They are convenient and standardized ways of testing. These "legal ways to discriminate" that companies come up with are nonsense, that's not what is happening.

Here's what I've experienced over the past few years. I went to work as a SWE at a large tech company and was paid handsomely, think SWE L5 level at Google.

For almost 2 years, I had almost nothing to do, no software to write, no green fields to explore, no products to develop. I'm in a large unit and there's unit level funding with silly goals that the whole unit (hundreds of people) has to achieve. I have consulted here and there for specific projects, but for the most part I am left alone.

Which means I have a lot of free time in my days and my vacations, official and unofficial, have been of the "gap year" or late 19th century bon viveur type: visits to major Asian capitals, beach life in Turkey, adventures all over the world.

My ratings have been more than good, but I often wonder if I should stop this grand experiment in paid time off and take a new step in my career. But where? There are few companies that pay as much and it's pretty (or very!) stressful living. Then, I'd have to go on the interview circuit, studying for a couple of months to prepare (wtf!) being judged by half-asleep people who couldn't care less if I get into the company or not. And why? I enjoy my free time and have lots of activities, hobbies and interests that I love. Certainly the current state of affairs could end, but the same could be said of any "experience".

Contrary to what many others in the tech industry apparently think, if I didn't get paid, I would never work one second for someone else. It's all a transaction and I'm not particularly passionate about my job. I don't hate it, but if it were to disappear as a profession tomorrow, I wouldn't cry.