| I had never heard of this set up a project interview test. Sounds stressful and awkward but For me, it would possibly be preferred to algorithms because one of my strengths is reasoning about technologies. In group projects and when working with friends, I naturally take the pragmatic setup role. Algorithms, on the other hand, I struggle with because even tonight at dinner my sister was trying to remember what word describes toxins moving up the food chain, something we learned 10 years ago. Before she could finish her thought I was blurting out bio-magnification! It made me think why do I remember some things so well and others really do go in one ear and out the other. I know to an interviewer it may seem like they're testing if we have knowledge that will be applicable to the job at hand but to me, it feels arbitrary. I am adaptable. I am not a textbook. When I am on the other end of that table, I will have already asked for a portfolio of sorts: school work, personal projects, anything that you want to represent you. I will spend some arbitrary amount of time finding code snippets that are problematic or interesting and I will ask you to speak to them. I feel that will be enough to know whether or not I want you on my team. |
> I will spend some arbitrary amount of time finding code snippets that are problematic or interesting and I will ask you to speak to them.
> I feel that will be enough to know whether or not I want you on my team.
I like your approach but wonder if I would be successful if looked at through that lens—I have looked back at code written a couple years ago and was surprised to find that I was the author and would definitely be unable to speak to my choices then (though I could probably speak to how I'd do it differently now, which might be a useful signal in the interview).