Crafting An Appropriate Technical Assignment (Building your Dream Team – 102)

Building your Dream Team (102) – Crafting An Appropriate Technical Assignment

Technical Assignments, balancing objectives, or resource management… which is the biggest challenge faced by interviewers during the hiring process

A week ago, we conducted a survey on our LinkedIn page to identify the main challenges interviewers face during the hiring process. The results revealed that the majority of respondents cited coding interviews as the most significant challenge.

This finding aligns with previous research by HackerRank, which shows that 77% of hiring managers find it difficult to evaluate candidates’ coding skills accurately. This underscores a common struggle in the tech industry: designing and conducting effective coding interviews that accurately assess candidates’ skills. 

The struggle to design and conduct effective coding interviews is a well-known issue in the tech industry. Many hiring managers grapple with creating interview processes that not only test technical knowledge but also provide a true measure of a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, coding proficiency, and fit for the team. These challenges are compounded by the rapid pace of technological advancement, which constantly shifts the skill sets needed in the industry.

Effective coding interviews are crucial because they can significantly impact the quality of hires. Inaccurate assessments can lead to hiring candidates who lack the necessary skills, resulting in inefficient onboarding, decreased productivity, and increased turnover. Conversely, a well-structured coding interview can identify top talent, ensuring that new hires are well-suited to contribute to the company’s success.

Given these stakes, it’s essential to refine the coding interview process. This article will delve into the best practices for creating effective coding interviews, offering strategies to help you accurately assess candidates’ skills and make informed hiring decisions.

I. What are Technical Assignment?

First of all, it’s crucial to fully understand the concept of coding interviews and their importance. 

    1. Definition of Technical Assignment

A coding interview is a method of evaluating and selecting candidates in the field of information technology, focusing on assessing problem-solving skills through programming and technical analysis. During this interview process, candidates face various programming challenges that require not only writing correct code but also demonstrating a deep understanding of fundamental principles such as algorithms, data structures, and software design.

    2. The goal of a Technical Assignment

The goal of a technical assignment extends beyond merely evaluating technical proficiency. It is a multifaceted process designed to uncover deeper attributes of a candidate’s potential:

• Technical Mastery: Assessing the candidate’s ability to write precise, efficient, and maintainable code. This involves understanding and applying complex algorithms and data structures, and demonstrating a strong grasp of programming languages and paradigms.
• Analytical Thinking: Evaluating the candidate’s approach to problem decomposition and solution design. This includes their ability to break down intricate problems into manageable parts, identify underlying patterns, and devise robust solutions.
• Creativity and Innovation: Observing how candidates apply creative problem-solving techniques and innovative approaches to tackle novel or challenging issues, reflecting their capacity for original thinking and adaptability.
• Systematic Problem-Solving: Analyzing how methodically the candidate approaches problems, including their ability to test hypotheses, manage ambiguity, and refine solutions through iterative improvement.
• Performance Optimization: Gauging the candidate’s ability to enhance their solutions for efficiency, scalability, and real-world applicability, demonstrating an understanding of trade-offs between time complexity and space complexity.
• Communication and Collaboration: Assessing how effectively candidates articulate their thought processes, rationale, and technical decisions. This includes their ability to engage in collaborative problem-solving and clearly convey complex ideas to others.

Understanding the definition and purpose of coding interviews helps you conduct the selection process more effectively and accurately, ensuring you identify the most suitable candidates for your company.

II. Why Crafting a Technical Assignment is Challenging 

    1. Challenges Faced by Employers:

1.1 Balancing Multiple Objectives:

Crafting an effective technical assignmentoften involves balancing multiple objectives. Employers need to design an interview that not only evaluates technical proficiency but also assesses problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and cultural fit. This requires creating questions and tasks that are comprehensive yet specific enough to provide meaningful insights into a candidate’s abilities. Striking this balance without overwhelming the candidate or diluting the focus can be a complex task.

