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I've had really great experience hiring technical roles with 'homework'. Both product engineering + technical support. Each time, I've made sure that anyone co

I've had really great experience hiring technical roles with 'homework'. Both product engineering + technical support. Each time, I've made sure that anyone completing the assignment is compensated with a $50 or $100 Amazon gift card (depending on the task). I don't think I've had anyone choose to not participate. I'm also happy to compensate people that make a solid effort and realize they are in over their head and gracefully bow out (specifically that's only happened when hiring borderline technical roles, like support -- no project is nightmarishly difficult). I understand your time is valuable, and so is mine. I would like to see how you work, on your own time, in a low-pressure environment. The information I receive from that is easily worth $100. Plus, if we do proceed to further interviews, we have a fantastic non-theoretical project to discuss.

geebee 10y ago
I refused to do a take-home interview exam for the first time a couple of months ago. I don't think a $100 gift certificate would have made much of a difference. The opportunity was a decent one but I've just had very bad experiences with take-homes in the past (spent a lot of time, didn't hear back for a month, got a one-sentence rejection from a recruiter, never talked to a developer). I might consider doing it later in the process, when I have a stronger sense that the exam will be taken seriously and given proper consideration. I'm just not willing to put this kind of time into what may simply be "screening". I think Gayle Laakman McDowell's comments on this subject were good: http://www.gayle.com/blog/2013/09/18/companies-who-give-candidates-homework-assignments-knock-it-off http://www.gayle.com/blog/2013/09/18/companies-who-give-cand... The problem here is that take homes allow companies to externalize the inefficiencies of the interview process - they may demand many hours of a candidate's time while dismissing that candidate in five minutes. The $100 gift card may make this a bit better, but it's still a bargain for the company (I'm certainly not surprised you consider the information easily worth $100).

geebee 10y ago

I refused to do a take-home interview exam for the first time a couple of months ago. I don't think a $100 gift certificate would have made much of a difference. The opportunity was a decent one but I've just had very bad experiences with take-homes in the past (spent a lot of time, didn't hear back for a month, got a one-sentence rejection from a recruiter, never talked to a developer). I might consider doing it later in the process, when I have a stronger sense that the exam will be taken seriously and given proper consideration. I'm just not willing to put this kind of time into what may simply be "screening". I think Gayle Laakman McDowell's comments on this subject were good: http://www.gayle.com/blog/2013/09/18/companies-who-give-candidates-homework-assignments-knock-it-off http://www.gayle.com/blog/2013/09/18/companies-who-give-cand... The problem here is that take homes allow companies to externalize the inefficiencies of the interview process - they may demand many hours of a candidate's time while dismissing that candidate in five minutes. The $100 gift card may make this a bit better, but it's still a bargain for the company (I'm certainly not surprised you consider the information easily worth $100).