Observation Mode in Interviews

Last updated: April 23, 2025

Observation Mode in HackerRank Interviews allows interviewers  to monitor a candidate’s screen activity in real time. This feature operates similarly to screen sharing, enabling you to observe the candidate's progress throughout the interview without interruption.

Starting Observation Mode

To start Observation Mode:

  1. Select the drop-down next to the candidate’s name on the interview screen.

  2. Click Observe Candidate.

A colored outline appears around your screen to indicate that Observation Mode is active.

Key features

While in Observation Mode:

  • Candidate actions are mirrored on your screen in real time.

  • You can access the Scorecard and Chat without leaving Observation Mode.

Front-end, Back-end, Full-stack, and Mobile Questions

You can observe the following candidate actions:

  • File management: Create, delete, open, close, and switch between files.

  • Terminal activity: Create, delete, switch terminals, and execute commands.

  • Panel adjustments: Resize, expand, or minimize the file browser, terminal, and preview panel.

  • Other interactions: Scroll through files and switch between side menu icons.

  • Preview panel: View automatic updates when the preview is refreshed.

Note: The integrated VS Code IDE supports a wide range of interactions. Currently, only the core actions described above are mirrored.

Coding Questions

You can monitor real-time screen activity, including:

ObservationMode-.gif

  • Switching between tabs such as Input/Output

  • Clicking Run Code

Important notes:

  • Anonymity: Candidates are not notified when Observation Mode is active.

  • Independent operations: In multi-interviewer sessions, each interviewer can enable Observation Mode independently without affecting others.  .

  • Limitations:

    • Observation Mode is supported only for Coding, Front-end, Back-end, Full-stack, and Mobile questions.

    • If the candidate switches to an unsupported question type, Observation Mode ends automatically.

    • If the candidate becomes idle or disconnects, Observation Mode ends automatically.

Ending Observation Mode

To exit Observation Mode during an interview, do one of the following:

  • Select the drop-down menu next to the candidate’s name, and then select Exit Observation Mode.

  • Click anywhere in the code editor.