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For skilled mid-career engineers, dynamic programming problems, np-complete bar raisers.

For new engineers, simple questions that can't be taught in school (questions that require business prioritization)

For older engineers, questions they haven't done since college (big-O, writing algorithms from memory)

Comments
  • 1
    Business prioritisation questions are good
  • 3
    Student here, could you enlighten me on those questions?
  • 2
    I fucking hate dynamic programming. I understand the concept, it just never comes to my mind.
  • 6
    Writing algos from memory just isn't relevant in practice, and I refuse to rote learn just for an interview. There's a reason seniors havn't done this since college.

    If the company decides to hire senior devs and doesn't manage to come up with meaningful interview questions, their hiring process is borked. What's relevant is knowing when to use which algo.
  • 1
    @Fast-Nop
    It's not regurgitating algos, it's using them to solve problems and talking about which ones they're using and why.
  • 0
    @SortOfTested That's not what you wrote in the rant: "writing algorithms from memory".
  • 2
    @Fast-Nop
    Apply the refactor ;)
  • 2
    @SortOfTested Yeah then I agree.
  • 1
    Newbie here...does business prioritization refer to project management stuff like agile etc? or does it go deeper than that...or am I totally off base lol
  • 3
    @dmonkey
    Questions relating prioritization in the context of a project scope, identifying missing information in requirements, presenting technical questions to business people and customers, stuff like that, and generally explaining how you deliver value to an organization. You don't really build that intuition without some real experience.
  • 1
    @SortOfTested Thank you 🙂👍
  • 0
    @SortOfTested I take the requirements from the customers to the engineers... I have people skills! What the hell is wrong with you people!?
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