Why HackerRank’s CEO thinks companies have got tech hiring all wrong

HackerRank CEO and cofounder Vivek Ravisankar spoke at Theatre N in downtown Wilmington at an event hosted by Zip Code Wilmington in January. We were there.
“I don’t have anything against universities, but I hope that when HackerRank succeeds … people should feel no point in attending universities. What’s the point of spending like $100,000, spending four years and finally getting a job at JP Morgan Chase when you can spend six months or three months at HackerRank, get a credential and join JP Morgan Chase?” he said to the crowd of mostly Zip Code students back then.
We caught up with Ravisankar as he offered some commentary on HackerRank’s goal to standardize tech skill credentialing as well as the way employers and candidates are finding one another. This especially applies to students and grads from college-disrupting schools like Zip Code. The school says it currently has a 93 percent placement rate within the first three months of graduation.

@zipcodewilm has a high 93% placement rate within 3 months of students graduating. IMPRESSIVE! Watch full > https://t.co/P4AY1uPlEk pic.twitter.com/bN0Nrt7RHC

— TD Bank News (@TDNews_US) March 14, 2017

“The tech talent shortage is an issue no company can ignore,” Ravisankar explained. “By 2018 there will be 5.3 million open tech jobs in the US, with only 4.5 million developers to fill them.”
The HackerRank CEO thinks that this huge difference isn’t from a lack of talent, “rather, it’s that companies are still using traditional recruiting tactics that systematically overlooks great talent.”
“Businesses are all hiring from the same places and using legacy recruiting tools like the resume and LinkedIn, which prioritize pedigree, experience, location, and connections. This process is wrought with bias and overlooks a massive pool of talented, diverse and passionate candidates worldwide.”
HackerRank, per Ravisankar, wants companies looking at candidates with a focus on skill above all else, including just the standard resume. “Our belief is that the future of recruiting will not involve a resume at all,” he offered. HackerRank wants candidates showing off their skills through coding challenges, “and companies can evaluate these candidates based on their scores — no resumes involved.”
Ravisankar says that some of their customers are already cutting the resume from their recruiting process, “focusing solely on a candidate’s skillset to see if they are right for the job.”
(Looking for a job? Attend our NET/WORK tech jobs fair on March 30 at 1313 Innovation.)