Vivek Ravisankar

Vivek Ravisankar describes how HackerRank helps companies assess developers by demonstrated skills and helps developers practice and find jobs. He recounts early business pivots, from paid mock interviews and graduate-school application advice to a company-focused hiring platform, and shares lessons about focus and finding paying customers. Drawing on HackerRank’s survey of 40,000 developers, he discusses self-directed learning, hiring signals, work-life balance, and how startups can hire beyond traditional credentials. He also argues that hiring should assess problem-solving, relevant technical depth, communication, and a candidate’s understanding of the business.