Beyond Tricky Puzzles: A New Approach to Tech Interviews
- 1. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 1 Beyond Tricky Puzzles: A New Approach to Tech Interviews EPAMProprietary & Confidential.
- 2. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 2 Developer, Team Lead, Architect, Consultant, Community Founder, Conference Speaker D o i n g a l l t h i s s i n c e 1 9 9 5 Who’s Talking: Dmitrijs’ Past
- 3. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 3 Problem Statement Within a limited amount of time we need to determine if the candidate is capable of doing the work we´re hiring them for.
- 4. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 4 What spoils technical interviews? • Lack of Relevance • Unrealistic Pressure • Encouragement of Memorization • Inaccurate Assessments Problem with Traditional Interviews P R O B L E M S T A T E M E N T
- 5. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 5 We used to check candidates ability to think by placing them into unrealistic and irrelevant situations completely ignoring their ability (and experience) in solving real problems. P R O B L E M S T A T E M E N T Lack of Relevance
- 6. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 6 The focus becomes finding the "one right answer" within a limited period, instead of a collaborative problem-solving approach that would be more beneficial in a real-world setting. P R O B L E M S T A T E M E N T Unrealistic Pressure
- 7. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 7 Strong developers are not defined by the number of complex algorithms or patterns they can recall, but by their ability to apply core principles to solve novel problems. P R O B L E M S T A T E M E N T Memorization != Comprehension
- 8. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 8 Focusing on trivia can lead to the dismissal of talented individuals who might not possess a vast repertoire of esoteric knowledge, but who excel at critical thinking and applying their skills to new situations. P R O B L E M S T A T E M E N T Inaccurate Assessment
- 9. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 9 Focusing On Real Problems
- 10. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 10 Real-world skills 01 02 03 04 06 07 Data Structures and Algorithms Refactoring Debugging and Verification OOP and Design Open-Ended Problem Solving The Developer You Need F O C U S I N G O N R E A L P R O B L E M S
- 11. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 11 Data Structure & Algorithms 01
- 12. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 12 EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 12 • Think logically and analyze problems: Choosing the right data structure requires an understanding of the problem at hand and the operations that will be most frequently performed on the data. • Translate solutions into working code: Algorithms provide a step-by-step approach to solving problems, and effectively implementing them translates to writing efficient and accurate code. 0 1 D A T A S T R U C T U R E A N D A L G O R I T H M S Why to Check
- 13. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 13 • Strong Foundation: A solid grasp of these concepts allows developers to approach unfamiliar problems with confidence and choose the most appropriate tools for the job. • Adaptability: Understanding core data structures and algorithms translates well to learning modern technologies and frameworks, as these concepts are often the building blocks of more complex systems. • Problem-Solving Skills: The process of analyzing problems and selecting the most efficient algorithms to solve them hones a developer's critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. • Overly Theoretical: Focusing solely on complicated algorithms can create a disconnect from real-world development, where libraries and frameworks often handle the low-level implementation details. • Limited Scope: While important, data structures and algorithms are just one piece of the puzzle. A well- rounded interview should also assess a candidate's communication skills, ability to work within a team, and understanding of broader software development concepts. 0 1 D A T A S T R U C T U R E A N D A L G O R I T H M S Pros & Cons
- 14. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 14 Refactoring 02
- 15. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 15 EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 15 • Maintainability: Refactoring improves code organization and clarity, making it easier for other developers to understand, modify, and extend the codebase in the future. • Long-Term Code Health: By proactively addressing code smells and inefficiencies, developers can ensure the codebase remains sustainable and adaptable as the project evolves. 0 2 R E F A C T O R I N G Why to Check
- 16. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 16 • Practical Application: Refactoring exercises directly translate to real-world development scenarios, where developers often inherit and work with existing codebases. • Problem-Solving Approach: The process of identifying issues, analyzing potential solutions, and refactoring code effectively reveals a candidate's problem-solving thought process. • Code Quality Focus: A strong emphasis on refactoring demonstrates a commitment to writing clean, maintainable, and well-structured code. • Time Constraints: In-depth refactoring exercises can be time-consuming during an interview. Finding a balance between assessing the core concepts and respecting interview time limitations is crucial. • Context Dependence: The effectiveness of refactoring solutions can depend heavily on the specific codebase and project context. Focus on understanding the candidate's thought process and reasoning behind their refactoring approach. 0 2 R E F A C T O R I N G Pros & Cons
- 17. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 17 Debugging & Verification 03 Unveiling the detective within
