Programming Interview is Broken

JT Turner

6 Aug 202402:54

Summary

TLDRThe speaker, a seasoned software engineer with 25 years of experience, expresses frustration with the current programming interview process. They argue that entry-level questions are a waste of time for experienced candidates and question the effectiveness of technical interviews in assessing a candidate's suitability for senior roles. The speaker also criticizes take-home assignments for being too nitpicky and calls for a reevaluation of interview practices, which they believe are hindering companies from hiring the right talent efficiently.

Takeaways

😕 The current programming interview process is seen as broken, especially for experienced developers.
👨‍🎓 Entry-level questions are often asked to experienced engineers, which feels like a waste of time and doesn't reflect their expertise.
📄 Verifying resume truthfulness is important, but the method of questioning should be more tailored to the candidate's experience.
🏢 Long-term employees might not have learned all the latest technologies, but that doesn't mean they lack skills.
🙅‍♂️ Technical questions, even in take-home tests, can be too nitpicky and filter out good candidates for minor mistakes.
💡 The speaker suggests that the interview process should be rethought to better assess a candidate's abilities and fit for a role.
🚫 Companies are struggling to hire due to poor interview practices, which can take months and still result in a poor fit.
📉 The current market situation, with many layoffs, doesn't necessarily mean companies are not hurting to hire the right people.
🤷‍♂️ The speaker has tried to improve the interview process in the past but found resistance from higher-ups who prefer traditional methods.
🔧 There's a need for a change in the interview process, but it's challenging to implement due to the influence of established companies like Google and Facebook.

Q & A

Why does the speaker feel that the current programming interview process is ineffective for experienced programmers?
-The speaker believes that the interview process often includes basic technical questions suitable for entry-level candidates, which do not accurately assess the skills and experience of a seasoned software engineer with 25 years of experience.
What does the speaker suggest as an alternative to traditional technical questions in interviews?
-The speaker implies that interviewers should ask questions that verify the truthfulness of the candidate's resume and explore what they know and don't know, rather than relying solely on technical questions that can be answered by junior engineers as well.
Why does the speaker criticize the use of take-home assignments in the interview process?
-The speaker criticizes take-home assignments because they believe these tasks are more appropriate for junior to mid-level engineers and that they can unfairly filter out strong candidates due to minor mistakes.
What issue does the speaker see with companies filtering candidates based on minor mistakes in take-home assignments?
-The speaker argues that minor mistakes should not be a reason to disqualify a candidate, as everyone makes mistakes and the candidate might still be a valuable addition to the team.
What does the speaker think is the impact of poor hiring practices on companies?
-The speaker suggests that poor hiring practices can lead to companies struggling to fill positions for extended periods, which can be detrimental to the company's operations and growth.
What is the speaker's view on the current job market and its challenges?
-The speaker acknowledges that while the job market might be difficult currently due to recent layoffs, the underlying issue of inefficient hiring practices persists and contributes to the struggle in hiring qualified candidates.
Why does the speaker feel frustrated with the status quo of technical interviews in the industry?
-The speaker is frustrated because they have tried to improve the interview process in other companies, but decision-makers such as directors and VPs are resistant to change, often citing industry giants like Google and Facebook as justification for their methods.
What comparison does the speaker make between the adoption of technical interviews and agile practices?
-The speaker compares the reluctance to change technical interviews to the widespread adoption of agile and scrum practices, suggesting that the status quo is maintained because it is perceived as a safe choice, despite its flaws.
What does the speaker imply about the role of large tech companies in shaping interview practices?
-The speaker implies that large tech companies, such as Google and Facebook, set the standard for interview practices, which other companies follow without questioning their effectiveness or suitability for all candidates.
What does the speaker call for in terms of improving the interview process for experienced engineers?
-The speaker calls for a reevaluation of the interview process to better accommodate the experience and skills of senior engineers, rather than relying on standardized questions that do not differentiate between levels of expertise.
What is the speaker's final sentiment regarding their ability to influence changes in the interview process?
-The speaker expresses a sense of helplessness, as their attempts to influence changes in the interview process have been largely unsuccessful, and decision-makers are not receptive to their suggestions.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Frustration with Traditional Technical Interviews

