Ask HN: Interview advice
2 points| ianl | 14 years ago
I have recently completed my bachelors degree and have started interviewing, however, I am having a hard time with phone interviews that require you to code.
I seem to get very flustered and cannot think properly and therefore under perform greatly during the phone interview+coding stage of the interview process. I get stuck on a question with a mental block and after the interview is often I immediately think of the perfect solution. I'm not use to having what feels like someone breathing behind my back watching me code.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
[+] [-] lukesandberg|14 years ago|reply
Coding in an interview is unlike any kind of programming you have probably done so it's only natural to freak out a little. Personally the whole exercise of writing code not on a computer is bizarre enough on its own!
Find some problems that you might expect to be asked and then actually code them up on a white board or at least with a pen and paper. Bonus points for getting a friend to ask you questions.
here's a nice looooong blog post basically saying the same thing: http://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2008/03/get-that-job-at-goog...
[+] [-] ianl|14 years ago|reply
Was also curious, do they expect you to know right away, as I usually have a more iterative style right away. I guess what i'm asking is what are the protocols or whats established norms for these interviews? No one has ever really explained to me what they want.