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How to make a coding challenge to hire a new engineer? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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We're a very small team with little experience in hiring but got approval for a new engineer. Basically HR will look for people through the usual channels and I think we have a reasonably good job description. Unfortunately the coding challenge (a 30h+ take home) is atrociously difficult and doesn't really reflect what we do. On the other hand I think the false positive rate would be low. FWIW it's a Linux application and it might be difficult to only count on experience from the CV.

Any ideas how to build a good challenge from scratch and what time constraints are reasonable?

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[–] [email protected] 62 points 1 year ago (2 children)

A 30h+ take home that doesn't even reflect what you all do is a waste of everyone's time. I'd think most qualified applicants are going to ghost you when they are tasked with that. You have to keep in mind you're not the only place they're applying. Are you sure you want the engineer who has time for a 30h+ coding challenge for a potential job, that might then make a competitive offer?

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Good point, I fully agree with you. Didn't come up with it myself but it has been used for years already but I think HR also complained about it.

Actually I did the challenge a year ago and it was only circumstantial that I didn't decline. Yet, we need a good replacement for the challenge (or the whole interview process) because most of the workload is on me at the moment.

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