Going the Extra Mile: Should You Set a Take-Home Task to Set Your Hiring Process Apart?

The use of take-home tasks as part of a job interview process is a hotly debated topic. Some hiring managers believe that these tasks provide valuable insights into a candidate's skills and working style, while others argue that they can be time-consuming, unreliable, and unfair. In this blog post, we'll explore the pros and cons of using take-home tasks when interviewing product managers and designers in tech.

Pros of using take-home tasks:

Real-world experience: One of the biggest benefits of take-home tasks is that they provide a glimpse into what a candidate would be like on the job. By completing a task related to the role they're interviewing for, you can see how they approach a real-world problem and what their thought process is like.

Deeper understanding of skills: Take-home tasks can also help you assess a candidate's technical skills in a more meaningful way than a traditional interview would. For product managers and designers, this is especially important as you want to ensure that they have the necessary skills to excel in the role.

Better collaboration: When you assign a take-home task, you're also testing a candidate's ability to collaborate with other team members. For product managers, this is particularly relevant as they will often be working with cross-functional teams.

Cons of using take-home tasks:

Time-consuming: For both the candidate and the hiring manager, completing a take-home task can be time-consuming. It takes time to prepare the task, complete it, and then review it.

Unreliable: There's always a risk that a take-home task may not accurately reflect a candidate's skills or working style. For example, a candidate may have a bad day or be unfamiliar with the tools used in the task.

Unfair: Not all candidates have equal access to the same resources or time to complete the task. This can create an unfair advantage for some candidates and could lead to hiring the wrong person for the job.

Using take-home tasks as part of a product manager or designer interview process can be beneficial, but it's important to weigh the pros and cons carefully. Consider whether a take-home task is the best way to assess a candidate's skills, and if so, be mindful of the time and resources involved. Maybe look to do an in-interview task instead which doesn’t take as much time to complete or administer.

Ultimately, the best interview process will depend on the specific needs and culture of your company, so it's essential to make a well-informed decision that will help you attract top talent.