Mercor, $10B AI hiring startup, shifts to interviews emphasizing judgment
Mercor, a $10 billion AI hiring startup, is switching up its interview game.
Instead of take-home assignments that AI can easily solve, they're now using whiteboard interviews and real conversations to see how candidates think and design systems.
Osvald Nitski, head of product at Mercor, shared on the 20VC podcast that the focus is on human judgment and understanding, not just tech skills.
Whiteboard interviews reveal candidate reasoning
Whiteboard interviews are popular at big tech companies like Google and Meta. They let candidates show off their problem-solving process live, which helps Mercor spot critical thinking and solid decision-making.
Nitski explained they still care about knowing AI tools but really value good judgment and smart system design: "We care a lot about...having good judgment, and then systems design as well."
Mercor's shift addresses AI reliance concerns
While many startups rely more on AI-driven hiring tests, Mercor's approach aims to spotlight genuine human expertise over automated answers.
This shift addresses worries about depending too much on AI for evaluating talent, Mercor wants to keep things personal and real.