Ask HN: Would you pay to use a “can you code” site once | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Would you pay to use a “can you code” site once

3 pointslifeisstillgood7 comments

I am always looking for the next contract job, and have realised that more "good" companies are using upfront "can the candidate code" tests - and frankly while the first one was fun a few years ago my reaction to being told (by some poor schmuck in a call centre who is gathering CVs for a recruiter who may or may not talk to the hiring manager) "it will only take an hour or so" indicates the fun has gone.

I don't want to do five codility tests to prove to five employers I can do FizzBuzz

So, what I would not object to is being tested online, checked if I am human etc and doing Te coding test "once" and then the employers coming along to see how I do

I don't think coding tests are great but they are fine for the simple first hurdle.

I think GitHub is a better resume but boy does that need polishing

So - a codility site where we do the test once and then use it as "proof" of our chops - what do you think?

Interesting, this is like a TSA pre-check program for coders. The main benefit, I assume, is that the exam is proctored and your identity verified.

If not, then there is no value to this. I've already run across someone who said they were sent to a testing site, Googled the answers and got a perfect score. They didn't get the job, but the coding test was not the reason. So if you could guarantee against cheating, that would be an advantage.

I'd say sites like interviewing.io and Pramp sort of do that already.

Yes some kind of anti-cheating feature. To the extent of having a human being watch you, not sure - this is more an intellectual curiosity than a real business model (I think it won't fly - but the reasons why are interesting)

Probably not. Better question, since you're basically in the recruiter space with this idea would an employer pay to use a "can you code" website? And aren't you already competing with the bazillion unofficial 'can you code' sites out there like hackerrank?

Hackerrank seems to be same as codility - I apply for ten jobs I get to do ten different code tests. Not one and then the companies all look at it and go "ok"

I was not planning to make this site - was just intellectually curious as to why, despite we always saying "the software engineer has the whip hand" we end up with business models where we the applicant are expected to sacrifice hours and hours for a shot at an interview.

The cause seems to be "because employers pay" and "applicants don't" but it's interesting enough to ask why we don't pay.

(Personally I think people will get enthusiastic about one opportunity early on in the search and do one code test and then ... Be ever more reluctant to do another test.

HackerRank actually has a jobs app now that lets you complete one application and then all of their customers get to review that ONE application and you get offered from them-pretty much what you're describing.

I think this is spot on. The value of a service related to employment comes from employment and generally employment services which collect money from jobseekers have incentives that poorly align with the job seeker's incentives, for example more revenue the harder it is for a jobseeker to get a job.

Well there are already several such systems. University provides accreditation or certification via a CISCO or Microsoft style exam.

Your approach has a fundamental problem. Who pays for it? If I pay to take your test and get a poor score then I will simply never tell anyone I took it. If I do great I will boast about it on my CV. In that case I might as well go with a Microsoft/CISCO style certification because it is well known. If the employeer pays for it then I will still need to take five of them as each employeer will want you to take a test.

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