[GotToStartup]

Great article with lots of valuable info in there. The part about the actual whiteboard is almost irrelevant. Most of the comments here are getting too worked up about that.

"Learn Python and use it during your interview." Python is expressive, a high level and kind of writes like pseudo code. Just write pseudo code. The point isn't syntax anyways.

"The highest value problems I know of are on Project Euler." I do enjoy running through Project Euler problems but I have no evidence that's making me better at my day job, only better at answering Project Euler problems.

[ljlolel]

Many companies (including the one in question) want to see actual code in a language that they use at the company. The fact that Python happens to look like pseudo-code is a bonus.

Maybe you already knew all the lessons in Project Euler, but for me, I became a much better programmer. How elegant are your solutions? Have you tried writing them in a different style than you're used to? Say, in a functional style? With Haskell?

[GotToStartup]

But if companies want to see actual code in a language they use, then learning python to use simply for interviewing wouldn't really work either right? So your only options would be "use any language but not just pseudo code" or interview for python jobs only.

Oh no, I certainly didn't know all the lessons and I haven't done all of them.

"How elegant are your solutions? Have you tried writing them in a different style than you're used to?" That's a great point, so I suppose it's less about the actual Project Euler problem, and more about optimizing, refactoring and trying them in different languages.

[ljlolel]

> That's a great point, so I suppose it's less about the actual Project Euler problem, and more about optimizing, refactoring and trying them in different languages.

Exactly. Make it better.