Rethinking Tech Tests: A More Effective Approach to Assessing Technical Skills

Imagine finding your ideal game company, with a job opening that aligns perfectly with your skills and experience. After submitting your application, you participate in an introductory call, discussing your profile and learning more about the company. However, you soon discover that the next step in the hiring process involves completing a timed technical test. This scenario is all too familiar for engineers in the game industry, who have likely endured lengthy technical tests at some point in their careers. In my opinion, these tests are an ineffective way to conduct tech recruitment, providing an unclear and biased picture of the candidate, while also placing a significant burden on both the applicant and the hiring team. Technical tests come in various forms, such as solving a problem using specific languages and tools, developing a small game from scratch, or debugging a project with existing bugs. Regardless of the format, the outcome is often a piece of code with limited context, failing to provide insight into the candidate's thought process. Writing code is merely the final result of a series of decisions and considerations, which are the aspects that truly matter. Instead of relying on technical tests, a more effective approach would be to engage with candidates in person or via a call, setting up a shared development environment to explore a problem together. This collaborative approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the candidate's skills and thought process, providing a more accurate assessment of their technical abilities. Companies that rely on technical tests often focus on the wrong aspects, prioritizing coding skills over essential traits like effective communication, problem-solving, and adaptability. A more inclusive and effective method would involve presenting a scenario to the candidate, outlining the resources, constraints, and desired outcomes, and then allowing them to develop a solution. This approach enables candidates to demonstrate their skills in a more realistic and engaging way, while also providing a more accurate representation of their abilities. By rethinking traditional technical tests, companies can create a more fair and inclusive hiring process, ultimately leading to better outcomes for both the candidates and the industry as a whole. As the game industry navigates waves of layoffs, it is essential to review hiring practices and recruitment processes, ensuring that they provide a better experience for all parties involved.