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Tips to Identify and Remove Unintended Bias In the Assessment Process

Tips to Identify and Remove Unintended Bias In the Assessment Process

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Kumari Trishya
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February 18, 2022
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5 min read
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If you are reading this article, you are probably looking to make your tech recruitment process more equitable and fair. Over the years, several developers have called out the unintended bias involved in the coding assessment process. It’s hard to accept the reality of inherent biases because it always exists unconsciously in the form of racism, ageism, and sexism.Sometimes, recruiters obscure the fact that they are prejudiced in their assessment practices. A lot of the time, these biases stem from a lack of awareness and can be stemmed easily. Here are a few tips that can help you, and your managers, conduct a bias-free assessment the next time.

How To Avoid Bias In Tech Assessments

Awareness of what's happening is crucial

The vital step to solve any issue is to know what's happening in the first place. The same applies to a biased assessment process. Try to analyze the assessment in detail by discussing it with your team. Understand how the assessment is prepared, starting with how it is conducted, and how the test results are evaluated. Look for signs of bias in each of these steps.Once you identify the root cause, see if you can conduct awareness campaigns in your company to help your staff learn more about unconscious bias in the assessment process. This will go a long way in establishing transparency in your team and motivate them to take corrective steps collectively.
Recommended read: Recruiters Vs Bias – Who’s Winning This War?

Keep an eye on the job descriptions

Job descriptions play an essential role in any assessment process irrespective of the domain. It is important to keep a close eye on them to nip bias in the bud. The job description should never be inclined towards a particular gender, race, or orientation. It should always be gender-neutral and promote a sense of inclusiveness and inclusivity.Moreover, if your job description looks like a laundry list of must-haves, then you stand to scare away a big chunk of interested candidates. This too is a manifestation of bias where recruiters think an ideal candidate is someone who checks an exhaustive list of boxes. There needs to be a clear demarcation between must-have skills, and good-to-have skills in the job description so that it allows room for a diverse set of developers to apply for the role.
Recommended read: A Checklist For Writing Job Postings That Actually Work
How To Avoid Bias In Tech Assessments

Conduct mock interviews

While there is no exact structured method to eliminate bias in the assessment process, mock interview ‘drills’ can be helpful. Biases often creep in because of stereotypes and short-sighted perspectives. As a manager, you can conduct mock interviews for your recruiters and take them through the motions of potential employees for a given role. If they are hiring more candidates of the same gender, race, or ethnicity, there could be a high chance that the assessment process at your organization is biased. Understanding how certain stereotypes can influence your team’s decisions can help you find the best measures to weed them out.

Make skill tests a must

Skill tests can be a great way to uncover biased assessment processes. Shortlist potential candidates and direct your team to send a skill test to candidates before hiring them. This helps assess the expertise of the interviewees. Ensure that the questions sent out are spontaneous or digitally generated to avoid potential malpractice.

Pay attention to ‘how’ you ask your questions

Pay attention to what your recruiters ask a candidate during the assessment process as these questions could trigger the candidate. For instance, the interviewer might decide to break the ice with a joke, which they find amusing. The candidate may find it off-color and racial. Comments about a candidate’s caste, sex, race, or color should not feature in any interviews. If a candidate has listed their preferred pronouns, then be considerate enough to address them in their chosen manner.While it is hard to always be politically correct, there can be directives laid out to ensure boundaries are not crossed.

The first impression can be the best impression, but not always

The first impression is always the best impression but it might not be true when hiring a candidate from an underprivileged background. An interviewer can be too quick to judge an interviewee based on a single interaction, without checking for a skill fit.As a manager, if you feel a recruiter is too quick to reject a candidate, you can always object and conduct another round of interviews.

Weigh the eligibility criteria

Unconscious bias in assessments makes recruiters choose a candidate based on a single quality while ignoring several other factors. For instance, a recruiter might choose a candidate just because they had a pleasant conversation with them over the phone. In such scenarios, communication skills overshadow other qualifications like the technical skill set that is expected, knowledge of programming languages, diligence, and discipline.This is where it is hard to notice one's own bias in the assessment process. The best way to avoid it is to let your recruiters be accountable for a weighted evaluation of the candidates, where equal importance is given to every aspect mentioned in the job description.

Equality is important

Always provide equal hiring opportunities across genders. Never decide the wage based on gender; conduct negotiations based on a candidate’s previous experience and last drawn salary. Remuneration can often be a point of contention in the workforce, so show your employees that you value them by being non-judgemental and fair when talking about money. This encourages them to perform at their best.Now that you know about the root causes of bias in the assessment process and the countermeasures you can take to eliminate them, let’s get to how HackerEarth can help you conduct unbiased assessments.

