> The whiteboard process is all about how the candidate copes with being put on the spot.

A lot of people chose this job *because* they aren’t the kind of people who do well in performing in front of other people. If they wanted to perform in front of other people maybe they would have chosen to become actors, or public speakers. But for many decades programming was a haven for people who weren’t like that. For people with social anxiety, ADHD, and other disorders who were talented in different ways.

I have programmed for 10+ years and never ever in front of some random person “on the spot.” Well maybe I did have to program “on the spot” a few times back in the bad old days before good development practices when we did things live. But those days are over.

When I’m “on the spot” it’s when I’ve prepped for something like a training or conference presentation, and plenty of great programmers don’t do this.

Also where’s the data that shows this is an effective interview process? Google did extensive studies of their whiteboarding process and found it was not effective.

Google admits those infamous brainteasers were completely useless for hiring

What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team

Opinion | The Utter Uselessness of Job Interviews

Want the best person for the job? Don't interview - The Boston Globe

So there is no proof it’s effective, and plenty of evidence it rules out talented people.