Nail Your Coding Interview
Posted June 7th, 2013
Software engineers face not only grueling interview questions…
Describe how you would implement the tinyurl.com website?
…but they also need to successfully complete a coding test….
Design the data structures and algorithms to detect typos in a document and then provide suggestions to the user.
If your dream is to create new products and technologies for IT industry behemoths like Google and Facebook, you need to not only ace these interviews but the coding test as well.
The bad news is that getting a job with these companies is not easy. The good news is that there are 4 steps you should keep in mind so you can tackle the entire process with ease.
- Research the company and the position. This is true for any job. Learning as much as you can about the company and the job you are applying for shows that you are truly interested in the position and value the interviewers’ time.
- Work with your recruiter to learn how interviews/coding tests have been conducted in the past. Some companies give candidates an hour alone in a room to formulate code; some companies have candidates code on a whiteboard in front of the interviewing team. Either way has a completely different dynamic and requires preparation.
- Prepare for the coding test by revisiting the basics. You will be asked to code during the interview process. The interviewers are looking to evaluate you on your analytical skills, coding skills and your knowledge of computer science fundamentals, such as data structures and algorithms. Review the basics and prepare.
- Remember the fundamentals of interviewing. This includes dressing professionally, arriving on time, and preparing a résumé that highlights past achievements, relevant job experiences as well as your passion for your chosen profession.
According to author, Gayle Laakmann McDowell, author of Cracking the Coding Interview: 150 Programming Questions and Solutions, there are 5 additional critical steps to keep in mind during the coding test:
- Ask questions to make sure that you understand what the interviewer is asking you to solve.
- Talk out loud so that the interviewer can follow your thought process and evaluate your problem solving skills.
- Openly discuss the weakness in your approach; interviewers note whether or not you are aware of any potential trouble spots
- Make sure that everyone knows if/when you are sketching out pseudo code for an outline and when you are writing actual code.
- Test, test, test; no one writes perfect code the first time out. Interviewers want to see how you fix bugs, so do not be shy about fixing them.
Finally, be patient. To successfully earn a spot at a leading firm, you will have to successfully pass an initial screening interview – typically done over the phone – the coding test, as well as several other interviews where you could meet with several sets of managers and engineers.
Are you a Bay Area resident looking for work in the IT sector? If so, send your résumé to Bayside Solutions. We look forward to hearing from you.
