But what's the solution? How do I know you can do what you say you can do if you don't have a Github account? I mean, if I met with you for 2 hours and we paired on something, that's still making you code for free, right? It also requires us to find a time to sync up. If you're cool with that, then why not doing it async instead?
That aside, There are tons of people out there who simply do not have the extra time to do open source work. Families, other obligations, health issues, you name it. It's pretty great to be able to do self-promotion via open source code, I certainly hate the idea of saying "no Github? Sorry, no interview". But I also can't just take people at their word because people either embellish or outright lie during interviews and resumes.
I've had a ton of people who said they could do soemthing during an interview, but didn't actually demonstrate that on the homework. Way more than you'd think. Especially with less-experienced folks.
So last time I needed a job, I interviewed at something like 38 places. All had my Github, smack dab at the top of the resume. Exactly two (2) out of a total of like 10 responses that passed through the first phone screen and wanted a coding test said "you have a Github so we don't need you to do the coding test."
So...I agree with you, but they totally do ask anyway. ;)
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> That's a time investment too.
Those devs are getting paid for it, though. If you want to pay for my time, then that obviously changes things.
(If you are picking up that I do not care that the company spends money, you would be correct. People matter, not LLCs or corporations. ;)
> The argument against homework from the candidate always comes down to "Why should I have to prove I can do what I say I can do?"
I disagree. The argument I generally hear (and I'm more sympathetic to your position if somebody is a non-person on the internet) is "you aren't paying me for work you are asking for." Which is the framing that, IMO, makes much more sense. Neither of us should be working for free and we should be pushing back against upper management if they want you to be complicit in trying to make me work for free (or vice versa).
> Hiring people for a team is extra work. If I spent 3 hours in interviews today, guess what? I still have to get my work done too.
I 100% empathize, but this speaks to a failure of management. If an interview isn't being counted as filling space/reducing story points for that sprint/whatever-Agile-Agile-Agile, then management dun goofed.