[JonoBB]

For promising candidates, we ask that they complete a pre-specified project in their own time. The project takes most candidates 2-3 hours to complete.

The difference is that we do this as paid work. Whatever their going rate is, we'll match it.

A surprisingly high number of candidates interview quite well and look promising on paper, but fail horribly in a "real world" coding test.

[dasboth]

That sounds entirely reasonable; by paying, you're respecting the time the candidates have to put aside and chances are it will motivate people to do better.

[nialo]

(I'd send this in email, but I can't find one in your profile)

What company are you talking about hiring for? I'm looking for work as a programmer, and I'd prefer to apply to places with a hiring process like this. You can find some code I've written (a server clone for www.stockfighter.io/) at https://github.com/bcoburn3/forex

My email is [e-mail] if you'd prefer to respond that way