Degrees of Innovation: HackerOne’s Next Step in Inclusive Hiring

To reflect this, we're changing our hiring practices – we no longer require a bachelor's degree on most job descriptions. Instead, we're focusing on a skill-based hiring experience.

Why are we doing this?

We are increasingly focused on building an internal team that reflects all aspects of our community. Hackers are a significant reason we initiated this change in our requirements. They are among the best in the world and come from varying levels of formal education. The hacker community proves that independent studies and development can impact organizational success while changing the world. 

Diversity Matters

Diversity is a key driver of innovation and a primary motivation behind this decision. We want a team with varied backgrounds to tackle problems from different angles. By reserving the degree requirement for specialized roles, like legal, we encourage and attract applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Inclusivity

Talent knows no boundaries and should not limit our talent pool to those with a degree. Focusing on experience opens doors for people who may not have a bachelor’s degree but possess remarkable skills.

"Sometimes I get hung up on the fact that I never really pursued my education. But then, I remind myself that even though it wasn’t the traditional path, I got where I wanted to be, and just as importantly, I am valued that our different paths are celebrated at HackerOne, as that’s what makes us unique." Kayla Ricketts, Lead Recruiter, EMEA (United Kingdom)

Adapting Skills

The tech landscape is changing rapidly, and the demand for diverse skill sets, adaptability, and practical experience is higher than ever. According to a 2022 report from The Burning Glass Institute, some 46% of middle-skill and 31% of high-skill occupations experienced material degree resets between 2017 and 2019, meaning these occupations are reversing their need for a degree and instead looking for more specific skills from experience.

Critical Thinking

Experienced professionals excel at real-time problem-solving. We seek talent who can take on and overcome challenges, making them better equipped to tackle similar issues in our scaling environment.

Agility and Adaptability

At HackerOne, we are big believers in human agency and agility. By emphasizing relevant experience over degrees, we're embracing a more inclusive and practical hiring approach, fostering innovation, and valuing talent based on their abilities.

Interested in joining HackerOne? Click here to see our open positions.