Ask your friends who aren't software engineers. How many of them solve problems they've never seen before while someone watches over them during an interview?
The vast majority of other professions spend their time talking about past projects.
For instance all my designer friends show off their portfolios, then maybe they get a take home work sample. My writer friends submit samples of their work. And my engineer friends discuss past projects they've worked on.
For instance all my designer friends show off their portfolios, then maybe they get a take home work sample. My writer friends submit samples of their work. And my engineer friends discuss past projects they've worked on.