DeepSeek revamps hiring: drops all ACM coding questions for system design in social recruiting
量子位 · wechat · 2026-09-09
DeepSeek has redesigned its recruiting process for a 150-person social (experienced) hiring round, according to recruiting lead Cui Tianyi:
- All ACM-style coding questions removed, replaced with system design questions probing real-world engineering judgment: constraints, tradeoffs, failure diagnosis, and quantified impact
- Algorithm questions no longer require runnable code—clear reasoning or pseudocode suffices
- Multiple-choice sections now target senior engineers; overall interview timeline shortened
- Campus recruiting keeps the old format, fully splitting the two evaluation tracks
The move aligns with AI coding tools eroding the signal value of hand-written code, shifting focus to problem discovery and system design. Controversy: critics note the "2-10 years experience" focus effectively screens out candidates near 35; others broadly agree ACM grinding matters less in the AI era.
Related event: DeepSeek Opens ~150 Engineering Hires, Drops ACM Coding Tests(6 posts)→
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