Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by rhizome 4642 days ago
What's the difference between a brainteaser and a problem you've already solved?
2 comments

That's a good question. I hope this example gives some clarity to what I meant:

* Worthless Brainteaser: How many golfballs will fit in this Ford?

* Real-world Problem: Let's do cohort analysis on our users and see how our business is doing.

Part of the goal is also a consistent rubric for evaluating candidates.

In the past, we've tried giving every candidate a new problem to solve. It's not fair to them. When each problem is a brand new project it's difficult to evaluate a candidate objectively and consistently.

Their problems are special and important.