What you want is someone who can break down a problem to the point where they can use the scientific method to come up with an algorithm on their own.

What you get is someone with canned responses in their head. And resultant mass layoffs. We're trying to automate picking just the right puppy instead of going out and playing with a few of them.

"Programming" is only half the battle. E.g. doesn't overcomplicate the codebase with weird one-off solutions, can actually work on features, some of which (God forbid) involve a UI or existing code.

In 20 years, most leetcode style genius types I've worked with really aren't great at this type of SaaS work.

Programming is a very small part of the battle of being an effective software engineer.

It leaves out:

- communicating

- teaching

- dealing with ambiguity

- navigating politics

- working cross-functionally

Most high level individual contributors at large tech companies don't even code.

But being able to program is table stakes to be an effective developer. There better be a lot more to the interview if you are hoping to find rounded developers with proven experience at the level you are hiring for.

It's not about being able to program. It's much more about product sense and system design.