How to Test Coding Skills

A coding test can effectively separate those who talk a good game from those who can actually deliver on their promises. Allowing you to more accurately determine whether they really have what it takes to fit the job – and avoiding those pesky and awkward mis-hire situations.

That being said, it all comes down to how to test coding skills. Are you simply giving them a multiple-choice quiz, or are you using a coding assessment platform that will truly test for those problem-solving skills that are crucial in real-life development?

So, how do you effectively test coding skills?

It’s no secret that recruiting developers can be challenging, so how do you make sure you hire only the best?

Simulate A Real-World Challenge

Employers need developers who can solve real-world problems and manage real-world challenges. The best way to determine whether a candidate can handle these challenges is to give them a problem that simulates those challenges.

Some of the most common coding tests ask developers to write code that solves simple problems: Invert a binary tree, find the common ancestor of N nodes in a graph, and so on. While these are valuable skills, they don’t necessarily reflect what developers will be doing every day.

If you’re testing coding skills, make sure that you are simulating a real-world scenario that truly showcases their capabilities and tests the various knowledge areas that really matter. Knowledge areas such as their ability to design the overall structure and flow of a software application. Or how well they consume an existing API – just to name a couple of examples.

Go Further Than Language Proficiency

If you’re looking for a great developer, you have to go beyond evaluating the language and syntax. You also have to evaluate how candidates solve problems, understand requirements, grasp more complex coding concepts, and find their way around day-to-day tasks such as sync programming, API development, and the like – all to deliver real-world results.

Because development is not just about solving a problem but also about how to solve it in a way that makes it easy for others to understand the solution and build upon it.

Why? Because development is not just about solving a problem but also about how to solve it in a way that makes it easy for others to understand the solution and build upon it. It’s about having the flexibility to adapt something that was developed for one purpose for an entirely different purpose down the road because no one can predict what will be needed next – this is the world of real-world development after all.

Use a Testing Tool based on an Authentic Development Environment

Using a realistic development environment allows you to evaluate candidates’ coding skills in the most accurate way possible. Forget testing in an artificial, controlled, and restricted environment. To get a true gauge of their abilities, you need to test using a flexible, real-world experience. This way you allow developers to demonstrate what they are really capable of – and you can make an informed decision about whether or not they would be a good fit for the company.

Why It’s Important To Test For The Right Skills

In the process of hiring a developer, you need to look beyond what is on a resume. You need to objectively measure the key skills needed for the job, and use a coding test that uses real-world challenges.

Why? Well, one word: quality. By using tests with real-world challenges for your candidates, you’re testing how your developers will perform in actual situations. And by measuring their true abilities, you can hire confident developers who are ready to be productive on day one.

Now that you know how to test coding skills, let’s get started! 
Codeaid is the first free coding test platform designed to test developers and engineers against real-world scenarios. Sign up for Codeaid today to start making better hiring decisions. 

Have any questions? Please feel free to contact us at any time.