Take-home assignments let you show your skills in a realistic setting. Use this opportunity to demonstrate your full capabilities.
Understanding the Assignment
- Read the requirements multiple times
- Note any constraints (time, technology, scope)
- Identify must-haves vs. nice-to-haves
- Ask clarifying questions if allowed
Planning Your Approach
Time Management
- Estimate time for each component
- Plan for code review and testing
- Leave buffer for unexpected issues
- Don't exceed the suggested time limit
Prioritization
- Complete all core requirements first
- Add extras only if time permits
- A working solution beats a perfect partial solution
Writing Quality Code
- Clean, readable, well-organized code
- Meaningful variable and function names
- Appropriate comments (not over-documented)
- Consistent style and formatting
- Error handling for edge cases
Documentation
README Should Include
- Setup and running instructions
- Assumptions you made
- Architectural decisions and trade-offs
- What you'd do differently with more time
Testing
- Include unit tests for core functionality
- Test edge cases and error conditions
- Make sure the project runs from scratch
- Test on a different machine if possible
Before Submitting
- Run through the requirements checklist
- Test the setup from a clean clone
- Review code one final time
- Check for secrets or sensitive data
- Submit before the deadline
Common Mistakes
- Over-engineering the solution
- Ignoring time constraints
- Forgetting to include setup instructions
- Leaving in debug code or comments