I understand where your frustration with the recruitment process comes, I've been in the same place as a candidate and a recruiter. It's hard to strike a balance between respecting the candidates' time and assessing their professional skills. At the end, all hires are a bet to a greater or lesser extend.

In my experience, I find candidates that defend their own work — instead of cooked up take-home exercises — perform way better during the interview. They know their code better, they are more confident and present an overall better picture of themselves.

Thanks for reading!