At Duolingo’s hiring test, applicants were judged on how they treated the taxi driver on the way to the venue

Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn said the company once used a candidate’s behavior toward a taxi driver en route to an interview as part of hiring evaluation.

The applicant had strong qualifications and performed well in interviews, but was rejected after acting rudely to the driver.

The story highlights Duolingo’s emphasis on character and everyday behavior, not just interview performance.

It also underscores the broader debate over how far employers should go in judging a candidate’s personality during hiring.