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Ask HN: I do terrible in algorithm questions in interviews

8 points by rafiki6 ↗ HN
Question for the HN community. I am relentless when it comes to practicing algorithm based questions for your typical tech interviews at the big names, but I always flub these exam like interviews. As a student it was similar. If I got flustered in an exam and didn't know the answer right away, the only way I could arrive at the right solution would be in a low pressure quiet environment where the clock isn't ticking. I generally have the knowledge so I hate that I'm losing all these opportunities because I suck at taking exams. Any one have a similar experience, and what did you do to overcome it?

3 comments

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SherlockeHolmes
It seems like for you preparation is even more important than usual. It is understandable to not be comfortable under an artificially created pressure situation (such as in an interview room). In that case, you need to prepare at least 3 times harder beforehand. First, research (online and offline) about all possible questions that they may ask. Having an idea about their codes and what they're doing will help with this. Then, prepare answer for these questions and rehearse them until you get sick of it. Take a break, come back, and rehearse again till sickness. Repeat.
kiloreux
Well, i do have a very similar experience to yours, i can solve any problem when i'm laying in my bedroom, but once people around me or just knowing that the clock is ticking, I lost my ability to even search a binary tree (example of simple questions), how did I change that ? Well just start doing interviews with friends, find partners that are working towards the same goals as you and interview each other in a limited time, it will really lower your pressure on so many levels in real interviews, also try interviewing.io (still waiting for my invitation) but i think the idea is pretty great, also one thing, you need to master the Algorithms and data structures ideas (things like sorting algorithms, data structures .....) just like you master 1+1, because in real programming interview, sometimes you just need to find the right algorithmic representation of the problem and not remember how some random data structure works, I wish you best of luck.
soham
You're thinking of interviews as standardized tests (exam). To some extent, they are, but overall they are closer to a date, than to an exam.

In other words, it's not sufficient that you be good at algorithms. You also need to get a panel of interviewers with whom you gel well. What interviewers you get at a company, is not in your hands.

You can try a few things:

1. Do mock interviews with experienced interviewers.

Get used to being judged. Repeatedly.

2. Don't interview with the agony of getting a job. Just go to solve the problems.

Listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1WiCGq-PcY

3. Interview at companies that bias towards take-home tests.

If you haven't already, then try triplebyte.com. They can help you find such companies.

--

I make these observations based on my experience running a successful bootcamp for interview prep (http://interviewkickstart.com) and also being an early engineer and a hiring manager (Director of engineering) at Box prior to that.