IMO, if a company is very serious about hiring for the role, they must offer a 1 week trial period (PAID!). The candidates get a fair idea about the kinda muck

IMO, if a company is very serious about hiring for the role, they must offer a 1 week trial period (PAID!). The candidates get a fair idea about the kinda muck they might be getting themselves into. The team(s) get an idea as to what kinda schmuck they get to deal with over next months. It's too easy to fake "expertise" and "culture fit" over a 2/3/4/5 round interview each lasting an hour or so. Most companies who deem this mode as not an option, simply aren't looking for great experts or engineers, but rather a cog in the grand system of wheels to keep the show running - or what HRs end up calling - a resource! Solution: What can engineers do for this problem? 1. Propose this option (1 week PAID work trial) to HRs 2. Keep a backlog of technically engaging, but smaller work-items which could be taken up with least amount of background-knowledge , or something that has an easy-ramp-up-path for a newbie in the realm 3. Iterate and improve This is just an extremely condensed internship of sorts. And many firms understand the value of intern-to-hire path.