Frequently Asked Questions Before the Test

HackerRank is a leading technology hiring platform that enables companies to hire skilled developers by conducting online assessments and interviews. Based on the skills and competencies required in candidates for a job role, hiring companies use the HackerRank platform to create assessments or schedule Interviews and invite candidates to attempt them. Programmers, university students, and job seekers in the computer science domain take part in the companies' assessments or interview processes to solve challenging questions and showcase their coding skills.

HackerRank tests are online assessments conducted by companies to assess a candidate's skills required for different roles in their organization. It contains a built-in code execution environment that supports several programming languages.

Typically, HackerRank Tests are the first step in a company's candidate screening process, and those who clear the test qualify for an online coding interview on HackerRank Interviews.

If you have received a HackerRank Test invite from your hiring company, log in to the test and attempt the questions within the time limit.

In addition to preparing well before your assessment, it is recommended that you go through the following checklist for a smooth test experience. 

• Install and use the latest versions of Google Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox browsers to take your HackerRank assessments. For more information, check Browser recommendations for the best experience. 

• To take HackerRank Tests, you must use a PC or Laptop. Other devices(Mobile, iPad, etc) are not supported. 
• Ensure you have an uninterrupted internet and power supply to avoid problems during the assessments. 
• Use a web camera-enabled computer to take a proctored test. If your test is proctored, you will be notified in your test invitation email. For more information, check Taking Proctored Tests.
• Ensure that you do not take part in any malpractices, as this can get captured in your test report and may lead to disqualification from subsequent rounds.

HackerRank supports different types of questions across multiple programming languages. The test includes questions based on the role you have applied for and the skills required by the company. 

After you open the test link from your invitation, you can see the type of questions present in the test. 

Example: If you have applied for a Front-end Developer role, you can expect coding and technical questions related to Front-end software development using Angular, React, or other frameworks.

For more information, check Question types in HackerRank.

HackerRank Tests are best supported on the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

For more information, check Browser Recommendations for the Best Experience.

Yes, you can see Platform Help, Execution Environment, and FAQ on the lower left of the screen, as shown in the image.

• Platform Help- Access the HackerRank candidate support page to learn everything about the HackerRank platform.

• Execution Environment- Time and memory limits for code execution in each programming language.

• FAQs - Answers to some frequently asked questions.

HackerRank has a page specially prepared to answer all your queries regarding Front-end, Back-end, and Full-stack Assessments. You can access that page here.   

HackerRank is continuously trying to innovate, create, and design to provide candidates with the ability to accomplish more. One way of fulfilling this objective is by committing to a diverse and inclusive culture in the hiring space. HackerRank complies with the WCAG 2.1 AA standards to make the content accessible to a broader range of candidates with disabilities, including but not limited to blindness, deafness, cognitive limitations, and others.

For more information, check HackerRank's Approach to Accessibility article.

Follow these steps to log in to a HackerRank test:

Prerequisites

• You must have a HackerRank Community account to attempt a test. 
• You must receive an email invite for a HackerRank Test.
• It is recommended to use Google Chrome, Mozilla or Firefox browsers for a pleasant experience.

Logging into a Test

1. Open the invite and click Start Test or click the test link provided in the email.
2. Use your HackerRank Community User account and log in.
3. Sometimes you are provided with particular credentials to log in. In such scenarios, use those credentials to log in. 

For more information, check Logging into a HackerRank Test.

You can log in to HackerRank Tests using your registered HackerRank account. Click Sign up to create an account and log in to the test on the test login page.

However, if your hiring company requires you to log in using credentials provided by them, you must ask the recruiter who invited you to send you the login information or re-send the test invite.

HackerRank only provides a platform to conduct the challenges and cannot share any passwords for accessing a test created by a company.

Make sure you log in at least a few minutes before the test expiration time so that you have enough time to fill out the login form. 

There can be two scenarios for this problem. 

Log in before the test starting time: 

• In your invitation, the test starting time is mentioned clearly. You cannot start the test before the given time. 

Login after the test expiration time:

• Your invitation email also mentions the test expiration time. You cannot log in to a test after that time is over.  
• Ensure to log in a few minutes before the test expiration time to fill out the confirmation form.

You can log in to HackerRank Tests using your registered HackerRank Community User account or the test login credentials provided by your hiring company.  

 Note: HackerRank does not share any login credentials with the candidates.

If you are still facing the same problem, the following table lists the possible causes of a login issue and describes the solutions. 

If you are new to HackerRank, the sample test allows you to familiarize yourself with the HackerRank coding environment and platform before you take the actual test.

1. As a candidate who has received a HackerRank Test Invite, you can access the sample test from the Instructions section of the test Login page.
   

2. Click Try Sample Test.

3. Specify your email address and click Agree & Start to take the Sample Test.

Note: You can attempt the sample test multiple times. For every attempt, you must log in with a unique email address. 

It is recommended that you take the HackerRank tests or challenges on your computer using the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers.

Refer to the Browser recommendations for the best experience topic for detailed information. 

HackerRank for Work displays 'Insufficient Account Balance' when a recruiter has run out of test invites. If you see this message while trying to start a test attempt, you must contact the recruiter directly and let them know about the error message. The recruiter can, in turn, get in touch with the HackerRank for Work team to secure more invites.

The test might not be available due to any of the following reasons:

• The test link has expired. This means that the recruiter had set a test expiry date, after which the candidates could not access the test.
• The test might have a particular scheduled time. However, you might be trying to access it at a time that falls outside the scheduled time.
• The test owner might have deleted the test.

You can contact the recruiter and request a new test invitation to resolve this problem. HackerRank cannot reset the link without explicit communication from the concerned recruiter. 

• Restart your computer. 
• Use the latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox while attempting the test.
• Turn off any active anti-virus software on your computer. 
• Update or reinstall your webcam driver.