Obligatory google cache:
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How to hire programmers using online coding test
11–20 of 61 posts
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#12This looks interesting, though I don't agree with the "most candidates cannot write code to simple algorithm" thesis. I interview A LOT. Almost 100% of the candidates I receive cover the basic programming abilities. The real problem is that they don't know how to THINK. I talk with them 20 min on the phone when they have to present a problem they had and how they solved it. Then I try to find out what they find inter…
A simple programming task adds 20 minutes to the burden of the interviewee, costs you next to nothing and weeds out the folk who don't actually know how to program. If someone fails to print prime numbers below 100 in 20 minutes, there is something wrong with his skills.
1. Write program that prints prime numbers below 100.
2. ?
3. Profit!
Interviews are a two-way street. If you're looking to hire an experienced developer and the best you can do is ask him to do something that he'll probably never have reason to do on the job, you're sending a pretty strong message about your company.
If you're going to ask somebody to code (or solve a problem) as part of the interview process, there's nothing worse than being lazy in creating the task. "Print prime numbers below 100" falls under the lazy category.
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#13Obligatory google cache: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://...
There's certainly an irony on the link to a programming test not working.
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#14I always find it funny that half the people/companies advocating these approaches can't even keep a simple WordPress blog up when faced with a bit of traffic. Surely there must be an algorithm for that?
There's no equivalent "online coding test" for admins, unfortunately.
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
A simple programming task adds 20 minutes to the burden of the interviewee, costs you next to nothing and weeds out the folk who don't actually know how to program. If someone fails to print prime numbers below 100 in 20 minutes, there is something wrong with his skills.
And is this a buyer or a seller's market? If it's a buyer's market then you can give the interviewee as many tests as you like. If it's a seller's market... you'd better have something really good going for you!
That would seem premised on the idea that it is better to have someone barely capable in the position than to go without. In my own personal experience I'd rather be short handed than work with someone incompetent.
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#16I always find it funny that half the people/companies advocating these approaches can't even keep a simple WordPress blog up when faced with a bit of traffic. Surely there must be an algorithm for that?
I hosted my WP blog for free on OpenShift and (with free Cloudflare) it was able to handle Reddit/HN traffic spikes without a problem. Not sure why everyone doesn't do something similar.
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#17I am not agreeing on this. Unless you are hiring an expert, most of developers out there earning their lives by coding can not write a simple bubble sort when you give them a console. Not because they don't have the capacity, They will either not remember the algorithm at the moment or haven't had a such situation requires similar approach at their previous work. If you really want to know if he/she knows stuff, ask…
To be fair, eliminating a fair portion of candidates (assuming the test does a good job of identifying the ones you wouldn't hire) isn't a bad thing. Time is a valuable resource.
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
A simple programming task adds 20 minutes to the burden of the interviewee, costs you next to nothing and weeds out the folk who don't actually know how to program. If someone fails to print prime numbers below 100 in 20 minutes, there is something wrong with his skills.
1. Write program that prints prime numbers below 100. 2. ? 3. Profit! Interviews are a two-way street. If you're looking to hire an experienced developer and the best you can do is ask him to do something that he'll probably never have reason to do on the job, you're sending a pretty strong message about your company. If you're going to ask somebody to code (or solve a problem) as part of the interview process, there…
If the best you can do is to set a trivial programming problem, then indeed, that is deeply unimpressive.
Happily, that is not what the article is suggesting, nor what anyone actually does. The article gives three steps: first, a trivial programming problem, second, a challenging programming problem (here delivered as homework), and thirdly, a face-to-face interview to check cultural fit.
The purpose of the trivial problem, as explained in the article, and explained by anyone else who has ever advocated this approach, is simply to weed out people who just cannot code at all, and to do that early and cheaply.
My current employer uses a trivial programming problem like this as an early screen (it comes after our recruitment guy has read their CV, but before we put them on the phone with a developer). Therefore, i, and many of my colleagues, are experienced developers who have been given a trivial programming problem to solve. It did not any of us a message which put us off the company. I have not heard of anyone being asked to do this test and losing interest in working for us as a consequence. On the contrary, i was pleased when i was given the problem as an initial screen, because it told me that the company was serious about hiring people who can actually code, which puts them head and shoulders above many employers!
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#19It's not a candidate's problem that they can't code? I think the candidate has a level of responsibility here. Really they shouldn't be applying for a development position if they can't code.
Re: How to hire programmers using online coding test
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
A simple programming task adds 20 minutes to the burden of the interviewee, costs you next to nothing and weeds out the folk who don't actually know how to program. If someone fails to print prime numbers below 100 in 20 minutes, there is something wrong with his skills.
1. Write program that prints prime numbers below 100. 2. ? 3. Profit! Interviews are a two-way street. If you're looking to hire an experienced developer and the best you can do is ask him to do something that he'll probably never have reason to do on the job, you're sending a pretty strong message about your company. If you're going to ask somebody to code (or solve a problem) as part of the interview process, there…
> Interviews are a two-way street. If you're looking to hire an experienced developer and the best you can do is ask him to do something that he'll probably never have reason to do on the job, you're sending a pretty strong message about your company.
I know others will probably disagree, but I feel this way about brain-teaser questions. I remember one very specifically from a ex-Microsoft employee who interviewed me: "If you're alone on a deserted island and you have two unmarked jugs, one that can hold 3L of water and the other 5L of water, how would you make sure you had exactly had 4L of water?"
To his credit, he helped me through the question and I was able to figure it out.. but the first minute was spent trying not to be a smartass and ask "Is this a problem that programmers in this company frequently have?" (I did get the job fwiw)