Here Is How You Can Conduct Fair Assessment Tests With HackerEarth

HackerEarth is an online platform that offers tools for remote hiring, onboarding, upskilling and engaging developers. With our platform's help, several companies have built advanced technical teams that empowered them to win accolades and respect in the IT industry.What makes HackerEarth different?
  • FaceCode platform to conduct real-time technical assessments
  • Comprehensive, convenient, and easy to deploy test framework
  • 24*7 customer care support to answer all your queries
  • Unique assessments for university or remote hiring
Here Is How You Can Conduct Fair Assessment Tests With HackerEarthWith HackerEarth, you can -

Attract potential employees

The platform has an innovative assessment process and conducts various coding tests to attract potential talent and reward them. Many skilled coders and developers enroll in these tests and get rewarded. On HackerEarth, the more rewards a candidate earns from the platform, the higher their coding caliber. This provides companies with an easy way to hire the best talent.

Conduct screening tests and real-time coding interviews

Choose us as your assessment process partner and get instant access to thousands of technical assignments that can help you evaluate developers using advanced coding assessments. We conduct virtual coding interviews for candidates with the help of our unique real-time code editor. This can help you test the candidates' spontaneity and problem-solving skills.

Upskill your employees

When you choose us as your assessment partner, you will get to conduct timely assessment tests right after an employee joins your company. This can help leverage the technical skills of your employees faster as it speeds up onboarding them to new projects.

Engage with developers

We set the proper engagement path to entice tech talent globally using innovative assessment tests that are based on deep industry knowledge and experience.For more details on HackerEarth, get in touch with us. We are just a call, text, or mail away. Hope this blog has helped you to learn everything you need to eliminate bias during the assessment process. Stay tuned for our next blog.

Until then, Happy Coding!

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Author
Kumari Trishya
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February 18, 2022
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5 min read
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Vibe Coding: Shaping the Future of Software

A New Era of CodeVibe coding is a new method of using natural language prompts and AI tools to generate code. I have seen firsthand that this change makes software more accessible to everyone. In the past, being able to produce functional code was a strong advantage for developers. Today,...

A New Era of Code

Vibe coding is a new method of using natural language prompts and AI tools to generate code. I have seen firsthand that this change makes software more accessible to everyone. In the past, being able to produce functional code was a strong advantage for developers. Today, when code is produced quickly through AI, the true value lies in designing, refining, and optimizing systems. Our role now goes beyond writing code; we must also ensure that our systems remain efficient and reliable.

From Machine Language to Natural Language

I recall the early days when every line of code was written manually. We progressed from machine language to high-level programming, and now we are beginning to interact with our tools using natural language. This development does not only increase speed but also changes how we approach problem solving. Product managers can now create working demos in hours instead of weeks, and founders have a clearer way of pitching their ideas with functional prototypes. It is important for us to rethink our role as developers and focus on architecture and system design rather than simply on typing c

The Promise and the Pitfalls

I have experienced both sides of vibe coding. In cases where the goal was to build a quick prototype or a simple internal tool, AI-generated code provided impressive results. Teams have been able to test new ideas and validate concepts much faster. However, when it comes to more complex systems that require careful planning and attention to detail, the output from AI can be problematic. I have seen situations where AI produces large volumes of code that become difficult to manage without significant human intervention.

AI-powered coding tools like GitHub Copilot and AWS’s Q Developer have demonstrated significant productivity gains. For instance, at the National Australia Bank, it’s reported that half of the production code is generated by Q Developer, allowing developers to focus on higher-level problem-solving . Similarly, platforms like Lovable enable non-coders to build viable tech businesses using natural language prompts, contributing to a shift where AI-generated code reduces the need for large engineering teams. However, there are challenges. AI-generated code can sometimes be verbose or lack the architectural discipline required for complex systems. While AI can rapidly produce prototypes or simple utilities, building large-scale systems still necessitates experienced engineers to refine and optimize the code.​

The Economic Impact

The democratization of code generation is altering the economic landscape of software development. As AI tools become more prevalent, the value of average coding skills may diminish, potentially affecting salaries for entry-level positions. Conversely, developers who excel in system design, architecture, and optimization are likely to see increased demand and compensation.​
Seizing the Opportunity

Vibe coding is most beneficial in areas such as rapid prototyping and building simple applications or internal tools. It frees up valuable time that we can then invest in higher-level tasks such as system architecture, security, and user experience. When used in the right context, AI becomes a helpful partner that accelerates the development process without replacing the need for skilled engineers.

This is revolutionizing our craft, much like the shift from machine language to assembly to high-level languages did in the past. AI can churn out code at lightning speed, but remember, “Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.” Use AI for rapid prototyping, but it’s your expertise that transforms raw output into robust, scalable software. By honing our skills in design and architecture, we ensure our work remains impactful and enduring. Let’s continue to learn, adapt, and build software that stands the test of time.​

Ready to streamline your recruitment process? Get a free demo to explore cutting-edge solutions and resources for your hiring needs.

