When hiring for technical roles, resumes and interviews alone often don’t adequately demonstrate a candidate’s true capabilities. A resume might list proficiency in Python or React, but to what extent can they effectively use those skills to solve genuine engineering tasks? That’s where practical work simulations come in. Giving candidates a focused practical exercise to complete offers a transparent and practical way to assess their abilities beyond theory.
Instead of asking theoretical puzzles during an interview, provide a task that emulates daily responsibilities. For example, if you’re hiring a backend developer, найти программиста ask them to build a simple API that handles user authentication and returns data from a mock database. For a UI, request a dynamic interface pulling content from a sample JSON feed. These tasks should take no more than 2–4 hours to complete, ensuring they’re fair and respectful.
The goal isn’t to design unsolvable puzzles but to observe how they think, organize their code, and communicate their process. Do they write organized, maintainable source files? Do they plan for edge scenarios and robustness? Are they able to follow instructions while still making thoughtful design choices? Their approach often tells you more than any technical quiz.
It’s also important to offer purpose. Tell them what the project is meant to simulate—whether it’s a feature for an e-commerce site or a utility for team workflows. This helps them grasp the real-world impact and encourages them to think like a professional, not just a theory respondent.
Candidates welcome this kind of assessment because it signals that execution matters more than credentials. It also creates equity for bootcamp graduates or those lacking formal CS education. Someone who created a side project from scratch may excel over a candidate with an Ivy League diploma but limited real-world coding.
After reviewing submissions, engage in a code review dialogue. Ask them to explain their implementation. What did they decide to optimize? What would they improve given further iteration? This dialogue often reveals their critical thinking, curiosity, and openness to feedback.
Testing with authentic assignments doesn’t just help you hire better. It helps candidates demonstrate their true potential. It turns hiring from a guessing game into a genuine dialogue about capability.