When I see a company conducting these kinds of tests during interviews, it's a signal to me that they are probably not a very forward-thinking company, and probably not a good fit for someone like me who tends to think outside the box. If it's another cog in their machine that they want, these kinds of interview tests are probably pretty good. But if they're an innovative company trying to change the world, they'd be much better off with a different, more pragmatic approach designed to attract the independent thinkers.

Beyond that, in my opinion, nearly anyone with average programming experience can hack a typical programming/whiteboard interview, so these kinds of interviews are definitely not the best way to find the best fit for particular roles. It's a good way to filter out the inexperienced, for sure, but it's a pretty low bar to set, especially if it's a company looking for top tier engineers, people with the ability to see the bigger picture.

It's also likely that a great engineer would pass the test with ease, but because their skillset and abilities have been inaccurately assessed due to the poor interview process, the company could have initially assigned them a much more effective role where both the company and the employee could have benefited to a much greater extent, but didn't. Overall, relatively speaking, the "hackable test" approach wastes time and hurts everyone in the long run, both employers and employees. A little investment up front with more personalized, specific interviews can go a long way.

I think we should start refusing these impractical interview processes, or at the very least, from an interviewee standpoint, turn down jobs (if you can) and let the potential employer know that their interview process is the reason.