The speaker expresses dissatisfaction with the current state of programming interviews, particularly the use of basic technical questions that are deemed too simple for experienced candidates. They argue that such questions are more suitable for entry-level candidates and do not accurately assess the skills of a senior engineer. The speaker also criticizes the practice of using take-home assignments that may filter out strong candidates due to minor mistakes, suggesting that these methods are not effective in identifying talent. They call for a reevaluation of interview practices to better align with the needs of experienced professionals and the hiring companies.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Programming Interview

A programming interview is a process used by companies to assess the technical skills of potential software engineering candidates. In the video, the speaker criticizes the traditional format of programming interviews, especially for experienced engineers, arguing that they often include questions that are too basic and do not accurately reflect a candidate's ability to perform in a senior role.

💡Technical Questions

Technical questions refer to problems or exercises that test a candidate's coding skills and problem-solving abilities. The speaker in the video expresses frustration with technical questions that are overly simplistic, such as sorting algorithms, which may not be relevant for experienced engineers during interviews.

💡Experience Level

Experience level indicates the amount of time and expertise a professional has in their field. The speaker emphasizes that asking basic technical questions to someone with 25 years of experience is a waste of time, suggesting that interviews should instead focus on more advanced and relevant aspects of a candidate's experience.

💡Entry-Level

Entry-level refers to positions or candidates who are new to a field, often with little to no professional experience. The speaker contrasts entry-level candidates, who might appropriately be asked basic coding questions, with seasoned engineers, for whom such questions are less relevant.

💡Staff/Senior Engineer

Staff or senior engineers are experienced professionals who typically hold leadership roles in software development teams. The video highlights the mismatch between the level of questions asked in interviews and the advanced roles these engineers are applying for, arguing that more sophisticated and relevant questions should be used instead.

💡Resume Verification

Resume verification is the process of confirming that a candidate's listed skills and experiences are accurate. The speaker suggests that instead of focusing on basic technical questions, interviews should aim to verify a candidate's claims by discussing their actual work and experiences, which would provide a better sense of their true capabilities.

💡Take-Home Projects

Take-home projects are assignments given to candidates to complete on their own time as part of the interview process. The speaker questions the effectiveness of these projects, especially for more experienced engineers, arguing that they can lead to unfair rejections over minor mistakes that do not reflect a candidate's overall potential.

💡Hiring Practices

Hiring practices refer to the methods and strategies companies use to recruit and evaluate candidates. The speaker critiques current hiring practices, particularly the reliance on outdated or irrelevant technical assessments, which they believe contribute to longer hiring timelines and the loss of potentially great candidates.

💡Market Conditions

Market conditions refer to the current state of the job market, including supply and demand for workers. The speaker acknowledges that the job market is challenging, with many layoffs and companies struggling to hire, which exacerbates the issues caused by ineffective interview processes.

💡Agile/Scrum

Agile and Scrum are popular project management methodologies used in software development to improve flexibility and collaboration. The speaker compares the uncritical adoption of these methodologies to the similarly unquestioned use of traditional technical interviews, suggesting that both are maintained by companies more out of convention than because they are the most effective practices.

Highlights

The frustration with the current programming interview process, especially for experienced candidates.

Entry-level programming interview questions may not be suitable for candidates with extensive experience.

The need for interviewers to verify the truthfulness of a candidate's resume.

The importance of understanding a candidate's knowledge gaps through their responses and omissions.

The potential issue of long-term employees not learning new skills due to staying at the same company.

The critique of technical questions being too basic for experienced engineers.

The inefficiency of filtering candidates based on minor mistakes in take-home assignments.

The human tendency to make mistakes and the unfairness of not hiring based on these errors.

The struggle companies face in hiring due to poor interview practices.

The impact of the current job market on the hiring process and the need for change.

The resistance to change in the interview process from directors and VPs.

The comparison of the interview process to practices like Agile and Scrum, which are resistant to change.

The influence of big tech companies on interview practices and the reluctance to deviate from them.

A call for ideas on how to fix the programming interview process.

The desire for a more effective and fair interview process that aligns with the needs of both candidates and companies.

An invitation for others to share their thoughts on the state of the programming interview process.

Transcripts

00:01

all right the programming interview is

00:04