Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2024)

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Focus on technical roles

  • Participants note that almost all posts in the thread are for engineering roles.
  • Explanations given:
    • HN’s audience is overwhelmingly technical.
    • The separate HN Jobs site is for YC companies and can include more nontechnical roles; the Ask HN thread is used mostly by companies recruiting engineers specifically from HN.

Screening methods: videos, cover letters, challenges

  • One healthcare AI startup’s requirement for an application video draws criticism:
    • Concerns it’s demeaning (“begging for a job”) and facilitates discrimination.
    • A few people point out possible legal and equity issues.
  • The company responds:
    • Says the idea was inspired by YC’s application video.
    • Claims it’s meant to assess clarity of communication, not to select by appearance.
    • Clarifies there is no technical challenge required before an interview.
  • Another commenter suggests reducing bias by:
    • Asking applicants not to show their face.
    • Potentially using TTS for audio, while acknowledging practical issues.
  • Some posters criticize “leetcode-style” and puzzle-heavy screens; others praise companies that design more realistic, project-like hiring processes.

Location, remote work, and legal limitations

  • Multiple posts advertise “remote” but restrict to certain countries, time zones, or states.
  • Several readers complain when:
    • Geographic limits (e.g., US-only, EU-only, or exclusion of specific US states) are not clearly stated in the initial post and only appear deep in applications.
    • Companies present themselves as “all remote” or “worldwide,” but list a narrow set of allowed countries.
  • Some companies clarify they can sponsor visas or hire from specific regions if asked; others explicitly cannot.

Contracting, compensation transparency, and process clarity

  • A Python consultancy explains:
    • They use B2B/contractor arrangements with hourly billing reconciled monthly.
    • No health insurance is offered; pay is adjusted via hourly rates.
  • Multiple users praise detailed, transparent career pages (especially for explaining structure and culture).
  • Others criticize:
    • Very long application forms and unspecified salary ranges.
    • Being quickly rejected after putting real effort into applications.
  • A few founders engage in the thread to correct mistakes (e.g., incorrect non-hiring states) and to explain funding vs. salary trade-offs at early-stage startups.

Aesthetic and UX feedback on company sites

  • Some job posts generate side discussions on website design and UX:
    • Several career sites and “terminal-like” pages receive strong positive feedback.
    • Others are criticized for layout bugs, intrusive cookie banners, or confusing branding (e.g., background color making the company name partially unreadable).