You've posted a job opening. Within 48 hours, you're drowning in 200+ applications. Most resumes look identical: "proficient in JavaScript, Python, and React," "strong problem-solving skills," "team player with excellent communication."

How do you separate the exceptional developers from the average ones without spending 40 hours on phone screens?

The answer isn't a complex algorithm or expensive screening tool. It's a simple, strategic filter that reveals who's genuinely invested in solving problems versus who's just mass-applying to jobs. Here's the one trick that will transform your hiring pipeline.

The Pre-Interview Assignment (Done Right)

Before you roll your eyes, this isn't about asking candidates to build you a free app or spend 20 hours on a coding challenge. This is about creating a smart, respectful filter that takes candidates 30-45 minutes but tells you everything you need to know.

The simple trick: Give candidates a small, relevant problem that mirrors real work they'd do on your team, and make the instructions deliberately open-ended.

Why it works: Average developers will do the bare minimum. Exceptional developers can't help themselves—they'll go beyond, ask clarifying questions, consider edge cases, and show you how they think. You're not testing their coding speed; you're testing their approach to problems.

How to Design Your Filter Assignment

The key is making it relevant, respectful, and revealing. Here's how to structure it:

1. Keep It Short But Meaningful

Time commitment: 30-45 minutes maximum

Complexity level: Something a mid-level developer could complete, but leaves room for excellence

Good examples:

• "Write a function that processes a list of customer transactions and identifies potential fraud patterns"
• "Create a component that displays real-time data with error handling"
• "Design a simple API endpoint that handles user authentication with rate limiting"
• "Debug this code snippet and explain what was wrong and why your solution is better"

Bad examples:

• "Build a full e-commerce checkout system" (too time-consuming)
• "Solve this LeetCode hard problem" (not relevant to real work)