their focus from traditional coding tasks to a more strategic orchestration of AI agents. He explained that as AI becomes proficient in handling repetitive tasks—such as writing test cases or debugging—developers are increasingly empowered to review, guide, and refine AI-driven outputs, making workflows more efficient and collaborative.Tim demonstrated practical applications of AI within coding environments, where developers can utilize AI to generate initial drafts of code, allowing them to provide feedback, iterate, and focus on more complex, creative aspects of software development. Emphasizing the evolving role of developers, he noted, “The developer’s job is shifting from writing code from scratch to becoming an orchestrator of AI capabilities.” This new dynamic, he highlighted, enables faster, higher-quality development while preserving the human ingenuity critical to innovative software solutions.
5. Panel discussion on Navigating the Future: AI’s Role in Talent Strategy

   
   

   The panel brought together industry leaders Stela Lupushor, Keith Sonderling, Former Commissioner at US EEOC, Jada Green, Talent and Organization Strategy at Accenture, Devin Cox, US Head of Technical Sourcing at Bloomberg, and Chris Louie, Head of Talent Development at Thomson Reuters for a thought-provoking discussion on the evolving intersection of AI and talent strategy. The panelists explored how AI is redefining the way companies attract, assess, and retain talent, offering insights on the challenges and opportunities that come with AI integration in the workplace. 

   They highlighted the shift from traditional hiring practices to AI-driven strategies that emphasize data-backed decisions and greater efficiency in identifying top talent. The conversation delved into balancing innovation with ethical considerations, particularly around AI’s impact on fairness and transparency in hiring. The panelists encouraged organizations to embrace AI as a strategic partner, helping to future-proof their talent pipelines and adapt to a rapidly changing job market.

6. HackerRank Experience Lab

   
   Our VP of Product, Anand highlighted how HackerRank supported developers and organizations throughout the hiring and skill-building journey. Starting with products designed to prepare developers for job searches—such as resume-building tools and mock interviews—HackerRank created a developer-first experience, helping candidates effectively showcase their skills. For companies, the Engage product enabled effortless coding challenges and hackathons, allowing firms to engage the developer community, assess talent, and position themselves as tech-forward workplaces. HackerRank’s platform also included robust hiring solutions that ensured a fair, efficient, and integrity-driven process with advanced plagiarism detection. Once hired, employees could continue skill development through the Skill Up feature, which provided certifications, a skill directory, and ongoing learning opportunities, creating a complete lifecycle solution for tech talent and organizational growth.

   The event concluded with a lively networking session over drinks, offering attendees the perfect opportunity to reflect on the day’s insights, forge new connections, and unwind with their peers. The energy was high, and many left with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration for navigating the future of AI in their organizations.

   
   
   
   

The post HackerRank’s AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit 2024, NYC appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

In the past, the only way to assess Azure cloud engineering skills in the hiring process was through multiple choice or whiteboard questions. But these question types don’t measure whether candidates can complete real cloud engineering tasks.

It’s time to change the way you hire Azure cloud engineers. 

Enter our latest feature: Azure hands-on questions. This addition to the HackerRank library lets you evaluate candidates’ real-world skills directly in the Azure portal, ensuring that you find the right fit for your team.

Why hands-on questions are important

Traditional interviews often rely on theoretical knowledge. But theoretical knowledge is exactly that—theoretical. It can fall short in predicting a candidate’s actual job performance—especially in cloud engineering roles. Hands-on questions bridge this gap by providing a practical assessment of real-world cloud skills.

Real-world cloud skills assessments

With our Azure hands-on questions, candidates can show off their abilities in a controlled environment. They won’t just answer multiple choice questions; they’ll roll up their sleeves to solve real challenges in the Azure portal. 

This hands-on approach ensures that you’re not just assessing theoretical knowledge but evaluating their capacity to apply what they know in a practical setting.

How it works

So, how do the Azure hands-on questions function?

1. Login to Azure portal: Candidates will log into a real Azure Portal using a temporary account provisioned by HackerRank. This provisioning happens automatically when the candidate takes the assessment. 
2. Complete tasks: During the assessment, candidates tackle a range of hands-on questions, like setting up a virtual network or configuring network security groups.
3. Automatic scoring: Once candidates finish their assessment, their results are automatically scored and logged in the test report. This streamlines the evaluation process while ensuring that you have clear, quantifiable results to guide your hiring decisions.

