The subject matter refers. This is a subjective take based on my cumulative experiences during my career transition to tech. I'm confident that, if applied, it proves true for about 90% of entry-level or junior tech roles' job application feedback any candidate would receive.

Tech as a profession is highly remote-friendly. When all is said and done, it’s just you, your table, your chair, and your computer. You muse over logic, give instructions to your computer based on that logic, and await results. It’s a career path of constant learning, application of learnings, and continuous engagement.

Time is, therefore, extremely valuable for everyone in tech—be it an employer creating jobs, an employee fulfilling them, or an aspiring employee seeking to fill those roles.

Efficient tech hiring should, consequently, eliminate time wastage. Employers want to be excited and confident that the hiring process will yield successful outcomes. They aim to ensure that candidates they carve out time to interview are reasonably sound in their fundamentals and capable of getting the job done. Efficient shortlisting avoids engaging with every Tom, Dick, and Harry screaming for a tech internship or job. Instead, it seeks out those who go the extra mile to prepare and demonstrate readiness. Employers intentionally prune candidates to streamline the process before committing time to interviews.

From this perspective, I confidently assert that if a candidate wants to assess whether a job they’re applying for will be worth it—both in terms of career growth and remuneration—the first stage of recruitment for such a job would typically include one of the following:

1 A take-home coding assignment to complete a task.
2 A technical coding test to gauge skill. Platforms like TestGorilla, a talent assessment site for skills-based hiring, are widely used for this purpose.
3 A technical interview conducted online, featuring a barrage of on-the-spot technical questions related to everyday work responsibilities, designed to clearly evaluate the candidate's skill-based suitability for the role.

In this "T-Pain economy," if you apply for a programming job where the recruiter sets a physical interview as the first hurdle, it’s a red flag. Such roles are likely to undervalue your potential and view you as easily dispensable. Furthermore, these positions are unlikely to push you to your full capabilities or foster meaningful career growth.