maybe too many prompts, but yes, what happens during a first interview is generally these sorts of discussions followed by the interviewer jotting down notes.

maybe too many prompts, but yes, what happens during a first interview is generally these sorts of discussions followed by the interviewer jotting down notes. asking candidates to submit short essays where they can choose what to highlight and how seems like a fine idea. just needs a "pick a few from each category" and "400-600 words please" designation. probably also more suitable for people who work in product design / management or data science / business analyst / staff swe hybrid roles (roles where defining the work is part of the work) than people who are looking to complete predefined task assignments or solve issues with high velocity.