Guide to Conducting Successful System Design Interviews in 2025

What is Systems Design?Systems Design is an all encompassing term which encapsulates both frontend and backend components harmonized to define the overall architecture of a product.Designing robust and scalable systems requires a deep understanding of application, architecture and their underlying components like networks, data, interfaces and modules.Systems Design, in its...

What is Systems Design?

Systems Design is an all encompassing term which encapsulates both frontend and backend components harmonized to define the overall architecture of a product.

Designing robust and scalable systems requires a deep understanding of application, architecture and their underlying components like networks, data, interfaces and modules.

Systems Design, in its essence, is a blueprint of how software and applications should work to meet specific goals. The multi-dimensional nature of this discipline makes it open-ended – as there is no single one-size-fits-all solution to a system design problem.

What is a System Design Interview?

Conducting a System Design interview requires recruiters to take an unconventional approach and look beyond right or wrong answers. Recruiters should aim for evaluating a candidate’s ‘systemic thinking’ skills across three key aspects:

How they navigate technical complexity and navigate uncertainty
How they meet expectations of scale, security and speed
How they focus on the bigger picture without losing sight of details

This assessment of the end-to-end thought process and a holistic approach to problem-solving is what the interview should focus on.

What are some common topics for a System Design Interview

System design interview questions are free-form and exploratory in nature where there is no right or best answer to a specific problem statement. Here are some common questions:

How would you approach the design of a social media app or video app?

What are some ways to design a search engine or a ticketing system?

How would you design an API for a payment gateway?

What are some trade-offs and constraints you will consider while designing systems?

What is your rationale for taking a particular approach to problem solving?

Usually, interviewers base the questions depending on the organization, its goals, key competitors and a candidate’s experience level.

For senior roles, the questions tend to focus on assessing the computational thinking, decision making and reasoning ability of a candidate. For entry level job interviews, the questions are designed to test the hard skills required for building a system architecture.

The Difference between a System Design Interview and a Coding Interview

If a coding interview is like a map that takes you from point A to Z – a systems design interview is like a compass which gives you a sense of the right direction.

Here are three key difference between the two:

Coding challenges follow a linear interviewing experience i.e. candidates are given a problem and interaction with recruiters is limited. System design interviews are more lateral and conversational, requiring active participation from interviewers.

Coding interviews or challenges focus on evaluating the technical acumen of a candidate whereas systems design interviews are oriented to assess problem solving and interpersonal skills.

Coding interviews are based on a right/wrong approach with ideal answers to problem statements while a systems design interview focuses on assessing the thought process and the ability to reason from first principles.

How to Conduct an Effective System Design Interview

One common mistake recruiters make is that they approach a system design interview with the expectations and preparation of a typical coding interview.
Here is a four step framework technical recruiters can follow to ensure a seamless and productive interview experience:

Step 1: Understand the subject at hand

  • Develop an understanding of basics of system design and architecture
  • Familiarize yourself with commonly asked systems design interview questions
  • Read about system design case studies for popular applications
  • Structure the questions and problems by increasing magnitude of difficulty

Step 2: Prepare for the interview

  • Plan the extent of the topics and scope of discussion in advance
  • Clearly define the evaluation criteria and communicate expectations
  • Quantify constraints, inputs, boundaries and assumptions
  • Establish the broader context and a detailed scope of the exercise

Step 3: Stay actively involved

  • Ask follow-up questions to challenge a solution
  • Probe candidates to gauge real-time logical reasoning skills
  • Make it a conversation and take notes of important pointers and outcomes
  • Guide candidates with hints and suggestions to steer them in the right direction

Step 4: Be a collaborator

  • Encourage candidates to explore and consider alternative solutions
  • Work with the candidate to drill the problem into smaller tasks
  • Provide context and supporting details to help candidates stay on track
  • Ask follow-up questions to learn about the candidate’s experience

Technical recruiters and hiring managers should aim for providing an environment of positive reinforcement, actionable feedback and encouragement to candidates.

Evaluation Rubric for Candidates

Facilitate Successful System Design Interview Experiences with FaceCode

FaceCode, HackerEarth’s intuitive and secure platform, empowers recruiters to conduct system design interviews in a live coding environment with HD video chat.

FaceCode comes with an interactive diagram board which makes it easier for interviewers to assess the design thinking skills and conduct communication assessments using a built-in library of diagram based questions.

With FaceCode, you can combine your feedback points with AI-powered insights to generate accurate, data-driven assessment reports in a breeze. Plus, you can access interview recordings and transcripts anytime to recall and trace back the interview experience.

