Ask HN: Facebook interview question

I solved a problem. Probably not in the most elegant way, not using the latest and greatest buzzworthy tool or library, but I solved it.

Someone asked me for help with figuring out something out and they and I talked through the problem and they came away with a much better understanding than they had before. Possibly I did as well, possibly I was actually just teaching.

I solved a problem that was right up my alley; using tools I'm very familiar with; a challenge that wasn't too easy and wasn't too hard/complex. It was just right. Everything happened in a "state of flow", it felt completely effortless. I feel euphoric on my way home.. the solution is almost perfect, everything fell right into place.

I solved a problem with the information I recently learned, and it fit right into it perfectly. I understood how things work, and started learning deeply into subject.

Probably something alone the lines of: finished a huge project we've spent the last X months on ahead of time and took the whole team out drinking and gave them a day off for delivering such great work.

I went to work and didn't have to deal with any weasles. No one tried to bullshit my manager or his manager at my expense. I didn't have to deal with stupid people trying to make themselves look smarter than they are, try to take credit for other people's work, or try to fake some stupid shit to get credit for something that execs have tuned into that will be immediately thrown away. You know what? All those goddamn people got fired. For once, executives were smart, kind, and logical. I just made something that is immensely valuable that makes me a lot of money so I can take care of my family and all you shitty people I dealt with over the last couple decades fuck right off for a day.

I was extraordinarily paid not less than my employer is doing on me.

I worked on a mechatronocs problem.

Unfortunately, I'll probably never have this day because any positions for this type of job require 8+ years of experience on top of a Masters, but more preferably a PhD.

That's not a great interview question. But to answer it:

"I got a massive bonus"

I thought about this a bit, and didn't answer. And today asked a colleague that had the exact same response as me.

There's no one day that stands out as a highlight that trumps all other days. That things went OK, nice and smooth, I got some satisfaction, perhaps some personal goal was reached or something got recognised, but there's no one day that I came home thinking I had the best job in the world. There are certainly days this doesn't happen, so to minimize these days is rewarding. A meaningful job, a satisfying job, these are all good days to go home to, but the best job in the world; I don't know what that is, and I think I'd be deceiving myself if I said I thought I had it, because every day brings new challenges and hopefully new cases for achieving a sense of feeling I had a worthwhile role and was contributing value to company, clients, and colleagues.

I hit a challenge that had me stumped, and I had to ask a coworker for help. It turned out to be legitimately difficult. Now we were both stumped.

We got some coffee, doubled down, and paired for a while. Eventually, a moment of brilliance was struck from our combined brainpower. Commits were made, tests passed, QA signed off, and a deployment pushed. High fives and Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day" ensued.