A San Francisco-based AI startup Smallest AI is making waves online with its unique hiring approach. Its founder, Sudarshan Kamath, recently shared on X (formerly Twitter) that his company hires based on skills rather than degrees or traditional interviews.

His latestjobposting for a software engineer in Bengaluru, with a ₹40 lakh salary per year, has sparked discussions in the tech world. But for Kamath, this hiring style is nothing new.

Kamath said that this hiring approach is not new for his company. “Just FYI. This is how we have always hired. Not sure why this one blew up. Most of our team doesn’t have a Tier-1 collegebackground, but they’re some of the smartest folks I have ever met. We also have college dropouts and ex-entrepreneurs in the team. Brilliance can come from anywhere,” he wrote.

The buzz began with Smallest AI’s recent job listing for a software engineer in Bengaluru, offering a ₹40 lakh annual salary. Unlike traditional hiring methods, this role has just one requirement demonstrate your skills.

Applicants just need to submit a 100-word introduction along with links to their best work. If they can prove their skills, they get the job no formal resume, degree, or lengthy interviews are required.

“We are looking to hire a cracked full-stack engineer at Smallest AI… Send a small 100-word text introducing yourself + links to your best work to [email protected],” Kamath wrote in an earlier post. The term “cracked full-stack engineer” is an informal way of describing someone highly skilled in both front-end and back-end development.

How netizens reacted 

Kamath’s unique hiring method has sparked conversations online, with his post garnering over 3 lakh views.One user praised the approach, saying, "This is how hiring should be done everywhere! Skills > Degrees." Another wrote, "Finally, a company that understands real talent. Hope more firms follow this approach."

A third user joked, "Imagine showing your skills and getting a job. Wild concept."

However, some were sceptical. "Sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch?" one person asked. Another pointed out, "This works for engineers, but what about other fields? Some roles still need formal education."

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