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Discussion on: Why I hate coding challenges in the hiring process

 
sroehrl profile image
neoan • Edited

Sure, and there's probably an even longer list of cases where it's also not appropriate neither of us are thinking about. That is what I implied when I said it probably isn't a possibility in many cases.

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codemouse92 profile image
Jason C. McDonald • Edited

It certainly makes sense for a team around an open source project to relate screening challenges to the existing code base! That can be an amazing technique...as y'all said, if done right.

There is a fundamental difference between reading/explaining code and writing code, though, and that should be accounted for. I've met plenty of people who could do one, but not the other.

And then you have the companies whose code base is already a horrific pile of spaghetti, and showing any of their code in an interview would reasonably send candidates screaming into the night. ;) Or do you ask then: how do we make this function better?

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sroehrl profile image
neoan • Edited

And then you have the companies whose code base is already a horrific pile of spaghetti,...

Lol. Yes, but my point is: then that company needs such feedback.

There is a fundamental difference between reading/explaining code and writing code, though, and that should be accounted for.

True. So I guess you want to see both capabilities.