[caw]

I kind of see this issue from 2 perspectives:

1) You're perfectly in your right to ask for code samples. Given, you have to make sure in some fashion that they wrote it.

2) From the perspective of someone without sample code -- I can't show you what I make. I can count a number of reasons why it wouldn't be available: NDAs, trade secrets, company owned code, and even government classified work. In this situation, I would prefer a whiteboard test or code up this problem in a few days and submit it with your resume.

You might logically ask, why no other code outside of work? To that I would respond work-life balance. If you insist on "free time" code you'll get a whizz bang coder probably. You'll exclude the people who strive for balance (which may not be what you want, you just have to know you're excluding these people). These people have other interests outside of work and I might argue be more well-rounded individuals than someone who codes for 8 hours and then goes and hacks for 6 more on their side project.

Obviously this isn't a hard and fast rule, I'm just giving you the other perspective.

I work in IT. I like to code, and I code at work (which means I can't show it to you). I have some sample code from some school projects, but older individuals wouldn't.

If you were to do the same thing with IT you would ask "Why haven't you set up a webserver and configured the database." Maybe because I don't have a use for that outside work. Maybe I have other interests or other time commitments that prevent me from doing that sort of work. In respect to coding, maybe I don't have a problem that can be automated, and I would absolutely hate to spend my time implementing an idea that is probably worthless. If I bother to validate it and do my homework, you're looking for an entrepreneur to give up their work in order to join yours as less than a founder.

[tedroden]

I totally agree. Some people don't have time to code outside of work. I have two kids, a full time job, I haven't had time outside of work to write code in ages... and I've only been a startup founder for a short time. However, my point is that "code" is as important as "resume" when looking for a job. As someone hiring, I'm just thinking the time would be better spent on code samples than writing a resume. I'm probably wrong though as far as it goes to hiring at most companies.

[caw]

> As someone hiring, I'm just thinking the time would be better spent on code samples than writing a resume.

I guess it depends on what you're looking for and your point of view.

It sounds like that given the choice between coding something in order to show employers versus creating a resume you would rather produce the code. But as an employer, do you want code that they wrote to show off, or do you want code from a project that they enjoy and to solve a problem, rather than as a demonstration? And as other people said, you don't know how long it took them to write that spiffy code they're showing you. If you spend enough time on it, the turd will eventually be polished.

Resumes are pretty much universally accepted. Startups are tending towards more code based, but I get the impression that you don't know going in if they want to see existing code, or a specific problem solved. Given that situation, your bang for the buck would probably go with a resume. Even if you tweak your resume to have 3-4 versions in order to apply to different positions it's probably time better spent than creating contrived code examples to serve as a resume.