Ask Slashdot: Are Timed Coding Tests Valuable?

First time accepted submitter xkrebstarx writes "A buddy of mine recently applied to a large tech company. Before setting up a phone interview with him, the unnamed company issued a timed coding test to gauge his coding prowess. He was allotted 45 minutes to complete an undergraduate level coding assignment. I would like to ask the Slashdotters of the world if they find value in these speed-programming tests. Does coding quickly really indicate a better programmer? A better employee?"

Comments

Re:I dunno...

[Anonymous Coward]

That's easy; I'm a fast typer!

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
puts("1"); puts("2"); puts("fizz"); puts("4"); puts("buzz"); puts("fizz");
puts("7"); puts("8"); puts("fizz"); puts("buzz"); puts("11"); puts("fizz");
puts("13"); puts("14"); puts("fizzbuzz"); puts("16"); puts("17"); puts("fizz");
puts("19"); puts("buzz"); puts("fizz"); puts("22"); puts("23"); puts("fizz");
puts("buzz"); puts("26"); puts("fizz"); puts("28"); puts("29"); puts("fizzbuzz");
puts("31"); puts("32"); puts("fizz"); puts("34"); puts("buzz"); puts("fizz");
puts("37"); puts("38"); puts("fizz"); puts("buzz"); puts("41"); puts("fizz");
puts("43"); puts("44"); puts("fizzbuzz"); puts("46"); puts("47"); puts("fizz");
puts("49"); puts("buzz"); puts("fizz"); puts("52"); puts("53"); puts("fizz");
puts("buzz"); puts("56"); puts("fizz"); puts("58"); puts("59"); puts("fizzbuzz");
puts("61"); puts("62"); puts("fizz"); puts("64"); puts("buzz"); puts("fizz");
puts("67"); puts("68"); puts("fizz"); puts("buzz"); puts("71"); puts("fizz");
puts("73"); puts("74"); puts("fizzbuzz"); puts("76"); puts("77");
puts("fizz"); puts("79"); puts("buzz"); puts("fizz"); puts("82"); puts("83");
puts("fizz"); puts("buzz"); puts("86"); puts("fizz"); puts("88"); puts("89");
puts("fizzbuzz"); puts("91"); puts("92"); puts("fizz"); puts("94");
puts("buzz"); puts("fizz"); puts("97"); puts("98"); puts("fizz"); puts("buzz");
return 0;
}

Re:I dunno...

[hackula]

Nope, but you might try a Javascript programmer. I would be willing to be a Java programmer would implement this using the ReverseFactoryAbstractFactoryFactory pattern though. They might be able to get it to you in a year, but you would be obligated to sign a 5 year 200k/yr support contract.

Re:I dunno...

[MrBandersnatch]

It took me 6 because I spent 5 minutes trying to find an elegant solution to the problem - do all older programmers suffer from the problem of premature optimization? ;)

Re:I dunno...

[narcc]

No, most older programmers suffer from "do it right" syndrome.

I wrote two different solutions and selected the most readable. It took 8 minutes, but I had to chase some damn kids off my lawn.

Re:I dunno...

[Anne Thwacks]

elegant, easy to read, and maintainable

You mean rewrite it in another language?