Hackerrank

So, like the title, I don't understand the point of online coding assessments that major companies give on HackerRank, CodeSignal, CodeVue, etc. that we have to do on our own, while being proctored with camera and microphones on. I am OK with technical interviews with another engineer where we can code together and I can communicate my thoughts, processes, and my knowledge while programming. However, what's the point of stupid online assessments that major companies shove down our throats? You tell me that I have to do these proctored online assessments without any access to Internet (I cannot search for syntax or anything related to the coding problems) and I have to program with the camera and microphones on, and I cannot talk or look at anywhere else during the assessment because I'm afraid they would cause me of cheating. No one would hear me communicating my thoughts or processes during coding. And if I cannot pass all test cases within the time limit, I'm automatically eliminated from the hiring process, and my application would be thrown away, all of my past work experiences, skills, and projects I have gained over the years would be useless for them. And even if I pass all the test cases, I can still not move forward due to other reasons. People said that I have to do LeetCode, and I have practiced on my own for years on both LC, HackerRank, CodeSignal,... and solved over 100 problems... I also reviewed all data structures and algorithms again, but at the end, what's the use? Even when doing coding assignments in classes my professors allow us to search online but why cannot I search anything during these stupid assessments? And you know that most of us cannot pass these assessments in this way. So, I fear that even if I do 1000 to 10,000 LC problems the result is still the same, when I know that the companies only care if I pass all the test cases in these coding assessments. And funnily, I got my first part-time web developer job on campus, and my first IT infrastructure internship at a Fortune 500 multi-industry company without any LeetCode-style interviews. Especially in the hiring process for my first internship program, I only had to go through phone screen with a recruiter, and a behavioral interview with the IT manager where we discuss about my projects and past experiences, and within a week, I got hired for the program. But now, I did not get the return offer from the company so I have to do all of these LC over again with no hope. I feel like this is the only thing that fails me to get the full-time career I need after my graduation in May 2026. The other things like resume, networking, communication, interview skills, I am still learning and improving everyday, but these assessments feel hopeless to me. Just thinking about how I can be unemployed after graduation drives me crazy and makes me feel so embarrassed. And I've heard some people said I can skip these assessments with referrals. Is this true? I have friends who are working in these companies and I used to work with some of them, or we had little interactions but we're still in good terms. How do I reach out to them in a professional way to get the referrals? Can someone tell me? I'm out of options.