Dive Brief:

• Skype launched a new preview feature for recruiters conducting technical interviews, according to a company announcement.

• The new app saves recruiters the trouble of switching back and forth between an interview call and code editor. Instead, they can now conduct the video call on top of a code editor.

• The feature runs on Microsoft Edge or Chrome browser and the built-in code editor supports C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python and Ruby.

Dive Insight:

While there’s a huge need for programmers, recruiting can be challenging because their skills are better demonstrated than described on paper.

The new Skype feature means recruiters can conduct programmer interviews online and actually see a programmer demonstrate their skills in real-time. If effective, the process could save both recruiters and job applicants a great deal of time.

Coding challenges are another way recruiters are bypassing typical hiring practices that might not reveal the most important and necessary skills. A recent study from The Economic Times found 45% of respondents received job offers after participating in coding competitions.