[p1esk]

I'm at grad school currently, and all recent graduates I know who wanted to get a job at top SV companies studied really hard for SE interviews. And even after all that studying, most of them didn't pass technical interviews at big 4.

We are talking about solid knowledge of algorithms and data structures. If you haven't just gotten an A in that class you will need a while to really hammer it down.

[marssaxman]

This whole subthread makes more sense if we're talking about college hires. I can see why the idea of a homework assignment and a week of paid consulting might seem appealing for people who don't already have a job and haven't already been through the interview process a few times.

[p1esk]

I think this subthread (and the whole thread, actually) is for people who either already work at Google, or who are willing to make sacrifices to get there.

[marssaxman]

I didn't study before interviewing at Google, nor Microsoft, nor anywhere else I've ever worked. The whole idea is foreign, so I'm struggling to understand where this expectation is coming from.

[khedoros1]

Google has the reputation for trying to hire well above average developers. If some fraction of professional software developers/engineers don't have the aptitude to get through the interview, regardless of preparation, then it should be fair to assume that the other candidates with the aptitude to be hired might need various levels of preparation, depending on past experience and their own level of ability. Those who are already prepared by aptitude, education, and experience, won't need to study. Everyone else will fall a little short, and have to put forth some remedial effort.