I'm sure it's true that a non-trivial number of good candidates will reject a job opportunity when asked to do a work sample. These, however, will generally be those with plenty of attractive alternative offers - the ones well known in the community, with a good network etc.
At the other end of the stick, there are those still trying to break in to the field. They may have moved to a new city, they may have worked in a totally unknown firm, they may have taken an "alternative" path through the educational system (and just to be blatantly obvious, the above describes me, circa 5 years ago) - their CVs don't jump out at employers, and as even phone screens are fairly expensive in engineer time, they are not very likely to be given a chance.
Online coding challenges and take-home tests etc are a quick and cheap way to extend an opportunity to more "risky" candidates. I think that's an important element.
(FTR, the company I ended up with, I got through to primarily via a "Who's hiring" thread on HN, however they did operate a "take home" test that took one hour).
It sounds like your process went ok. But one hour tests are one thing. Projects that may take 10 or more hours are totally different. It really is amazing what some of these companies will demand of their applicants before even granting an interview.
And although this system might be more accessible than traditional recruiting, it is far from perfect. It is the job of the community to demand better and more respectful hiring practices from companies. Paying the applicant for the time they spent working on the project or offering a traditional interview for people who work full time and have families would be a good start.
At the other end of the stick, there are those still trying to break in to the field. They may have moved to a new city, they may have worked in a totally unknown firm, they may have taken an "alternative" path through the educational system (and just to be blatantly obvious, the above describes me, circa 5 years ago) - their CVs don't jump out at employers, and as even phone screens are fairly expensive in engineer time, they are not very likely to be given a chance.
Online coding challenges and take-home tests etc are a quick and cheap way to extend an opportunity to more "risky" candidates. I think that's an important element.
(FTR, the company I ended up with, I got through to primarily via a "Who's hiring" thread on HN, however they did operate a "take home" test that took one hour).