> Can I just talk to the folks I'll potentially be working with / for right away? No? Why? Probably because those people are writing code and don't want to spe

> Can I just talk to the folks I'll potentially be working with / for right away? No? Why? Probably because those people are writing code and don't want to spend more than a couple hours a week interviewing folks. If a role gets 500 applications in a week, it seems reasonable that there will be some sort of filter before candidates start talking with SWEs whose time is very expensive (compared with that of HR or recruiters). Whether that filter is an HR person doing a phone call, a take home assignment, or an automated code test, all methods are vehemently hated on HN. I hate job hunting just like everyone else, but I'm also on the other side of it and kind of understand why things are the way they are. It's not a "cargo cult" or a conspiracy; it's just companies trying to balance a lot of different concerns.