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This largely applies to people that have already produced working software in the real world, but... Companies should trust the people applying based on their

This largely applies to people that have already produced working software in the real world, but... Companies should trust the people applying based on their resume and ability to talk about what they have done in the past or how they would approach real world problems (organizational, interpersonal, technical). Maybe have them write some small bit of real world code using libraries and frameworks they are familiar with, while they are alone without anyone watching [key|pen]strokes. Maybe I'm lucky but after 20 years in the industry shipping products to consumers I've never ran into a Software Developer or "Engineer" in the real world that couldn't get things done in a normal working environment in private industry (now in government, don't get me started). Some are slower, some are faster, some can handle bigger problems, but I have no idea how to reliably filter for that in an interview having tried many things. The "OMG this senior person can't write FizzBuzz on a whiteboard or while videoconferencing and knowing someone is watching your every keystroke so they must be a horrible programmer" approach is just wrong. I've only ever failed interviews where I had to solve problems or write code with someone watching (virtually or in person). Let me be alone and give me a product to build, though, and it'll get done. Customers will love it and it will be great. See: resume and products in the wild. The Math-oriented abstract tech interview is missing out on all the practitioners that care about the product and can build reliable maintainable systems in a team environment. These days I'm primarily management, though, so I get to set the hiring guidelines. Yay!

google234123 6y ago
Could you imagine working with a senior software engineer that couldn't write FizzBuzz? Anyway, I feel your approach may end up selecting for prestige and be more venerable to implicit bias. A recent engineering graduate from Cornell will probably have a much nicer looking resume than someone from some random state university even if they both have strong technical skills.
- jconley 6y ago
  No but I can imagine a senior software engineer that couldn't write FizzBuzz during an interview. I would probably stumble on it myself. I prefer to look at what people have done and not their credentials. I don't hire people that haven't shipped something.
  - google234123 6y ago
    To clarify, by a senior engineer I don't mean a manager, I meant someone that is going to contribute technically in a meaningful way to a project (by writing code). I feel like it's a big red sign if the candidate doesn't know how to write a for loop. People will lie about experiment when they are desperate for work. Moreover, there are some people that are just great at talking...

google234123 6y ago

Could you imagine working with a senior software engineer that couldn't write FizzBuzz? Anyway, I feel your approach may end up selecting for prestige and be more venerable to implicit bias. A recent engineering graduate from Cornell will probably have a much nicer looking resume than someone from some random state university even if they both have strong technical skills.

jconley 6y ago
No but I can imagine a senior software engineer that couldn't write FizzBuzz during an interview. I would probably stumble on it myself. I prefer to look at what people have done and not their credentials. I don't hire people that haven't shipped something.
- google234123 6y ago
  To clarify, by a senior engineer I don't mean a manager, I meant someone that is going to contribute technically in a meaningful way to a project (by writing code). I feel like it's a big red sign if the candidate doesn't know how to write a for loop. People will lie about experiment when they are desperate for work. Moreover, there are some people that are just great at talking...