It absolutely is that bad. If you've not had a shitload of experiences like this, you've been very lucky or very sheltered by an unusual selection of target companies.
On the other hand, I totally agree that being a developer is a very cool job. It's totally worth it, but the hiring process sucks and only seems to be getting worse.
Maybe Europe is different, but I've interviewed in two different countries and I never had this experience. There were at most short, easy technical tests and a few open-ended questions about my past work, but nothing like this.
It absolutely is that bad. If you've not had a shitload of experiences like this, you've been very lucky or very sheltered by an unusual selection of target companies.
On the other hand, I totally agree that being a developer is a very cool job. It's totally worth it, but the hiring process sucks and only seems to be getting worse.