Comment by marcus_holmes
8 hours ago
Recruitment and hiring has been a mess for decades, though, especially in tech.
It's like all the leetcode bullshit. We know that is not a valid measurement for actual performance in a dev job, but that doesn't stop managers from using it.
What they need is a number, a rating, on how much of a fit each candidate is, through some process that can be described as objective and fair. The algorithms provide that.
If we make this illegal, they'll just come up with some other bullshit.
In an ideal world, companies would assess each and every candidate individually and on their merits. But no-one has time or patience for that, so we have these bullshit systems.
From what I seen, the leetcode is self reproducing dysfunction. There is whole subculture that believes being good at leetcode like tests and puzzles makes you inherently superior in all aspects, because you are smart. After all, they were good at leetcode like tests and are superior and smart. It is people who grew up in that subculture becoming managers recreating the culture they grew up in.
That is why the "not a valid measurement for actual performance in a dev job" thing does not matter. Too many people are emotionally invested in this being important measure. Their and their friends self worth is attached to it.