{"id":40018,"date":"2024-06-03T08:45:36","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T15:45:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/?p=40018"},"modified":"2024-06-04T08:02:46","modified_gmt":"2024-06-04T15:02:46","slug":"dos-and-donts-cheating-prevention-nathan-sutter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/blog\/hiring-developers\/dos-and-donts-cheating-prevention-nathan-sutter\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cDon\u2019t Expect Candidates to Have Everything Memorized\u201d, the Dos and Don\u2019ts of Cheating Prevention With Nathan Sutter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sure, you want to prevent cheating. But you also want to feel good about your hiring process.<\/p>\n\n\n

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I recently chatted with Nathan Sutter, VP of Engineering<\/a>, about cheating, interviewing, and candidate experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We put together a list of dos and don\u2019ts to help you hire developers and prevent cheating in the \u201cbest possible way\u201d (i.e in a way that won\u2019t send developers running for the hills OR make you feel like an unfair, out-of-touch paranoiac). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udd16 Related read:<\/strong> If you want to read more about how to prevent, mitigate and detect cheating within your tech hiring process, check this out<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The dos of cheating prevention<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do: be transparent with candidates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It can be tempting to keep candidates in the dark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, some recruiters worry that any information candidates receive will be used to better prepare a cheating offense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We disagree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more a candidate knows about the hiring process, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aim to clearly communicate what you\u2019re looking to assess and why<\/strong>. We also strongly recommend that you communicate, ahead of time, what tools candidates can or can\u2019t use and why<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cBe as clear and as transparent as possible. Candidates should know what they’re walking into.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you consider that using ChatGPT during a live coding interview<\/a> is fair game\u2014say so! Then, go on to explain that you encourage the use of ChatGPT because you want to provide a realistic interview experience (for example). Candidates will respect you all the more for your transparency.

A well-prepared, well-informed candidate is less likely to cheat because:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. You\u2019ve shown candor and started to build trust and engagement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. They\u2019re confident that you\u2019re not trying to \u201ccatch them out\u201d or spring any surprises on them. They\u2019re less likely to panic. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. They\u2019re \u201conboard\u201d with your evaluation process. They haven\u2019t been made to feel that they\u2019re simply \u201cjumping through hoops\u201d. You\u2019ve shown that you respect their time and value skills above other, less objective, criteria. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Do: create a realistic interview setting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Always strive to simulate your working environment during the interview process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \u201cCreate an environment that is as close to working with this person as possible. Give candidates the tools that you would give them on the job.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Whether it\u2019s tools (as mentioned above), the IDE, or the space to ask questions, it\u2019s important to provide developers with a familiar and realistic interview setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The more comfortable and confident they feel, the less likely they are to look for external, unauthorized support (asking someone to take the interview in their place, for example). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Do: align and engage your hiring team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Recruitment is not a one-(wo)man show. It takes a team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    “It’s really important that your hiring manager specifically is working very, very closely with talent acquisition, and that you\u2019re on the same page with what cheating is.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s important to define what cheating means to your organization. Clearly list expectations and decide what\u2019s allowed and what\u2019s not. All stakeholders should commit to this shared position. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, here at CoderPad, we don\u2019t consider that using ChatGPT as a supporting tool during a test or interview is cheating. We do, however, consider that asking a friend to take a pre-employment assessment<\/a> in your place, is cheating.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s just as important to make sure that anyone involved in the hiring process is fully engaged and, better still, trained in inclusivity, hiring bias and structured interviewing. Why? Because the better the interview experience, the less likely candidates are to want to cheat.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \ud83d\udd16 Related read:<\/strong> How Talent Acquisition Can Empower Engineering Hiring Managers to Be Better Interviewers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    The don\u2019ts of cheating prevention<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Don\u2019t: over-rely on proctoring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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    “Adding proctoring for all assessments is not something I would recommend. In some geographies, proctoring is a norm, it’s expected; in other geographies, it’s absolutely not.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Proctoring can be both a powerful anti-cheat tool, and a real obstacle for candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When deciding whether or not you activate proctoring for your online assessments, take into account elements such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n