Tech tests are one of the most common practices in hiring developers, but are they still the best way to assess talent? In this episode of Workplace 2.0, we took a deep dive into what works, what doesn’t, and the ethical questions surrounding tech tests.
Our Founder, Iain, was joined by a brilliant panel of experts who shared their experiences from both sides of the hiring fence:
Alex West - Head of Tech at Neighbourly
Alex oversees the technology arm of Neighbourly, an award-winning CSR platform helping businesses donate time, money, and skills to positively impact communities across the UK.
Agata Sumowska - Software Engineer at Signal AI
Since graduating from Makers Academy in 2017, Agata has worked for the likes of LexisNexis, ThoughtWorks, and now Signal AI. With experience interviewing at both start-ups and corporates, she had plenty of tech test stories to share.
Michael Parkinson - Head of Engineering Core at RS Components
Michael leads a team of over 100 developers across a wide range of applications and languages. With a background in large-scale corporate digital and ERP transformations, he brought insights into building high-performing engineering teams.
Key takeaways from this episode include:
- What constitutes an acceptable tech test — and what doesn’t
- How long a test should realistically last
- Whether companies should pay candidates if working on live issues
- Common pitfalls and ethical concerns with tech assessments
- First-hand experiences of tech test successes, failures, and “horror stories”
About Workplace 2.0
Revoco’s Workplace 2.0 webinar was set up with one purpose: to address topical challenges employers and managers were facing in the drastically changing workplace. As the workplace continues to evolve at a rapid pace, we’re still on a mission to help you answer some of those all-important questions.