Learn how FaceCode can help you conduct system design interviews and boost your hiring efficiency.

How Candidates Use Technology to Cheat in Online Technical Assessments

Impact of Online Assessments in Technical Hiring In a digitally-native hiring landscape, online assessments have proven to be both a boon and a bane for recruiters and employers. The ease and...

Impact of Online Assessments in Technical Hiring


In a digitally-native hiring landscape, online assessments have proven to be both a boon and a bane for recruiters and employers.

The ease and efficiency of virtual interviews, take home programming tests and remote coding challenges is transformative. Around 82% of companies use pre-employment assessments as reliable indicators of a candidate's skills and potential.

Online skill assessment tests have been proven to streamline technical hiring and enable recruiters to significantly reduce the time and cost to identify and hire top talent.

In the realm of online assessments, remote assessments have transformed the hiring landscape, boosting the speed and efficiency of screening and evaluating talent. On the flip side, candidates have learned how to use creative methods and AI tools to cheat in tests.

As it turns out, technology that makes hiring easier for recruiters and managers - is also their Achilles' heel.

Cheating in Online Assessments is a High Stakes Problem



With the proliferation of AI in recruitment, the conversation around cheating has come to the forefront, putting recruiters and hiring managers in a bit of a flux.



According to research, nearly 30 to 50 percent of candidates cheat in online assessments for entry level jobs. Even 10% of senior candidates have been reportedly caught cheating.

The problem becomes twofold - if finding the right talent can be a competitive advantage, the consequences of hiring the wrong one can be equally damaging and counter-productive.

As per Forbes, a wrong hire can cost a company around 30% of an employee's salary - not to mention, loss of precious productive hours and morale disruption.

The question that arises is - "Can organizations continue to leverage AI-driven tools for online assessments without compromising on the integrity of their hiring process? "

This article will discuss the common methods candidates use to outsmart online assessments. We will also dive deep into actionable steps that you can take to prevent cheating while delivering a positive candidate experience.

Common Cheating Tactics and How You Can Combat Them


  1. Using ChatGPT and other AI tools to write code

    Copy-pasting code using AI-based platforms and online code generators is one of common cheat codes in candidates' books. For tackling technical assessments, candidates conveniently use readily available tools like ChatGPT and GitHub. Using these tools, candidates can easily generate solutions to solve common programming challenges such as:
    • Debugging code
    • Optimizing existing code
    • Writing problem-specific code from scratch
    Ways to prevent it
    • Enable full-screen mode
    • Disable copy-and-paste functionality
    • Restrict tab switching outside of code editors
    • Use AI to detect code that has been copied and pasted
  2. Enlist external help to complete the assessment


    Candidates often seek out someone else to take the assessment on their behalf. In many cases, they also use screen sharing and remote collaboration tools for real-time assistance.

    In extreme cases, some candidates might have an off-camera individual present in the same environment for help.

    Ways to prevent it
    • Verify a candidate using video authentication
    • Restrict test access from specific IP addresses
    • Use online proctoring by taking snapshots of the candidate periodically
    • Use a 360 degree environment scan to ensure no unauthorized individual is present
  3. Using multiple devices at the same time


    Candidates attempting to cheat often rely on secondary devices such as a computer, tablet, notebook or a mobile phone hidden from the line of sight of their webcam.

    By using multiple devices, candidates can look up information, search for solutions or simply augment their answers.

    Ways to prevent it
    • Track mouse exit count to detect irregularities
    • Detect when a new device or peripheral is connected
    • Use network monitoring and scanning to detect any smart devices in proximity
    • Conduct a virtual whiteboard interview to monitor movements and gestures
  4. Using remote desktop software and virtual machines


    Tech-savvy candidates go to great lengths to cheat. Using virtual machines, candidates can search for answers using a secondary OS while their primary OS is being monitored.

    Remote desktop software is another cheating technique which lets candidates give access to a third-person, allowing them to control their device.

    With remote desktops, candidates can screen share the test window and use external help.

    Ways to prevent it
    • Restrict access to virtual machines
    • AI-based proctoring for identifying malicious keystrokes
    • Use smart browsers to block candidates from using VMs

Future-proof Your Online Assessments With HackerEarth

HackerEarth's AI-powered online proctoring solution is a tested and proven way to outsmart cheating and take preventive measures at the right stage. With HackerEarth's Smart Browser, recruiters can mitigate the threat of cheating and ensure their online assessments are accurate and trustworthy.
  • Secure, sealed-off testing environment
  • AI-enabled live test monitoring
  • Enterprise-grade, industry leading compliance
  • Built-in features to track, detect and flag cheating attempts
Boost your hiring efficiency and conduct reliable online assessments confidently with HackerEarth's revolutionary Smart Browser.
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