1.2 Aligning with Job Requirements:

Another significant challenge is ensuring that technical assignment challenges are closely aligned with the actual job requirements. Interviews that do not accurately reflect the day-to-day tasks of the role can lead to misleading assessments. For instance, a challenge that emphasizes theoretical knowledge rather than practical application may not provide a true measure of a candidate’s capabilities in real-world scenarios. Misalignment can result in hiring decisions that do not match the skills needed for success in the role, ultimately leading to inefficiencies and increased turnover.

1.3. Designing Fair and Unbiased Assessments:

Creating technical assignment that are fair and unbiased is crucial but challenging. Employers must ensure that the questions are free from bias related to gender, background, or educational pedigree. This requires careful design and validation of interview questions to prevent any inadvertent disadvantage to certain candidates. Additionally, providing clear and consistent evaluation criteria is essential to ensure that all candidates are judged based on the same standards.

1.4. Managing Time and Resources:

The time and resources required to design, administer, and evaluate coding interviews can be substantial. Crafting relevant and challenging coding problems involves significant effort, and employers must allocate adequate time for both preparation and review. Furthermore, the interview process can be resource-intensive, requiring skilled personnel to administer and evaluate tests, which adds to the overall cost of hiring.

1.5. Ensuring a Positive Candidate Experience:

Maintaining a positive candidate experience throughout the interview process is vital but often overlooked. Candidates may feel discouraged by overly complex or poorly structured interviews, which can negatively impact their perception of the company. Ensuring that the interview process is engaging, transparent, and respectful helps in attracting top talent and maintaining a positive employer brand.

1.6. Adapting to Evolving Technologies:

The rapid pace of technological advancements poses a challenge for employers to keep their coding challenges relevant. New programming languages, frameworks, and tools emerge frequently, and interview content must be updated regularly to reflect these changes. Failure to adapt can result in outdated assessments that do not accurately measure current technical skills.

    2. Challenges Come from the Candidates:

Coding interviews are often considered both the most crucial and the most challenging aspect of the hiring process, which can deter candidates from participating. From the candidates’ perspective, these interviews can be particularly daunting and stressful.

2.1. High Pressure and Stress: 

Coding interviews often involve high-pressure scenarios where candidates must solve complex problems under tight deadlines. This pressure can be overwhelming, especially for those who may experience anxiety during such high-stakes assessments. The stress of performing well can detract from a candidate’s ability to think clearly and showcase their true abilities.

2.2. Time-Consuming Nature: 

Many coding interviews require extensive preparation and can be time-consuming, which poses a challenge for candidates who are already juggling current job responsibilities or personal commitments. The need to balance this preparation with their existing workload can lead to frustration and burnout, making it harder to stay engaged with the hiring process.

2.3. Lack of Real-World Context: 

Coding challenges are often abstract and may not reflect the practical problems faced in the day-to-day role. This disconnect can make it difficult for candidates to see the relevance of the tasks, leading to a lack of motivation and reluctance to invest time in preparing for these challenges.

2.4. Inadequate Feedback: 

Candidates frequently receive minimal or no feedback on their performance in coding interviews. This lack of constructive feedback can lead to a sense of uncertainty and frustration, as candidates are unable to gauge how their performance aligns with the expectations of the employer.

2.5. Unclear Expectations: 

Sometimes, the expectations for coding interviews are not well defined, leaving candidates unsure about what exactly they need to demonstrate. Ambiguous instructions or poorly defined problem statements can add to the anxiety and decrease a candidate’s confidence in their performance.

2.6. High Failure Rate: 

The high rate of failure in coding interviews, where candidates are often rejected after multiple rounds, can be demotivating. The fear of rejection, coupled with the effort and time invested, can discourage candidates from continuing with the interview process.

Many candidates decide not to apply for a position once they learn that a coding challenge is part of the hiring process. So, how can we make coding interviews less stressful and more engaging to encourage more candidates to participate?

