August 21, 2024

Why is everyone lining up to work for a green owl? How Duolingo created a "talent vortex" to fuel growth.

John Kim

Co-founder @ Paraform

In this blog

1. The bar is high, but the owl is friendly.2. How diverse are your users? Now, how about your team?3. Want fresh ideas? Look to fresh faces.4. Turn your applicants into your advocates.

Growth is hard. Hiring for growth is even harder. But some companies have cracked the code, and Duolingo is one of them.


Duolingo’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) surpassed half a million dollars last year. Their quirky green owl lives in our heads rent-free. The language learning app is one of the few tech startups that have captured both market share and cultural mindshare.


To achieve this, Duolingo has done something remarkable: they've created a "talent vortex". It's a place where smart people want to work, which attracts more smart people, which makes even more smart people want to work there.


Duolingo's recruiting practices offer a masterclass in talent acquisition for tech founders. Let's dissect their approach with takeaways you can implement:

1. The bar is high, but the owl is friendly.

Well, most of the time. Duolingo's hiring process is notoriously rigorous, but they've made this gauntlet feel almost... fun. How? By mirroring their core product and incorporating gamified elements into the hiring process, similar to Figma's interactive interviews.


Candidates might find themselves solving language puzzles or engaging in gamified coding challenges. It's grueling, yes, but it's also engaging. Using gamification serves a dual purpose: it filters for people with hard skills who genuinely enjoy solving difficult problems, while showcasing Duolingo’s unique culture.


It also gives candidates a realistic preview of what working at Duolingo is like.



What you can implement:

• Make your hiring process a test of real skills, not just credentials. For example, design coding challenges that mimic real-world scenarios your team faces.
• Create role-specific simulations that test problem-solving skills.
• Incorporate fun or creative elements in your interview process that reflect your company culture.

2. How diverse are your users? Now, how about your team?

Inclusive hiring isn’t just about language skills (though that helps). It's about having a variety of perspectives in the room when decisions are being made. It's the difference between building a product that works and building a product that resonates.


Duolingo has understood this since the early days. The company prioritized recruitment from schools with at least 18% female CS degree graduates, and increased public outreach to women's groups at universities. In addition to implementing blind recruitment processes, they also provided unconscious bias training for hiring managers.


Their data-driven, strategic approach to inclusive hiring has achieved a 50:50 gender ratio for new software engineer hires.



What you can implement:

• Embrace diversity as a strategic advantage, not just a PR move.
• Partner with organizations that support underrepresented groups in tech.
• In addition to blind resume screening, invest in unconscious bias training for all employees, especially those involved in hiring.

3. Want fresh ideas? Look to fresh faces.

Most companies see new training talent as a cost factor. But CEO Luis von Ahn emphasizes hiring people who aren't jaded by industry norms. Duolingo views intern programs as a valuable source of positive disruption — they aren’t afraid to bring on young talent with innovative ideas and trust them to execute.


And it’s paid off. Zaria Parvez, a 23-year-old creative director, transformed their social media marketing and established their mascot Duo as an iconic figure among Gen Z. Her ownership of Duolingo’s online presence increased the company’s reach and brand presence among millions of new learners.


“We love having interns,” Duolingo Recruiter Dalia Shehata shared. “They come in with new ideas and are able to push back. They think outside of the box and can be disruptors, in a good way.”



What you can implement:

• Create a robust internship program that gives real responsibilities to young talent.
• Encourage a culture where all ideas are valued, regardless of the source.
• Balance your team with a mix of experienced professionals and fresh graduates.
• Foster an environment where questioning the status quo is encouraged.

4. Turn your applicants into your advocates.

First impressions last. Bad first impressions linger, which is why your candidates’ experience should reflect the best of what your company has to offer.


Recognizing that hiring is a two-way street, Duolingo invests heavily in ensuring a positive candidate experience throughout the recruitment process. One of their operating principles is “be candid and kind” — this applies to all candidates, whether or not they join.



What you can implement:

• Provide timely updates throughout the hiring process.
• Offer personalized feedback to candidates post-interview, whether they're successful or not.
• Create content that gives candidates insight into your company culture.
• Ensure that every touchpoint in the hiring process reflects your company values.

Hiring isn't just about filling seats. It's about building a team that's aligned with your mission, diverse in perspective, and relentlessly focused on excellence. Duolingo's approach shows that with the right strategy, even the most rigorous hiring process can be turned into a competitive edge.