It seems rather obvious to me that most hiring should be done at the intern/contractor level, where the interview process is extremely basic and let's most peop

It seems rather obvious to me that most hiring should be done at the intern/contractor level, where the interview process is extremely basic and let's most people through. Can you do a single basic level hackerrank question? Welcome aboard. Pushing for harder and harder questions simply doesn't accomplish anything real. Once proven that a candidate is able to learn and adapt to the job, they should be moved to a full-time position, with pay above what is currently being given to that role. If they aren't excellent, let them go. As a company you want to advertise this promotion experience so that people who know they will pass this test will feel more comfortable signing up for a "lowly" temp position. The top 5% or so of candidates might not take that offer, but you can leave a hole for exceptional candidates based on past experiences and proven success.