Please, Stop the Absurd Coding Challenges
Let’s talk about tech interviews – specifically, the ones that go overboard with unrealistic coding assignments. If you’re a developer who’s been asked to debug legacy PHP or build a mini-app from scratch in just a few hours, you know what I’m talking about. It’s becoming a trend, and it’s not helping anyone.
Unrealistic Tests That Don’t Measure Real Skills
These high-stress, solo coding assignments don’t reflect the actual job. Instead, they put developers in situations they’d never face in the workplace, where collaboration and support are standard. When was the last time you had to debug an ancient codebase without documentation or help from a team? Yet companies claim this somehow measures “problem-solving” skills.
The Hidden Time Sink
What companies often ignore is the extra time candidates invest beyond the “suggested time” for these tests. Developers don’t just jump into an assignment; they research the company, study the job requirements, and meticulously work to polish the project. A “4-hour” assignment can quickly turn into 8, 10, or even more, just to ensure it’s in great shape. For developers balancing jobs and life, this can feel like working unpaid shifts for a job they don’t even have yet.
The Flexibility Myth
Many companies justify these tests by saying they need “adaptable” developers, even if the tech stack has nothing to do with the role. This is like asking a Ruby developer to debug PHP as a test of flexibility. Sure, adaptability is important, but that doesn’t mean a candidate’s worth should be based on their ability to tackle obscure, unrelated challenges.
Are Companies Testing Candidates or Just Flexing?
For some companies, these tests feel like a way to show off how “elite” their standards are rather than truly evaluating fit. There’s an inflated “top 1%” mentality where every hire has to jump through hoops, even if those hoops don’t make sense. This turns away skilled candidates who could do the job well but don’t thrive in these artificial, high-pressure situations.
Time for a Reality Check
It’s time for companies to admit these interview practices are broken. If the job requires specific tech skills, test those skills. But don’t put candidates through unrealistic coding boot camps that don’t reflect the role’s actual needs.
Hiring processes should focus on problem-solving, collaboration, and growth in relevant areas. Unrealistic expectations don’t attract the best talent – they just exhaust and discourage it. If companies want adaptable developers, they should focus on the long-term ability to learn, not how fast someone can tackle an arbitrary test. Dropping these absurd assignments and focusing on what really counts could foster a better, more inclusive tech culture.