[collyw]

It won't work better if you give candidates so many tasks that they think, "why bother?" and go for another easier job application process instead. People have other commitments, and we are often told there is a shortage of developers.

I have told potential employees as much after they asked for a sample of my work (which I had made available for that purpose), and they after that, they still wanted a three hour exercise done before I had even spoken to anyone.

In fact I am about to start a new job in the new year, I had a few interviews, and a couple of jobs that interested me sufficiently. One involved a three hour test, the other asked for a sample for my work. Guess which one I took? Guess which one the interviewer said they were struggling to find candidates?