Interviewing with Whiteboards

Whiteboards are a common tool used during onsite technical interviews to evaluate candidates' skills. They are particularly effective in assessing:

• System design skills
• Presentation skills
• On-the-spot thinking and communication

HackerRank has integrated a virtual whiteboard into its interviewing platform to replicate and enhance the experience of traditional onsite interviews. This article explains the key features of the virtual whiteboard and how to use it effectively in interviews.

Starting a Whiteboard in an Interview

• Join the interview session and navigate to the Onboarding Page.
• Select the Whiteboard question type to open the virtual whiteboard.

Key Features of the Virtual Whiteboard

The virtual whiteboard in HackerRank Interviews provides a collaborative and flexible space for candidates and interviewers to interact. Below are its key highlights:

• Infinite Space: The virtual whiteboard eliminates the physical constraints of traditional whiteboards. It offers unlimited space for sketches, diagrams, and annotations.
  • Scroll through existing content and continue sketching seamlessly.
  • Use the + and - icons to zoom in and out for better visibility.
• Collaborative Experience: All participants can view each other's real-time cursor positions and names, ensuring seamless collaboration during the interview.
• Shapes and Diagram Tools: 
  • Shapes Library: Access commonly used shapes directly from the toolbar. Drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy to incorporate shapes into your diagram.
  • Editing Tools: Use selection tools to move, resize, or delete individual or multiple shapes. Delete shapes quickly with the Delete key.
  • Color Customization: Add colors, strokes, or edge styles to enhance clarity. Click on a shape to access these customization options.
• Freehand Drawing: Allows participants to sketch quickly and intuitively, offering flexibility for diagramming and brainstorming.
• Image Integration:
  • Upload predefined architecture images to the whiteboard.
  • Save whiteboard questions along with uploaded images to streamline the interview process. This feature eliminates the need to redraw company-specific architectures during interviews.

Whiteboard Integration with Candidate Reports

The final state of the whiteboard is automatically saved and included in the candidate’s interview report.

Accessing the Candidate’s Whiteboard Report

• Navigate to the Interviews tab in your HackerRank for Work account.
• Click View Report for the relevant candidate.

• Scroll to the Whiteboard section to view the sketches.
• Optionally, enlarge the whiteboard by clicking the enlarge icon or access the whiteboard in the PDF version of the interview report.

Benefits of the Virtual Whiteboard

• Mirrors the flexibility of onsite interviews.
• Provides an interactive and collaborative environment.
• Ensures sketches and diagrams are preserved for post-interview review.