[brooklyn_ashey]

With all due respect, I hear what you mean, but further supporting an interview system so divorced from actual problem solving (because most everyone who really really wants a job just endures the empty tediusness and memorizes these algorithmic puzzles from CTCI and Interview Cake and other sources) just enforces a kind of innane candy-empty arms race just like the SAT did, before it was clear that there were proven ways to master it. (the SAT has become just another pay wall at this point) The ultimate effect of this race is to render every programmer with the money and time to practice this equal. It is, forgive me, an infinite loop (sorry) -- and the bar will just get higher and new innane hoops will be added to the performing monkey obstacle course. Then, employers will be (or already are) selecting for a kind of navy seal squad of pedantry-- coders who like to submit and follow directions and behave themselves. Creative problem solving requires a bit of the rebel/subversive spirit. These kinds of interviews may test for an intrepid spirit. But honestly, There is no more intrepid spirit than that of an actual well-programmed machine. This popular interview method reveals that we are merely looking for programmers to be as similar to intrepid, well-programmed machines as possible. It results in machine-like workers working on machines. In effect, perhaps, the blind leading the blind. Is that what we want? I could be wrong, but I think we need to more highly value what humans bring to the task/process/team that computers can't. It seems less nihilistic, anyway. Or do we not know what that is? Maybe that is the real problem. Ironically, so many job ads say they are looking for "passion" in their programmers. Passion is at odds with what they select for. I wonder if the employers even realize this. My puzzle for them is: Given n programmers (all have memorized CTCI etc) ... so how do you decide what to select for and how would you implement an efficient, blind process that is more likely to include a diverse array of programmers who could work together hapily?