The cost of getting a job today

A Head of Engineering argues that requiring job candidates to use paid AI tools during technical interviews creates an unfair financial burden, particularly for unemployed applicants interviewing with multiple companies simultaneously. While acknowledging that LLM skills are now essential in software engineering, the author proposes practical solutions—moving challenges later in the hiring process, designing smaller problems that work on free tiers, and conducting live coding sessions where the company provides the AI access—to minimize costs candidates must bear.