Building your ideal tech team takes planning and the right steps. Choosing which stages to add to your hiring process is key to assessing the skills that matter and bringing developers with the right technical expertise onto your team.
When it's time to test domain knowledge, you’ve definitely got options: live coding sessions, take-home assignments, and system design challenges, just to name a few.
In this article, we’ll explain why live coding interviews aren’t always the best choice. We’ll also show you how to structure a coding assessment that reveals what hiring managers need to see in a strong candidate.
The Logic Behind Live Coding Interviews
As you know, a coding interview is a technical assessment used by companies to evaluate a candidate’s programming skills during the hiring process.
It usually involves solving real-world problems using code, either on a whiteboard, in a shared editor, or through a coding platform.
Why do Companies Opt for Live Coding Interviews?
Following the lead of big players like FAANG.
It's one thing to look up to the Big Five in terms of aspiration, but what they assess when hiring often doesn’t necessarily reflect your company’s day-to-day needs.
These companies can afford to lose qualified candidates, so they set the bar high to filter for outliers.
Checking how the candidate performs under pressure
Live coding puts candidates on the spot, which some employers see as a way to test composure and problem-solving speed.
Evaluating technical skills in real time
Interviewers can see how candidates write, debug, and explain code on the fly.
Observing the candidate’s thought process
It’s a chance to understand how someone approaches problems and explains their decisions.
Creating space for follow-up questions
Interviewers can challenge assumptions, dig deeper, or explore different directions in the moment.
Simulating collaborative work
For teams that do pair programming or technical discussions daily, live coding shows how someone communicates and works alongside others.
Spotting non-technical red flags
Things like poor communication, overconfidence, or resistance to feedback often show up during live sessions.
Strider’s Take on Live Coding Interviews
At Strider, we don’t see live coding interviews as the most effective way to assess an engineer's technical skills — although it can be used if there's a specific context to it.
While some companies use them as their main filter, we’ve found that this approach often favors performance under pressure over real-world ability. So, what do we do instead?
We start with take-home tests. This format gives candidates the space to think critically, write cleaner code, and focus on solving the challenge without the added stress of a timer or someone watching over their shoulder.
It reflects a more realistic work environment, where developers often have time to research, test ideas, and iterate before sharing a solution.
How We Structure the Technical Evaluation
A good test gives developers just enough information to show their skills without overwhelming your internal team during evaluation.
Let’s break down how to build an assessment that’s both effective and efficient.
Workload
How much time should a technical test take? In most cases, no more than four hours. Anything longer starts to feel like unpaid work and can push great candidates away.
Also, the more complex your test is, the more time your team will need to review it properly and give feedback.
Keep in mind that every assignment you send out requires time from your reviewers, not just the candidate. That includes reading through code, checking for quality, and providing meaningful responses.
Briefing
Setting expectations up front is essential. Candidates should clearly understand what you’re asking them to do, and just as importantly, what not to focus on.
For example, if your goal is to test backend logic, tell them not to spend time on UI polish or animations.
Avoid questions that reward memorization. Your test should help you learn how candidates solve problems, not whether they remember the syntax for a rarely used algorithm.
Context
Don’t drop candidates into a test without direction.
Provide the background they need to make smart decisions. Consider including information such as: what the application is for, how it’s expected to perform, and any technical or business constraints that should guide their solution.
Should the code be optimized for speed, memory, or readability? Is this part of a customer-facing product or an internal tool? The more context you provide, the more accurate and relevant their solution will be.
Deliverables
Finally, be specific about what you want back. That includes the format, tools they’re expected to use, naming conventions, and whether or not to include a README file explaining their solution.
What Coding Assessments Should Demonstrate
Here’s what we consider when creating coding tests for our internal hiring process, and what we recommend to our clients.
Focus On Problem-Solving, Not Memorization
When designing a technical test, it's easy to fall into the trap of asking questions that check for memorized syntax or textbook definitions.
Memorization doesn’t reflect how professionals code. What matters more is how they approach challenges, troubleshoot issues, and deliver functional solutions.
Test Their Judgment
How does the candidate move from problem to solution? That’s what you really want to know.
A well-structured test reveals whether someone can break down the problem, prioritize the right aspects, and make smart choices within the constraints.
Even if the final solution isn’t perfect, you’ll learn a lot from how they got there. Are they resourceful? Do they think critically? Are they capable of adapting their code when requirements shift?
What Comes After the Coding Test?
If the take-home assignment meets expectations, we move to the next step: a technical interview. This stage isn’t just about reviewing code.
It’s about asking the right questions to uncover how the candidate thinks, such as: did they take time to plan before jumping into code? Do they understand why they chose a certain approach? Can they explain trade-offs?
Incorporating AI in Coding Tests
The conversation held during technical interviews also helps companies identify when someone may have leaned too heavily on an AI tool without truly grasping the logic behind their answer.
A well-prepared candidate can walk the interviewer through their code and back up each decision. That kind of clarity says a lot more about their potential than watching them write code on the spot.
Last Thoughts on Live Coding Interviews
A good test isn't just about the result, but also about revealing how a developer thinks, reacts, and solves problems when given the tools and space to do so.
Now you have the right tools to think critically about live coding interviews and create a technical assignment that fits your company’s needs while also respecting the applicant’s time.
Next, explore the benefits of hiring contractors and see how Strider can help you find top-tier matches for your team.