New library questions

Our library now includes a diverse range of Azure questions across varying levels of difficulty. A few examples of the real-world challenges candidates might face with our new test questions include:

• Setting up a virtual network: Candidates can showcase their ability to create and configure virtual networks that meet specific requirements.
• Configuring network security groups: This task assesses candidates’ understanding of cloud security and networking principles.
• Hosting a website using Azure web apps: This practical exercise evaluates both technical skills and understanding of web application hosting.

With these hands-on challenges, candidates will not only prove their skills, but also give you insights into their problem-solving approach and creativity.

Wrapping up

Incorporating Azure hands-on questions into your hiring process helps you better select candidates who are capable of tackling challenges in a real cloud environment. By evaluating practical skills, you can better predict job success, leading to more effective hiring decisions.

Say goodbye to those Azure multiple choice questions. Embrace the future of hiring with Azure hands-on questions and ensure you stock your team with the best cloud engineering talent. 

Request a demo today to see Azure questions in action.

The post Assess Real Cloud Skills in Real Azure Environments appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

TL;DR

1. AI’s role in the recruitment process today
2. Accedia’s steps to embrace AI and improve transparency and communication with candidates throughout the hiring process
3. Steps taken to prevent AI bias in recruitment while improving candidate experiences with HackerRank
4. Impact of HackerRank solutions on key metrics while balancing AI with a human touch in recruitment
5. Upcoming AI trends which will further elevate the candidate experience

1: How do you define AI’s role in the recruitment process today compared to traditional hiring methods?

AI plays a transformative role in the modern recruitment process, offering clear advantages over traditional hiring methods. In the past, tasks like resume screening, test evaluations, and interview scheduling were labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring significant resources. Today, AI streamlines these repetitive tasks, enabling recruiters to process larger volumes of candidates more efficiently while providing deeper insights into their technical abilities. AI facilitates the automation of nearly every stage of recruitment. Tasks such as sending tests, scheduling meetings, and tracking candidate progress can now be done with just a few clicks after initial setup, significantly reducing administrative burdens. This results in a faster and more comprehensive evaluation process.

AI has introduced new opportunities to improve the efficiency of talent acquisition teams by automating tedious, routine tasks, making recruitment faster and more straightforward. Yet, with these benefits come new challenges, such as concerns about plagiarism, proctoring, the integrity of assessments, and the fairness of AI-driven evaluations. However, despite AI’s efficiency, human judgment remains crucial, particularly when assessing cultural fit and making final hiring decisions.

2: How do you see AI enhancing candidate engagement during the recruitment process?

AI enhances candidate engagement by providing quicker and more consistent communication. Automated updates, faster feedback on assessments, and AI-powered interactions create a smoother and more responsive experience for candidates. This engagement drives candidates to invest more in the process, feeling more involved and informed, thus reducing drop-off rates. Additionally, AI tools enable personalized interactions that guide candidates throughout the process, which improves their overall experience and perception of the company.

3: What steps has Accedia taken to embrace AI in recruitment, and where do you think its applications are limited currently?

Accedia has embraced AI in its recruitment processes by automating various repetitive tasks such as candidate profiling, test evaluations and proctoring which significantly increases efficiency and reduces manual effort.

Using platforms like HackerRank, we can assess candidates objectively and on a much larger scale, allowing us to process applications more quickly and thoroughly. HackerRank’s proctoring features, in particular, help us monitor candidate behavior during assessments, such as detecting tab changes, tracking live code writing, and flagging suspicious activities like plagiarism. This automation allows us to focus on evaluating a higher volume of candidates while maintaining the integrity of the recruitment process.

Additionally, AI tools enable us to gather information from multiple sources, providing a broader perspective that enhances our decision-making. However, despite these advancements, AI remains limited in certain areas. It is highly effective for technical screenings and objective assessments, but evaluating soft skills, cultural fit, and other nuanced human traits still requires personal interaction. Human judgment remains essential in these aspects, as these characteristics often go beyond what AI can assess through data points alone.

While AI has transformed and streamlined many parts of the recruitment process, we still rely on human involvement for final decisions, particularly when it comes to making judgments about a candidate’s overall suitability for our company culture.

4: How can AI improve transparency and communication with candidates throughout the hiring process?

AI can improve transparency by providing consistent and timely updates to candidates, ensuring they are informed at every stage of the hiring process. Automated systems can clarify expectations, such as proctoring rules during tests, and ensure that candidates are aware of how their performance will be evaluated. By standardizing these communications, AI reduces ambiguity and helps build trust between the company and candidates, making the entire process more transparent.

5: What steps do you take to ensure that AI tools do not introduce bias into the recruitment process?

