Companies are aware of the differences in programmer productivity, but they are painfully unable to recognize, at least at hiring time, who is super productive

Companies are aware of the differences in programmer productivity, but they are painfully unable to recognize, at least at hiring time, who is super productive and who isn't. The best they can do is sort out the reasonably competent from the total clowns. Beyond that... what do they have? Brain teasers? Syntax questions? "Cultural fit"? If there's going to be two tier market, it's going to be achieved by a revolution in interviewing, not by a revolution in languages.