Karat blog

While many companies use automated coding tests as the first step of their software engineering interview, recent developments in generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) will challenge this entire system. On November 30, 2022, OpenAI released a research version of their new AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT. This chatbot has the ability not only to answer users’ questions but […]

2022 represented a shift in the tech hiring landscape. Tech layoffs and hiring freezes produced an influx of high-performing software developers on the market. Talented engineers started to prioritize the security of larger enterprises over the hypergrowth segments, driving up close rates in industries like financial services, insurance, and telecom. And despite high-profile return-to-office mandates, […]

As we round out 2022, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the state of the tech industry and hiring landscape. The second half of the year has been tough for the tech industry, due to increasing layoffs and broader economic concerns. However, I see signs of hope. There are many positive trends that […]

It’s 2022, you’re a software engineer, and you’re looking for technical work. If this describes you, you’re not alone. The good news is that openings in tech still exist. However, there’s one big step between today’s you and the you who is building interesting things and getting paid for it: you need to get hired […]

The Karat team traveled to Austin, Texas last week to attend the first AfroTech conference since the pandemic, following two years of virtual events. The conference, hosted by Blavity, Inc, is one of the largest Black professional tech conferences. Over 15,000 Black professionals gathered for five days, to learn, network and discover their next tech […]

It has been a tough few weeks for tech workers, with waves of layoffs rippling across the industry. Thousands of newly unemployed people and their families are struggling to figure out what’s next. But there is reason for hope. Tech talent is still—and will continue to be—the backbone of the economy. And while some big-name […]

When we launched Brilliant Black Minds, we knew we were onto something big. The tech industry is our generation’s greatest driver of wealth, but less than five percent of software engineers are Black. We committed to changing that through Brilliant Black Minds – our movement to double the number of Black engineers – where we […]

“We want to build products for the communities we want to serve.” -Serena Williams at TechCrunch Disrupt. It’s been a welcome return to in-person event season this fall, and naturally, Serena Williams, Karat’s champion of brilliance, didn’t disappoint in her first keynote appearance since retiring from tennis. At TechCrunch Disrupt, Serena shared insights on her […]

Each fall, university recruiting (UR) season kicks off — and with it, the race to hire top talent. The labor market has been tight throughout 2022, and many companies are feeling the pressure to attract a diverse pool of promising candidates. Filling software engineering and development roles can be particularly challenging, so it’s important to […]