Duolingo CEO says ‘taxi driver test’ can make or break hiring decisions

Hiring decisions at Duolingo may not always be made inside the interview room.

According to CEO Luis von Ahn, the company uses what he describes as a “taxi driver test” which is an informal but telling method to assess candidates beyond resumes and formal interactions.

The ‘taxi driver test’ explained

Speaking on The Burnouts podcast, von Ahn shared that candidates are often evaluated from the moment they step into a taxi on their way to the office.

In some cases, the company even gathers feedback from drivers about how candidates behaved during the ride. As he put it, “At Duolingo, taxi drivers determine if candidates get hired.”

The idea is to observe how individuals treat others in situations where they believe they are not being evaluated.

The approach, he explained, is rooted in a simple assumption: behaviour in unguarded moments can reveal more than structured interviews.

A ‘perfect’ candidate who didn’t make the cut

Von Ahn recalled a specific instance when the company had been searching for a chief financial officer for nearly a year. After an extensive process, they identified a candidate who checked all the boxes like strong experience, good fit, and positive feedback from the hiring team.

However, the decision changed after the candidate’s interaction with a taxi driver came to light.

The candidate was, in von Ahn’s words, “pretty mean to their driver from the airport to the office,” and “that made us not hire them.”

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What the test is meant to reveal

Explaining the reasoning, von Ahn noted that how someone treats people in everyday interactions can indicate how they might behave within a workplace.

“If they’re going to be mean to the driver, they’re probably going to be mean to other people, particularly people under them,” he noted. He also pointed out that “the biggest interview answers” often happen outside formal settings where candidates are not actively trying to impress.

The taxi driver test is one part of a wider hiring approach at Duolingo, where the company places emphasis not only on skills but also on behaviour and cultural alignment.

Social media reactions

The idea has sparked conversation online, with many users reacting to the unconventional hiring approach.

Some supported it, with comments like “That’s a smart move,” and “How you treat people when no one is watching says everything.” Others called it “a real character test,” suggesting it captures traits that interviews often miss.

At the same time, a few users questioned the method, with reactions such as “Feels a bit extreme,” and “What if someone just had a bad day?” reflecting concerns around subjectivity.