III. Creating an Engaging and Effective Code Interview

There are numerous discussions on forums like Stack Overflow and Reddit about candidates feeling uncomfortable, stressed, and anxious during coding tests, which can impact their performance in the recruitment process. Therefore, creating a well-structured and engaging coding interview is crucial, as it significantly affects your hiring outcomes. Below are some suggestions from Leamar Hiring:

    1. Start by Understanding the Role

Each position has its own unique role and technological skill requirements. For example, a JavaScript Developer is not the same as a Java Developer. While they may share some common knowledge of certain concepts, they ultimately work on entirely different things. If the role is more data-oriented, challenges requiring data manipulation and analysis skills would be suitable. If the position demands a deep understanding of algorithms, focus on problems that assess the candidate’s algorithmic knowledge and problem-solving abilities.

A coding interview that doesn’t align with the job description can make candidates feel disconnected and undervalued. They might perceive the process as a waste of time, especially if the tasks don’t match their expectations based on the job role. This can negatively impact their overall perception of the company and its hiring practices.

With this in mind, the first step in determining the best test for candidates is to understand the role. What skills are you seeking? What core concepts do candidates need to be familiar with? This ensures that the coding interview you design is relevant to the job requirements and can effectively evaluate the skills needed for the position.

    2. Striking the right balance for difficulty level

Balancing the difficulty level of a coding interview is a crucial factor in creating an effective code interview. Tests should not be so easy that they fail to adequately assess the candidate’s actual skills, nor should they be so difficult as to cause discouragement or excessive pressure. The difficulty level of the code interview significantly impacts the recruitment outcome.

According to a study by CodeSignal in 2022, coding tests with a balanced difficulty level improve the ability of companies to predict candidate performance. The research indicates that:

• Tests that are too easy:  can only classify 30% of candidates as skilled, and do not provide sufficient information about their advanced skills.
• Tests that are too difficult:  can lead to a rejection rate of up to 25% during the recruitment process, as candidates may feel lacking in confidence or be unable to complete the test.

Additionally, the difficulty level also affects the candidate’s psychology and performance. A study by HackerRank in 2021 found that:

• 85% of candidates felt confident that challenges with moderate difficulty (taking 60 to 90 minutes) were sufficient to showcase their programming skills effectively without feeling undue pressure.
• Challenges too difficult (exceeding 90 minutes) can reduce the effectiveness and accuracy of the assessment due to candidate fatigue and decreased focus.

In summary, balancing the difficulty level of a coding test not only helps in accurately assessing the candidate’s skills but also ensures that candidates have a positive interview experience.

    3. Select the Type of Challenge That Makes Sense 

Choosing the appropriate type of coding interview is crucial in the recruitment process, as it directly affects both the ability to assess the candidate’s skills and their overall experience during the interview. Let’s have a look at the most common types.

•  Take-Home Assignments: In this format, the employer provides candidates with a coding test to be completed independently within a set deadline. This approach is ideal for assessing how candidates perform when working autonomously, as it simulates solving real-world problems without immediate supervision. It helps gauge their ability to manage time and tackle challenges on their own.
• Pair Programming: As implied by the name, this type of interview involves two participants working together on a coding problem. The interviewer and the candidate collaborate in real-time, providing an opportunity to evaluate not only the candidate’s technical skills but also their teamwork and communication abilities. While effective for assessing collaboration, it may not be the best way to measure individual problem-solving skills, as the candidate is continuously influenced by the interviewer’s input.
•  Whiteboarding: This traditional in-person coding challenge requires candidates to solve a problem on a whiteboard or canvas in front of the interviewer or the development team. The candidate must articulate their thought process and solutions without much external help. Similar to pair programming, this format places candidates in a high-pressure environment, which can sometimes lead to less favorable outcomes if they become nervous.
•  Screening Questions: Often formatted like a quiz, these questions are designed to quickly evaluate a candidate’s basic knowledge and skills. While not ideal for deep analysis of problem-solving methods, they are useful for efficiently assessing a large number of candidates. This initial screening helps filter out those who lack fundamental concepts before moving on to more detailed assessments.
• Choosing the Right Approach: The selection of interview types should align with what you aim to evaluate. For a comprehensive assessment, you might combine multiple types of tests. For instance, starting with basic screening questions can confirm core knowledge, followed by more specialized tests to explore specific skills in depth. This approach ensures that you not only identify candidates with foundational expertise but also those with the advanced capabilities needed for the role.

