Whose interview process has caught up to the new way of working?

The shift to remote and flexible work has led significant changes in interview processes, with some companies truly leading the charge while others lag behind. GitLab, Automattic, and Zapier have built interview processes from the ground up around async, remote-first work. These companies emphasize written-first communication rounds, take-home work samples reviewed asynchronously, explicit evaluation rubrics published in advance, and sequential 1:1 interviews with documented feedback. Their processes are designed to mirror their actual work environments and reduce friction for candidates.

Tech giants like Google, Meta, and Stripe have also made strides, albeit partially. Google has abandoned brainteasers in favor of structured behavioral interviews and work samples, while Stripe has introduced practical assessments like pair programming for engineering roles. However, these companies still grapple with traditional multi-round processes and lengthy timelines. Microsoft, Amazon, Dell, and IBM have adapted by incorporating virtual interviews and skills assessments, but their processes remain hybrid rather than fully optimized for remote work.

Common features of modern interview processes include virtual interviews, skills assessments, asynchronous communication, and transparency in feedback. However, many companies still struggle with structural issues like unpaid take-home projects, reliance on panel interviews, and credential-based screening rather than skills-based evaluation. To genuinely catch up, companies need to publish rubrics in advance, replace credentials with work samples, pay for substantial take-home tasks, run structured interviews, and decide quickly, often within days.

The uncomfortable truth is that most companies have merely relocated their interview processes to Zoom without redesigning them. Those leading the change—like GitLab, Zapier, and Automattic—treat the interview as a product, prioritizing the candidate experience over internal convenience. These companies prove that adaptability, not resources, drives meaningful change in interview processes.