How to Hire Software Development Talent with Coding Interview Tools
It’s 2022. Companies are racing to get the best tools and strategies for the remote hiring process. The tech industry is booming, and engineering leaders have to build teams fast while still checking candidates’ technical capabilities before hiring.
How do you accurately evaluate tech candidates in less time?
This is where coding interview tools come into play. Engineering managers can choose from a number of platforms to evaluate a candidate’s skills quickly and efficiently. They can also ask the right questions depending on the nature of the position they seek to fill.
Technical coding is always part of the tech interview. You want to be sure that the person you select for the position has the right skills and approach to fit the coding position.
Here are some of the objectives of a technical coding interview:
- Evaluate hands-on coding skills
- Determine problem-solving ability
- Check understanding of current coding languages and trends
- Evaluate communication skills and cultural fit
It’s no secret that a code interview online produces better results than traditional whiteboard interviews. Whiteboard interviews do not accurately mimic the work conditions the candidate will be subjected to and rely heavily on personal dynamics in answering questions.
So, there’s a chance that the best candidate will not be eloquent enough to convince you to hire them.
Unlike whiteboard interviews, online coding interview tools come with a live code editor that enables you to evaluate skills in a work-like environment. The online code editor for interviews can be customized to check various coding aspects and languages. For example, you can use in-depth JavaScript live coding interview questions to evaluate a candidate’s mastery of the concept effectively.
We suggest simplifying the technical coding interview by using Woven, a platform managed by programming professionals, to assess your candidates.
Here’s why.
CodeInterview has bias
Before the pandemic, many tech companies relied on whiteboard interviews to evaluate the skills of their candidates.
However, studies show that the biggest drawback of whiteboard interviews is that they rely on the memory of basic concepts. Candidates may spend more time revising data structures and algorithms than presenting themselves as problem solvers.
This interview style treats code as performance and not craft. It creates a bias where the most eloquent candidate (not necessarily the most skilled) wins.
A popular solution is going for open-source online code editors like CodeInterview, where you can test coding skills remotely in a work-like environment. Here, you can ask questions and have candidates implement concepts in a live coding exercise.
Platforms like the Hackerrank live coding interview also offer features to manage the process. For example, you might load Java live coding interview questions from a library, get candidates to code, and test the code right on the platform.
Unfortunately, these tools do not address the issue at hand. They are more interested in data structures and memorizing code than actually putting the skills to work; this creates a bias where those with a good memory or recent graduates get the upper hand over candidates that are more hands-on in their work.
CoderPad also has shortcomings
CoderPad interview is another popular online coding interview tool on the market. This platform allows companies to set a challenge, let the candidate work on it, and test them right on the platform. Users can also access CoderPad via mobile devices.
This tool is adaptable to your recruitment needs and the type of language you want to test. For example, you can use CoderPad interview questions Python or C++ if you wish to interview in a specific language.
You also pay for what you’d like to use. If you only need CoderPad interview questions C++, you do not need to pay for Java, Python, and the rest. You can also remove some features as you desire.
Again, the platform has a significant flaw that makes it less ideal for getting the right talent.
Since CoderPad is a live coding interview platform, candidates are usually under pressure to answer questions in front of a panel in real time. This is obviously unlike their normal working conditions. The platform also emphasizes interpersonal dynamism over technical prowess, giving the most eloquent, rather than the most skilled, an upper hand.
A benchmark for coding interviews
An online code editor is a tool based on a remote server and is accessible via browsers. It may be a stand-alone program or part of an integrated development environment (IDE).
An IDE consists of at least one source code editor, build automation tools, and a debugger tool. Others contain an interpreter or a compiler. IDEs are the most popular tools for online coding as they make a developer’s job a lot easier.
On a live coding interview website, software engineers should be allowed to access all these accessories to complete a challenge. It is impractical to expect any candidate to produce a perfect piece of code without any of the tools they normally use to test, debug, and automate. In a real-life coding environment, these features ensure that the online code editor C++, Python, or any other language is effective and the project is completed in record time.
Therefore, when picking a tool, use the online code editor as a benchmark so that candidates have what they need to succeed in the interview.
Live coding interview vs asynchronous assessments
A live coding interview involves throwing a challenge at a candidate and having them solve it in front of you. We mentioned that some interviewers use platforms like CoderPad to provide the coding tools candidates need. And the interview results are usually based on the code that the candidate has created.
But if you look at online forums, you’re likely to find comments like, “I hate live coding interviews.” Why?
- Candidates working under pressure are likely to make mistakes
- In real life, developers have several tools to check, test, and debug their code, which ensures a better output
- There is little time to test a more significant, practical project
An alternative is to give candidates a challenge and let them work on it on their own. Offering an asynchronous assessment alleviates some of the pressure and provides a more positive candidate experience.
That’s what you’ll get with Woven.
Using CoderPad SQL to evaluate SQL knowledge
SQL is an open-source programming language that is used to communicate with relational databases. Most database management systems, like Microsoft and Oracle, use the language. There is even an ANSI for SQL. It’s a backend language that helps establish the schema necessary for software to run.
Any engineering manager looking for effective software developers should evaluate their understanding of SQL. It’s critical to your business’s success. CoderPad SQL questions provide a quick rundown of the most salient areas of the language. CodeInterview questions also touch on the area. These tools can be useful for companies looking to hire entry-level and intermediate software development positions.
However, the CoderPad vs. CodeInterview comparison should be looked at as a whole — not just from the SQL perspective. You get value for money when you get a more wholesome solution.
Woven as a CoderPad alternative
We’ve established that there are several live coding platforms out there. And… they aren’t the best.
One of the greatest shortcomings of these programs is the pressure they put on candidates during a live coding interview. These tools tend to rely more on memory and interpersonal dynamism than the ability to solve real-world problems.
And these tools do not provide the features available in a typical working environment. You won’t find an IDE where engineers can generate, automate, and debug their code for an accurate result.
Fortunately, there’s a CoderPad alternative. Woven’s coding interview platform allows you to test architecture, debugging, and communication and looks at the results through the eyes of real engineers.
Our platform also allows you to choose scenarios based on the types of software developers you need for your business. You may be hiring a front-end or backend developer, a DevOps expert, or data scientist, among others, and can have your assessment questions specifically designed for the position.
Want to try a technical work simulation for yourself? Start a free trial today!
