Our Philosophy
- Values-first hiring: Technical skills matter, but cultural fit and behavioral alignment are equally important
- Practical assessment: Real code contributions tell us more than whiteboard exercises
- AI-friendly: We encourage and expect candidates to use AI tools effectively
The Process
1. Introduction Call (30 minutes)
Who: Birk Purpose:- Get to know the candidate & Polar
- Explain our process and company culture
- Answer initial questions
2. Technical Assignment
Format: Review and analysis of a pull request Duration: Candidate’s choice (~ 1-2 hours)3. Assignment Review & Technical Discussion (1 hour)
Who: Engineering team member Purpose:- Review the technical assignment and discuss technical decisions and trade-offs
- Understand how the candidate navigates and reasons about a large and complex code base
- Evaluate critical thinking and approach to solving complex problems
- Explore how the candidate would improve or extend their solution
- Assess written communication skills and remote collaboration skills
4. Team Conversations (30 min)
Purpose: 2-3 video calls where you get the chance to meet future team members and we get to know you better.5. Offer
6. Reference Calls
Format: Brief conversations with previous colleagues/managersFor Candidates
What to Expect
- Respectful, efficient process with clear communication about next steps
- Feedback on your technical assignment
- Opportunities to ask questions at every stage and learn more about Polar
How to Succeed
- Take time to understand Polar and the codebase before jumping in
- Write clean, well-commented code
- Use AI tools effectively (we want to see this!)
- Ask clarifying questions
- Be authentic about your experience and interests
Continuous Improvement
We regularly review our process based on:- Candidate feedback
- Hiring outcomes
- Team input
- Industry best practices