In the competitive world of tech hiring, where companies vie for top engineering talent, Stripe has long stood out for its unconventional approach to technical interviews. Greg Brockman, the payment giant’s former chief technology officer, recently shed light on the company’s strategy, revealing a process designed to mirror real-world work rather than contrived tests. According to a report in Business Insider, Brockman emphasized that Stripe’s interviews aim to provide candidates with “the most realistic experience” possible, eschewing the infamous whiteboard coding exercises that have become a staple—and often a stressor—in the industry.

This philosophy stems from Stripe’s early days, when Brockman, who served as CTO until 2015 before co-founding OpenAI, helped shape the company’s engineering culture. The goal, as he described, is to assess how candidates think and collaborate in environments akin to actual job scenarios, rather than under the artificial pressure of solving algorithmic puzzles on a blank slate.

Reimagining Candidate Evaluation

Insights from Brockman’s reflections highlight a multi-stage process that includes practical coding tasks, system design discussions, and collaborative problem-solving sessions. Unlike traditional setups where applicants scribble code on whiteboards, Stripe opts for tools like laptops and shared code editors, allowing candidates to write, debug, and iterate as they would in a professional setting. This method, Brockman noted in the Business Insider piece, helps reveal a candidate’s true capabilities without the anxiety induced by performative elements.

Supporting this view, data from platforms like Glassdoor show that Stripe’s interview questions often focus on real-world applications, such as building payment systems or optimizing APIs, drawing from over 1,800 anonymized reviews as of August 2025. This aligns with broader industry shifts, where companies are questioning the efficacy of whiteboard interviews.

Challenges and Criticisms of Traditional Methods

Critics argue that whiteboard exercises favor those who excel in high-pressure, memorized problem-solving but may overlook collaborative skills essential for team-based engineering roles. A 2021 article in Business Insider detailed how startup ReadMe saw candidate quality improve after abandoning whiteboards, with developers praising the “amazing” realism of their new process. Similarly, Stripe’s approach, as per Brockman’s account, prioritizes feedback loops and iterative discussions, fostering a more inclusive evaluation.

Yet, implementing such a system isn’t without hurdles. It requires interviewers to be deeply involved, simulating mentorship rather than mere assessment, which can strain resources at scale. Brockman acknowledged this in his comments, suggesting that Stripe invests heavily in training interviewers to ensure consistency.

Broader Implications for Tech Hiring

The ripple effects of Stripe’s model are evident in evolving practices across Silicon Valley. A TechCrunch report from April 2025 noted how Stripe’s leadership, including CEO Patrick Collison, extends this candid feedback ethos to customer interactions, mirroring the transparency in their hiring. For industry insiders, this signals a potential shift toward more humane, effective interviews that better predict on-the-job success.

As tech firms grapple with talent shortages amid economic uncertainties, Stripe’s no-whiteboard strategy offers a blueprint. By focusing on authenticity, as Brockman detailed, the company not only attracts diverse talent but also builds teams equipped for innovation. This approach, echoed in resources like Exponent’s interview guides, underscores a growing consensus: realistic assessments yield better hires, even if they demand more from the process itself.

Looking Ahead: Adaptation and Evolution

Adopting similar strategies could redefine hiring norms, but success hinges on cultural buy-in. Brockman’s insights, drawn from Stripe’s foundational years, remind us that innovation in interviews can drive broader organizational excellence. As more companies experiment, the emphasis on realism may well become the new standard, benefiting both employers and engineers alike.