UK Recruitment Glossary
Coding Test
In recruiter context
UK tech coding tests in 2026 split into three formats: timed online assessments (1-2 hours, algorithmic, gatekeeper-stage), pair-coding sessions (45-60 mins live with an interviewer, mid-stage), and take-home projects (4-12 hours over a weekend, used by senior+ companies). The hardest is usually the live pair-coding — you have to think aloud, take input gracefully, and code under observation. Most candidates underperform their actual ability by 20-30% in this format because of the pressure. Practise on Pramp or Interviewing.io with strangers before the real one. For take-homes, the win is usually code quality and documentation, not feature breadth.
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