I couldn't agree with you more. To pile on here, I'd like to add that when you force somebody to do an observed pair programming interview, several things still

I couldn't agree with you more. To pile on here, I'd like to add that when you force somebody to do an observed pair programming interview, several things still do not match what will most likely be the day-to-day process. First, and most obviously, their environment will not be what they're used to, at all. Any pair tools out there are most likely very different from their normal setup. This immediately sows discomfort, no question. Second, let's be honest here: We all use documentation and google extensively when programming. That's simply due to the fact that we can't possibly remember all syntax and available functionality. But we know where to look. Doing that during an observed interview is usually a no-no. As an example: I recently applied at Trello. I nailed their programming challenge to be able to submit the resume, and I gave a thorough explanation for my solution in the submission. I got a call from HR and they scheduled an online interview where I would be sharing a code window with the interviewer and I'd have to solve a succession of problems. Shit. All of these teasers were easier than the initial problem I solved to get the interview in the first place, but with a spotlight on me and an implicit time limit that I could feel ticking past with the interviewer's silence, I went down in flames. I have no doubt that I'd be perfectly capable for the job itself, but that doesn't matter because I couldn't dance the right jig. I have since accepted employment with a company whose interview process cared more about what I have done and what I can do, rather than forcing me to participate in an unnatural process.