Technical Online Assessments For Coders
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Everything You Need To Know About Technical Online Assessments for Coders
Good coders are in demand now more than ever. With that being said, finding a coder who works well for your company can be tricky.
In this post, we’re covering exactly how to streamline your screening process and get better hires by using technical online assessments for coders.
Here’s what you’ll learn, in a nutshell:
- What are technical online assessments for coders
- Are they fair
- Why to use them
- How to read them
- What type to use
What are technical online assessments for coders?
A technical online assessment for coders is an aptitude test that helps hiring managers gauge the technical ability, software skills, and overall potential of job candidates.
Technical online assessments for coders test a candidate’s coding proficiency as well as their understanding of the technical concepts crucial to their potential role, like Java concepts, REST APIs, Frameworks, problem-solving, and the candidate’s ability to learn and adapt within the role.
Assessments test a candidate’s problem solving abilities and thought process in a hands-on setting, giving hiring managers an idea of their code quality, efficiency, correctness, and scalability.
Are technical online assessments for coders fair?
In addition to identifying talent, technical online assessments for coders also help filter bias out of the application process. Instead of hiring based on a resume or interview impression alone, hiring managers can inform their decisions with data on a candidate’s coding skills and performance. Removing unconscious bias makes for a fairer recruitment process overall.
Because you want your applicants to have the best chance for success, it’s important not to let them start the technical online assessment in the dark. Make sure they know what’s expected of them and give them a chance to prepare. Plus, letting them know what you expect gives you the added bonus of seeing how candidates meet expectations. This can predict how they’ll meet job expectations if they’re hired.
Why are coding interviews so difficult?
Coding interviews take too long for all parties involved. They’re hard to scale. You might not have enough interviewers or time to cover your entire pipeline of candidates, your interview questions and process might be ripe with bias, or you might be facing difficulties hiring candidates that add significant value to your team. That’s where technical online coding assessments come in handy.
If you’d like to give a coding challenge a try, register now
Why use an online coding test?
- Better quality candidates - You don’t just want a candidate who can do the job, you want the right candidate for the job. You want a candidate who will be an asset to your team long-term. There’s a sweet spot in between candidates who don’t know what they’re doing and those who are so talented that they won’t have room to grow within your team. Those are the candidates who will do the job well and help your retention rates.
- Save time on interviews and make it convenient for the candidate - Technical interviews can be extremely time consuming. Using technical online tests streamlines the interview process. You don’t have to limit the number of candidates you interview based on time constraints. You’ll also save money in the long run, as all those hours of interviews cost money. Technical online interviews are easier for the candidate, too. Taking assessments online in their own space is comfortable and convenient, and this can even positively impact performance.
- Reduce turnover rate - Employee turnover is expensive and time consuming. A study by SHRM says replacing just one salaried employee can cost 6 to 9 months’ salary. Employee turnover occurs because for one reason or another, the candidate just wasn’t right for the job. According to the Journal of Information Technology Management, dissatisfaction with the “nature of work” is the biggest reason software developers voluntarily leave their positions. If you hire a software engineer who isn’t qualified, they won’t make it long before you’re forced to let them go. If you hire a coder who is overqualified, it won’t be long before they’re looking for new opportunities. With technical online coding assessments, you can pinpoint and hire candidates in the sweet spot– qualified enough for the job, with room to learn and grow within your team.
- Take advantage of global hiring - Society is becoming increasingly globalised. When it comes to a job like coding, you most likely don’t need to hire candidates from a specific geographic location. There are plenty of talented coders who don’t have access to local job opportunities that fit their level of experience and expertise. Technical testing allows you to interview candidates all over the world. This expands your candidate pool, offering opportunities to global candidates while overcoming the geographic limitations that keep you from finding the best candidate for the job.
- Evidenced-based hiring beyond the CV - Scanning a CV isn’t enough to hire a good coder. They might have good grades or a fancy degree, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can solve the tough coding challenges they’ll be faced with on the job. On the flip side, great coders aren’t always great resume writers. Technical online coding assessments add another layer to the job interview process, giving hiring managers insight into a candidate’s actual coding ability. Using this information to create evidence-based hiring decisions will help you hire candidates who will perform well in your open role.
- Internal talent database - Technical online assessments for coders help you build an internal talent database overtime. While one candidate might not be the best fit now, they could be worth revisiting in the future. Having a database of already qualified coders at the ready can save time and money when it comes time to make a new hire.
- Integration with applicant tracking systems - If you use an applicant tracking system, you can integrate it with our coding test software. This process streamlines your hiring process even further, bolstering your ATS with insights into a candidate’s technical skills.
How to read technical online assessments for coders?
We have a dedicated team of peer-reviewers who can assess your candidates’ submissions within 24 hours. If you’d rather read the code yourself, you can take advantage of our code review tools.
Our 360 degree code review tool can make comments and ask questions right on the code, and your candidate can respond. This feedback method is perfect when you think a little more context would influence your decision.
It’s important to look at performance in conjunction with factors like experience. A younger coder might be great at creating data structures, but older candidates who struggle here and have other skills to offer shouldn’t be automatically discounted. When it comes to reading the technical assessments, use the candidate’s CV and demographics as context.
What type of assessment should you choose?
The best assessment is the one that fits your specific needs. First, decide what programming languages you need to test. Find an assessment platform that fits this criteria. You’ll also want to make sure the software you choose is comprehensive. It must evaluate a candidate’s technical ability as well as their specific software skill sets.
Next, it’s helpful to have your team of coders test the software to see if it’s user friendly. They’ll also have a good idea of how the assessment relates to their job activities, so you can ask them whether or not they think it will accurately predict a candidate’s competency.
If you’d like to discuss anything with us about how a coding challenge may benefit your organisation or career, please get in touch at: hello@geektastic.com
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