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TeachMeCode
3y

“Practical” tech interviews for senior roles (from my experience): DONT worry! We won’t give you any “leetcode” problems!! Instead, we’re giving you only 40 minutes to do this huge laundry list of tasks that are simple but hella time consuming. We want to see how fast you can type. So you have 40 minutes to write a mini app while we take note of the shit ton of simple errors you make due to the time crunch as your fingers burn through the keyboard and then wonder why no one can pass our “simple” tech exam!!!!

DAMMIT!! the only tech exams I enjoy are ones that involve refactoring existing code bc everything else is a fucking speed test! I’d also MUCH RATHER take these exams WITHOUT someone there taking notes like I’m a fucking lab monkey!

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  • 6
    3y
    You apply to the wrong jobs - they are obviously filtering for code monkeys.
  • 2
    3y
    @Oktokolo OMG are we the same person?? That’s what I’m noticing and I thought I was alone in this. It seems to be about quickly plowing through a huge list of tasks within a limited time frame. They aren’t difficult, it’s just I’m a slow paced kind of guy.
  • 2
    3y
    @TeachMeCode I am a bit slower too. But being slower in general isn't what makes me a bad match for such jobs. I like to iterate over my code, refactor and polish it before i call it done for now. Even if i would be as fast as everyone else, i would be too slow, because my process is inherently slower iteratively writing original code which is reusable and easy to maintain. If i see a design flaw later in the process, i will likely fix it regardless of deadlines.

    Maybe you have the same "problem" and need to find a job which requires research and writing of original code instead of just glueing together slightly modified snippets from StackOverflow...
  • 2
    3y
    It would be funny if those tasks are actual bug reports that no one wanted to code down. Using the interviewee as cheap workforce to save cost.
  • 1
    3y
    @max19931 huh...never really thought of that 🤔. I was told it would be based on a “real life” problem.
  • 1
    3y
    @Oktokolo yeah that’s the approach I take as well. I focus on quality and design, making sure it’s strong and maintainable instead of puking out code.
  • 1
    3y
    Goat
  • 3
    3y
    Don't worry, I won't do these tasks at all.

    After all, if my job is to work 8 hour shifts solving 40 min problems... I'd rather flip burgers, seems a more rewarding choice.
  • 2
    3y
    @IntrusionCM Im glad you brought up fast food bc these exams are all about doing simple tasks as quickly as possible, as if you’re working at Burger King. You have a customer giving you a huge order “TWO KING SIZED WHOPPER SUPREMES TRIPLE PADDIES FOUR KING SIZED FRIES APPLE PIE SUPREME ADD A PINCH OF MAYO AND MAKE THE PEPSI DIET”. Im pretty sure there are culinary trained chefs who would fail at this, bc they’re not used to fast haphazard monkey work
  • 1
    3y
    @TeachMeCode exactly.

    I don't like these tasks.... Or rather: I'm entirely against it.

    For the reason you mentioned - you cannot verify knowledge by this nor the abilities of the person.

    At worst people learned the stuff from the thousands of leetcode bootcamps, have zero experience and repeat what they learned by heart.

    Recruiting should focus on the personality - after all, you can teach someone who want to be taught a lot. Expecting someone to be "ready to use" at recruiting is already the wrong assumption...
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