Sudarshan Kamath, founder of Smallest AI, has generated interest on social media by announcing an unconventional hiring approach for a software engineer position at his Bengaluru office. Mr Kamath stated that candidates’ educational background and resumes are not required for the role, which offers a salary of Rs 40 lakh per annum and a five-day office workweek. The position is open to individuals with zero to two years of experience and will be based in Indiranagar.
“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]” he wrote on X.
See the tweet here:
We are looking to hire a cracked full-stack engineer at @smallest_AI
Salary CTC – 40 LPA
Salary Base – 15-25 LPA
Salary ESOPs – 10-15 LPA
Joining – Immediate
Location – Bangalore (Indiranagar)
Experience – 0-2 years
Work from Office – 5 days a week
College – Does not matter…— Sudarshan Kamath (@kamath_sutra) February 24, 2025
The term “cracked full-stack engineer” isn’t a formally defined title in the tech industry, but it’s often used colloquially—especially in informal contexts like social media or job postings—to describe a highly skilled, adaptable, and resourceful software engineer who excels at both front-end and back-end development. The word “cracked” here likely draws from slang meaning “exceptional” or “outstanding,” suggesting someone who’s not just competent but stands out due to their problem-solving abilities, creativity, or efficiency.
Many users praised Mr Kamath’s focus on skills over credentials, while others debated the offered salary, suggesting it may be insufficient for a highly skilled “cracked” engineer.
One user wrote, “Don’t add “cracked” if you can’t pay cracked salary. respectfully, it’s not a good look for you and your company.” Another commented, “Indira Nagar is such an expensive place that out of 15 lacs where in hand will be 1 lac approx, 35k will go just in accommodation in a sharing apartment plus groceries plus weekends plus education loan EMI or discretionary spending EMI. Feel yourself lucky if you can save 20k.”
