Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Phone screen: My favorite check list

Phone interview is so important for a software engineer to learn the importance of communication. Good talent software engineer likes the challenge through the phone screen. 

What to expect during the initial technical interview:

- 45 minute interview with 1-2 coding questions using a laptop and codepad.
- 30 minutes (coding) - 5-10 minutes (ask clarifying questions, introduction, formality)
- You will be tested on your problem solving and core CS fundamental skills (theory, algorithms, data structures, design patterns, recursions, binary tree questions, etc.)
- You will need to think of an efficient, optimized and bug-free solution to code up quickly and concisely in whatever language you code best in.
- Keep it simple! If you think it's obvious, it probably is. Start with a simple solution, and think about making it more efficient afterwards.

Decision criteria:
  • Communication: Ask clarifying questions around the problem before solving 
  • Speed: One of our values here is moving fast 
  • Verification and testing: bug free as possible, talking through edge cases 
  • Problem-solving: Finding a working solution
7 steps to success in your coding interview:

1) Do not jump straight into coding, take a few mins to understand the problem and ask any clarifying questions.
2) Describe your solution to your interviewer and get their thoughts on your solution.
3) Think about your algorithm(s) including the complexity and runtime. Figure out your data structure and implement.
4) Importantly, after you have finished writing your code, run through it verbally with your interviewer. This is really important at this point. Does it really do what you think it does? Make sure to read what is there, not what you think is there.
5) Test your code, put in an input to see what happens. We’re looking for you to find the bugs yourself and fix anything that comes up
6) Restate the complexity. Is it the same, or different to your initial thinking based on what you have actually coded up? Make sure you’re thinking about both space and time
7) Optimize. Proactively suggest ways to optimize to the interviewer and get their feedback to ensure what you’re trying to do is not overly complex and is correct then code it up.

Remember to:
  • Thoroughly go through the prep material provided to you
  • Be ready at least 5-10 mins before the call, make sure you have good internet connection
  • Most importantly, be confident, honest with your answers, and try your best!

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