Mike Adams Live: Udacity Android nanodegrees leading to quicker hiring in India

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Udacity Android nanodegrees leading to quicker hiring in India

India's leading online retailer Flipkart has teamed up with online learning company Udacity to reach out to young and budding Android developers. The retailer will hire top-performing Udacity Nanodegree graduates without requiring face-to-face interviews or even a formal job application. Not relying on said processes and instead analyzing performance is hoped to put Flipkart at the front of the line when it comes to hiring new talent.

For enthusiast Android developers, it means more potential doors are easily available for those who have the necessary skills, without having to battle through interview and job application processes. Three developers have already joined Flipkart's mobile development team as a result of this new initiative, and are now actively working from the online retailer's Bengaluru HQ.

Peeyush Ranjan, Chief Technology Officer at Flipkart, commented on the partnership:

"The kind of disruptive work that we do at Flipkart demands a world-class talent pool and we are constantly on the look-out for experts who can solve the problems of Indian consumers. The conventional hiring process often comes down to the performance of the candidate on that specific day, which may not be a true reflection of their skills and temperament. This is where a partner like Udacity comes into the picture. We met them a few months ago with our case and wanted to try out this new space. The shortlisted profiles provided by them and the in-depth data we received were very helpful and allowed us to assess the candidate's competencies in a much better way. We really look forward to this association of tapping in some quality talent from their pool."

In a highly competitive market that is mobile app development, it's great to see companies looking at new ways to attract younger and less experienced developers to get them started on their career journey.

Flipkart Partners with Udacity for "Interviewless Hiring"

E-Commerce Giant Hires Udacity Graduates Based on Nanodegree Projects

Bengaluru, India and Mountain View, Calif., USA, January 28, 2016: Flipkart, India's largest online marketplace, in partnership with Udacity, a leading online learning company, has launched an initiative to hire high-performing Udacity Nanodegree graduates without requiring an in-person interview or formal job application. The innovative move, a rethinking of the technology industry's traditional hiring methods based predominantly on personal interviews and referrals, shortens the hiring process and gives Flipkart an edge in the competitive hunt for talent. The initiative also showcases how forward-thinking companies like Flipkart are increasingly opening opportunities to job candidates who have built expertise through leading online education platforms like Udacity.

Instead of relying on in-person interviews or group exercises, Flipkart evaluates Udacity students and extends job offers based on their Nanodegree projects and Udacity profiles. Three Android Developer Nanodegree graduates have already joined Flipkart's mobile development team as a result of this initiative, each moving from New Delhi to work in Flipkart's Bengaluru headquarters. Flipkart and Udacity expect more hires from India and abroad to follow soon.

Commenting on this association, Peeyush Ranjan, Chief Technology Officer, Flipkart, said, "The kind of disruptive work that we do at Flipkart demands a world-class talent pool and we are constantly on the look-out for experts who can solve the problems of Indian consumers. The conventional hiring process often comes down to the performance of the candidate on that specific day, which may not be a true reflection of their skills and temperament. This is where a partner like Udacity comes into the picture. We met them a few months ago with our case and wanted to try out this new space. The shortlisted profiles provided by them and the in-depth data we received were very helpful and allowed us to assess the candidate's competencies in a much better way. We really look forward to this association of tapping in some quality talent from their pool."

"Flipkart is one of the most innovative companies in the way they approach the market," said Sebastian Thrun, co-founder and CEO of Udacity. "Our goal is to have our Nanodegree graduates be in demand for the jobs of today like mobile, data analyst, web development and machine learning among others. We are thrilled to work with Flipkart on this program and look forward to deepening our collaboration."

India's mobile economy is rapidly growing with talented developers in short supply. Today, the country has between 50,000 to 70,000 developers and is expected to need 20 million by the year 2020 (Internet & Mobile Association of India). Android is the fastest growing mobile platform with companies battling to hire talented developers who are up-to-date on the latest Android technology and bring a fresh perspective to the product.