> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://handbook.polar.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Recruitment Process

> Our engineering recruitment process and philosophy

Our recruitment process is designed to identify engineers who align with our values. We believe in practical assessment over theoretical interviews.

## 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/managers

## For 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

The goal is to keep evolving while maintaining our core principles of practical assessment and values alignment.