I think most 2-4 hour take-homes can be condensed to 1-2 hours with some thoughtful choices. A few ideas I've used:
- Provide starter code and setup instructions so candidates don't waste time on boilerplate.
- Abbreviate requirements to what actually matters. E.g. do you really need 100% test coverage on a take-home? Ask candidates to write a few tests and then tell you what else they'd do given more time.
- Use an open-ended, time-boxed format instead of having end-to-end expectations. IMO a hybrid format where a short (1 hr) take-home is followed by a live discussion/pairing afterward can be the core component of a hiring process.
I'd love to hear more about the Ramp process. Do you mind sharing what sort of practical problems they used?
- Provide starter code and setup instructions so candidates don't waste time on boilerplate.
- Abbreviate requirements to what actually matters. E.g. do you really need 100% test coverage on a take-home? Ask candidates to write a few tests and then tell you what else they'd do given more time.
- Use an open-ended, time-boxed format instead of having end-to-end expectations. IMO a hybrid format where a short (1 hr) take-home is followed by a live discussion/pairing afterward can be the core component of a hiring process.
I'd love to hear more about the Ramp process. Do you mind sharing what sort of practical problems they used?