Unlocking Efficiency and Fairness in Engineering Interviews with Hatchways

Are you tired of the traditional engineering interview process that often feels like a performance rather than a reflection of real work? Do you believe that talent should shine through regardless of pedigree, connections, or interview prowess? If so, you're not alone. Enter Hatchways, a Toronto-based startup founded in 2018, on a mission to revolutionize engineering interviews. In this article, we'll dive deep into Hatchways, exploring its origins, founders, and how it's transforming the way companies hire top engineering talent. Let's embark on a journey to discover how Hatchways is making engineering interviewing look more like real work.

Who Are the Visionaries Behind Hatchways?

At the heart of Hatchways are two exceptional individuals: Shums Kassam and Jaclyn Ling.

Shums Kassam, the Co-founder and CTO of Hatchways, brings a wealth of experience to the table. Before co-founding Hatchways, he served as the Co-founder and CTO of Blynk, which was eventually acquired by Kik. With an educational background in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto, Shums is well-versed in the world of technology.

Jaclyn Ling, the Co-founder of Hatchways, is a product and sales guru. She's no stranger to startup success, having previously co-founded Blynk, which was also acquired by Kik. Jaclyn focuses her energy on crafting products that not only work efficiently but also sell effectively.

These two dynamic individuals share a personal struggle that many can relate to - the challenges of traditional interviews. They've been open about their difficulties in "performing" on the spot, and this struggle has fueled Hatchways' mission.

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What Drives Hatchways?

The core motivation behind Hatchways is to address the inherent biases and inefficiencies in the hiring processes prevalent in the tech industry. As Shums Kassam eloquently puts it, "Mainstream hiring processes are biased towards those who went to great schools, had high GPAs, are native-English speaking, have worked at brand name companies, are extroverts and great networkers, etc. But there are so many talented people who don't fit that profile. We're excited to work on ways of hiring that give them a better chance."

Hatchways acknowledges that the challenge lies in convincing companies to improve their hiring processes. Companies often hesitate to change unless it saves them time or money. This is where Hatchways steps in, with a mission to make talent discovery efficient yet fair.

How Does Hatchways Make Engineering Interviews Look More Like Real Work?

Hatchways has launched a platform that acts as a catalyst for change in the engineering interview landscape. It does this by offering a solution to the age-old problem of inefficient interviewing.

The Problem: Inefficient Interviewing

Many companies struggle with inefficient interviewing. This means they spend too much time on interviews but don't necessarily get quality signal from candidates. Traditional interview approaches often lead to:

Inaccurate Signal: Mimicking the practices of tech giants like FAANG (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google) can result in inaccurate hiring signals.

Wasted Engineering Hours: Creating a unique interview process can be time-consuming, and when many companies follow the same approach, it leads to wasted engineering hours.

Competition for Talent: An inefficient process increases competition for the same talent pool, making it challenging to secure top engineering talent.

The Solution: Design a Purposeful Interview Experience

Hatchways provides a solution that helps companies develop an effective interview process that addresses these challenges head-on. Here's how it works:

Adopt Best Practices from Leading Tech Companies

Hatchways has distilled best practices from tech industry leaders like Dropbox, Plaid, and Airtable. This includes crafting rubrics, enhancing the candidate experience, and setting pass-through rates. These practices are then customized to your company's specific needs and roles.

Custom Rubrics and Tailored Interview Questions

One of the key features offered by Hatchways is the ability to introduce interviewing rubrics early in the process. This prevents standardization and bias issues, resulting in more consistent hiring outcomes. Hatchways assists in identifying crucial skills and transforming them into grading rubrics to shape the perfect interview question.

Streamline Grading and Optimize Calibration

Hatchways makes grading and calibration effortless. You can use their automation features to build test cases or leverage their human-assisted reviewers to reduce the engineering review load. Drawing from the best practices of leading technical teams, they establish a starting benchmark and optimize your on-site pass-through rates over time.

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Use Cases and Target Audience

Use Cases

Hatchways caters to a variety of use cases within the realm of engineering hiring:

Pre-screen Technical Assessment

Hatchways can serve as a resume replacement by providing a comprehensive technical assessment. This ensures that candidates are evaluated based on their skills rather than just their credentials on paper.

Technical Phone-Screen Step

For companies conducting live coding sessions as part of their interview process, Hatchways offers an alternative. It allows for a 60-90 minute live coding replacement, reducing the stress and anxiety typically associated with such interviews.

University/Intern Recruiting

In scenarios where high-volume vetting is required, such as university and intern recruiting, Hatchways can be a game-changer. It streamlines the evaluation process, making it efficient and effective.

Who is This For?

Hatchways is tailored for two primary categories of users:

Companies Scaling Engineering Hiring

If your company is growing and you're looking to scale your engineering team, Hatchways can significantly reduce the interviewer load, making the expansion smoother and more efficient.

Companies Aiming for Standardization

For organizations aiming to introduce greater standardization in their interview process, Hatchways provides the tools and practices necessary to achieve this goal. This results in a more consistent and fair hiring process.

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Conclusion: Elevating Engineering Interviews with Hatchways

In a world where talent is abundant but often obscured by traditional biases and inefficient hiring processes, Hatchways emerges as a beacon of hope. Founded in 2018 by Shums Kassam and Jaclyn Ling, this Toronto-based startup is on a mission to make engineering interviewing look more like real work.

Hatchways addresses the problems of inefficient interviewing head-on, offering a solution that not only saves time for engineers but also ensures a positive candidate experience. By adopting best practices from industry leaders, introducing custom rubrics, and streamlining grading, Hatchways transforms the way companies hire engineering talent.

Whether you're a company looking to scale your engineering team or one aiming to standardize your interview process, Hatchways has the tools and expertise to help you achieve your goals. With Hatchways, it's not just about finding the right talent; it's about finding the right talent efficiently and fairly.

So, are you ready to unlock efficiency and fairness in your engineering interviews? Hatchways is here to guide you on that transformative journey.