To prevent AI tools from introducing bias into the recruitment process, we implement several measures centered on fairness, transparency, and accuracy. First, we ensure that AI-driven systems apply consistent evaluation criteria, so that all candidates are measured against the same standards, reducing the likelihood of biased outcomes. We also maintain human oversight at key stages of the recruitment process, using AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for recruiters, allowing for a balanced approach that combines automation with human judgment.

Transparency is another essential factor in our process. We make candidates aware of the proctoring measures we have in place from the outset, ensuring they understand the rules and expectations during assessments. This helps create a fair environment where candidates feel comfortable and informed. We don’t rely solely on AI-generated data – after assessments, we cross-check information with multiple sources to ensure fairness and accuracy.

6: How has HackerRank helped you in creating better candidate experiences?

HackerRank has significantly enhanced the candidate experience by streamlining technical assessments and providing faster, more transparent feedback. One of its key features is the automatic evaluation of tests, which not only saves recruiters time but also accelerates the overall hiring process. This rapid feedback reduces the anxiety candidates often feel while waiting for results and helps keep them engaged in the process. Additionally, the platform allows us to customize assessments for specific roles, ensuring candidates face relevant, tailored challenges that make the experience more engaging.

As a result, HackerRank has contributed to shorter time-to-hire, reduced candidate drop-off rates, and increased overall satisfaction throughout the recruitment process.

7: What metrics do you think have been positively impacted with HackerRank-powered solutions?

HackerRank solutions have positively impacted key recruitment metrics such as time-to-hire, candidate engagement, and overall efficiency.

By automating many aspects of the recruitment process, we are able to process a larger volume of applications in less time while maintaining high-quality evaluations. The platform provides valuable insights by tracking candidate performance, identifying skill gaps, and detecting instances of plagiarism, which allows us to make more informed and data-driven hiring decisions.

Additionally, HackerRank offers a comprehensive database of candidate results, enabling us to analyze average performance rates and pinpoint individual strengths and weaknesses in exams.

This helps us continuously refine our recruitment strategies and improve the assessment process. The ability to quickly swap out overused or flagged tasks ensures that evaluations remain fair and up to date, further enhancing recruitment outcomes.

8: How do you balance the automation AI provides with maintaining a human touch in candidate interactions?

We balance the automation that AI provides by reserving it for repetitive, time-consuming tasks, while maintaining personal engagement at critical stages of the hiring process. On the other hand, personal interaction allows us to assess candidates on a deeper level, evaluating cultural fit and soft skills that AI cannot fully capture.

Even though AI is a great relief for everyday tasks, we strive to keep in real touch with candidates in any case. As I already mentioned, we never use the raw information that certain tools have provided. We also rely on personal contact and communication with applicants. This allows us to get to know the candidate personally and make an individual impression of them and their performance throughout the whole interview process. Despite the great number of features and facilities it provides, AI will never replace the 1:1 personal meeting (live or online). 

9: What upcoming AI trends do you believe will further elevate the candidate experience?

Upcoming AI trends are poised to further elevate the candidate experience by enhancing both the evaluation process and the personalization of career guidance. Tools like real-time interview analysis and even AI-driven soft skill assessments will provide deeper insights into a candidate’s overall suitability for a role, moving beyond just technical skills to offer a holistic view. Аdvanced candidate matching algorithms will also refine the selection process, offering candidates more relevant job options that align with their skills and aspirations, ultimately improving job satisfaction and retention.

Additionally, AI is becoming an integral part of communication in the hiring process, and future meetings, interviews, and assessments are likely to be increasingly AI-driven. AI tools may soon be capable of tracking non-verbal cues such as eye movements and gestures during interviews, further enhancing the integrity of the process. While AI’s capabilities in this area are still evolving, it holds significant potential for improving transparency and fairness.

As AI continues to develop, it will also play a larger role in guiding candidates toward personalized career paths based on their profiles and expertise, making the recruitment process more efficient for employers and more relevant and engaging for applicants. However, while AI offers many benefits, it will be essential to strike a balance, ensuring that automation enhances rather than replaces the human touch in candidate interactions.

As AI continues to reshape the recruitment landscape, companies like Accedia are harnessing its potential to enhance candidate experiences, streamline processes, and maintain fairness. While AI automates routine tasks and provides data-driven insights, Plamen Koychev reminds us that the human touch remains essential in making the final call, especially when assessing soft skills and cultural fit. To know more about Accedia and the innovative work being done by them, visit here.

The post AI in Aid of a Better Candidate Journey: Conversation with Accedia’s MD, Plamen Koychev appeared first on HackerRank Blog.

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.