- 18. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 18 EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 18 • Problem-Solving Thought Process: Debugging requires a systematic approach to analyzing symptoms, isolating the root cause, and developing solutions. Observing a candidate's thought process during this exercise provides valuable insights into their problem-solving skills. • Ability to Think Critically: Effective debugging involves questioning assumptions, considering alternative scenarios, and eliminating potential causes one by one. This process demonstrates a candidate's critical thinking abilities. • Experience with Debugging Tools and Techniques: Modern development environments offer a variety of debugging tools. Understanding how a candidate utilizes these tools and leverages different debugging techniques allows you to assess their practical debugging experience. 0 3 D E B U G G I N G A N D V E R I F I C A T I O N Why to Check
- 19. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 19 • Universally Relevant: Debugging is an essential skill for all developers, regardless of their specific area of expertise. • Real-World Scenario: Debugging exercises mirror real- world development experiences where developers spend a significant amount of time troubleshooting and fixing issues. • Communication Skills: Effective debugging often involves collaboration and communication. Observing how a candidate explains their debugging process and interacts with you during the exercise can reveal their communication skills. • Limited Scope of the Bug: The effectiveness of evaluating debugging skills can be limited by the specific bug chosen for the exercise. Consider presenting a scenario that allows the candidate to highlight various debugging techniques. • Time Constraints: In-depth debugging exercises can be time-consuming. Finding a balance between assessing core concepts and respecting interview time limitations is crucial. 0 3 D E B U G G I N G A N D V E R I F I C A T I O N Pros & Cons
- 20. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 20 OOP & Design 04 Building a strong foundation
- 21. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 21 • Understanding Core Concepts: A solid grasp of OOP fundamentals like encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism provides a solid foundation for writing clean, maintainable, and reusable code, even when utilizing frameworks. • Problem-Solving Approach: OOP principles encourage developers to think about problems in terms of objects and their interactions. This approach can be valuable for designing complex systems, even if frameworks handle some of the implementation details. • Adaptability and Learning: A strong understanding of OOP principles allows developers to adapt to new frameworks and technologies that are often built upon these core concepts. • Framework Reliance: Modern frameworks often handle many of the complexities traditionally addressed by OOP principles. Focusing heavily on OOP knowledge may not be as crucial for developers who will primarily work within a specific framework. • Shifting Priorities: Time spent grilling candidates on esoteric OOP concepts could be better spent assessing skills like problem-solving, communication, and the ability to learn recent technologies. • Evolving Landscape: New paradigms and programming styles are emerging alongside traditional OOP. A more flexible approach that values overall problem-solving skills and adaptability may be more beneficial. 0 4 O O P A N D D E S I G N Pros And Arguments for More flexible Approach )no Cons!=
- 22. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 22 Open-ended Problem Solving 05
- 23. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 23 EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 23 • Thought Process: Observing how a candidate breaks down a complex problem, identifies key elements, and explores potential solutions reveals their analytical and problem-solving skills. • Communication Skills: The ability to clearly explain their approach, articulate assumptions, and justify their reasoning is crucial for effective communication within a team environment. • Collaboration: Encouraging the candidate to ask clarifying questions and discuss alternative approaches provides insights into their collaborative spirit and ability to work effectively with others. • Creativity: Open-ended problems can allow candidates to display their creativity and ability to think freely when approaching solutions. 0 5 O P E N - E N D E D P R O B L E M S O L V I N G Why to Check
- 24. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 24 The Engineer You Need 06
- 25. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 25 EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 25 • Think logically and solve problems effectively • Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code • Collaborate effectively with other developers • Adapt to modern technologies and challenges • Communicate clearly and concisely • Approach problems creatively and think freely 0 6 T H E D E V E L O P E R Y O U N E E D By shifting the focus towards core technical skills like data structures, algorithms, refactoring, debugging, and open-ended problem-solving, we can gain valuable insights into a candidate's ability to:
- 26. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 26 Building your technical interview process 01 02 03 04 05 06 Define what is important for the candidate to have Explore real need of teams/projects Prepare practical questions related to this areas Prepare interview plan Manage time actively Evaluate outcome promptly
- 27. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 27 EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 27 Homework? No homework! • Homework usually do not check the right things • Homework checks wrong things in a wrong way • Wrong assumptions about homework hurt the candidate and prevent us from hiring right people
- 29. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 29 Questions?
- 30. EPAMProprietary & Confidential. 30 For more information: Dmitrijs Lebedevs Solution Architect Dmitrijs_lebedevs@epam.com +371 29181804 Riga Latvia Thank you!