A hot topic in the software engineer interviewing discourse is the take home test. Whether you love them or hate them, they are a huge part of how many organizations hire. There are a million articles out there on how-to technically navigate these, but less on understanding the big picture and setting yourself up for success.
> "Use a language the company is actively coding in"
Having been on both sides of this, cannot emphasize how true this is. All other things being equal if you have two candidates one which writes in the language shared in the org and one that doesn't, 9/10 the interviewers will lean for the person who used the language used for the company. There are factors like whether the company is a startup or a small outfit vs a large org with resources and infrastructure for ramping up new hires which could negate the language you use, but again, if at all possible don't take the chance specially as you start applying for higher ranked positions.
Navigating the Take Home Test
> "Use a language the company is actively coding in"
Having been on both sides of this, cannot emphasize how true this is. All other things being equal if you have two candidates one which writes in the language shared in the org and one that doesn't, 9/10 the interviewers will lean for the person who used the language used for the company. There are factors like whether the company is a startup or a small outfit vs a large org with resources and infrastructure for ramping up new hires which could negate the language you use, but again, if at all possible don't take the chance specially as you start applying for higher ranked positions.