    4. Value Process Over Perfection

The saying “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” is highly relevant to coding interviews. While the ultimate goal is to find the correct answer, how candidates approach and solve the problem is often more important. This approach helps you assess their problem-solving skills and thought processes more comprehensively.

Analyzing the Problem-Solving Process

• Problem Analysis Skills: It is crucial to observe how candidates analyze and understand the requirements of the problem. Pay attention to how they identify key factors and formulate a strategy to address the problem. This reveals their ability to systematically analyze issues.
• Reasoning Process: The way candidates develop their ideas, test hypotheses, and adjust their approach is also important. Even if they don’t reach the correct solution immediately, their ability to explain their reasoning and strategy demonstrates strong problem-solving skills.
• Handling Difficulties: Candidates will often encounter unexpected challenges. Their approach to overcoming these obstacles, such as finding alternative solutions or adjusting their strategy, shows their flexibility and perseverance.
• Communication Skills: In face-to-face interviews, how candidates communicate their problem-solving process is crucial. You should evaluate whether they can articulate their ideas clearly and logically.

Why This Matters

• Analytical Thinking: Focusing on the process helps you understand the candidate’s analytical thinking skills, not just their final result but how they arrived at it.
• Adaptability: In a work environment, candidates often face unforeseen issues. Those with strong problem-solving processes will be better equipped to handle unexpected situations.
• Creative Problem Solving: Problem-solving skills involve not only applying existing formulas but also being creative and innovative in finding solutions.

Focusing on the problem-solving process rather than just the final answer allows you to evaluate the candidate’s abilities and mindset comprehensively. This approach helps you select candidates who are not only capable of finding the right solutions but also adept at navigating complex and dynamic work environments.

  IV. Some Websites/Tools for Conducting Coding Interviews

Currently, there are many websites and tools designed to conduct technical assignment, helping to optimize the recruitment process. Here are some popular websites and tools that can help you conduct coding interviews effectively:

1. LeetCode: LeetCode provides a large collection of coding problems along with a platform for real-time coding interviews. It offers features for live coding, problem-solving, and a variety of questions categorized by difficulty and topic.
2. HackerRank: HackerRank offers a comprehensive platform for coding assessments. It supports real-time coding, automated evaluations, and a variety of coding challenges. It also provides detailed analytics and reporting tools.
3. CodeSignal: CodeSignal provides a coding interview platform with live coding environments and pre-built assessments. It includes features for collaborative coding, problem-solving, and technical skill evaluation.
4. CoderPad: CoderPad allows for live coding interviews with a collaborative coding environment. It supports real-time code execution and integrates with various programming languages, offering an interactive and engaging interview experience.
5. Interviewing.io: Interviewing.io offers a platform for conducting mock technical interviews and live coding sessions. It provides a focus on realistic interview scenarios and includes features for feedback and improvement.
6. Toptal: Toptal provides a service for conducting technical interviews and assessments with a focus on high-quality candidates. It includes tools for live coding and real-time feedback during interviews.

These tools and platforms help streamline the coding interview process, making it easier to assess candidates’ technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and overall fit for your team.

V.  Conclusion

To sum up, creating an effective technical assignment is essential for accurately assessing candidates’ technical abilities and ensuring a successful hiring process. The complexity of evaluating developers extends beyond merely finding the right answer; it involves understanding how candidates approach problems, balance difficulty, and fit their skills to the role. A well-structured coding interview process not only helps in selecting the best talent but also contributes to building a strong, effective team that can drive your company’s success.

If you need assistance with finding candidates, please contact Leamar Hiring. We are here to be your potential partner, connecting you with talented candidates to realize your vision.