Can’t just be me, can it? Currently 0 for 3 on interviews because I can’t seem to get past the technical interview/test. Usually because of some crazy complicated algorithm question that’s never been relevant to anything I’ve ever had to do on the job in all my years coding.

Also, while I’m ranting: screw the usual non-answer when given feedback.

  • varsock
    10·
    1 year ago

    another problem with tech tests is how broad of scope they cover - like everything you’ve learned when pursuing your degree.

    Most other professional engineering disciplines have licensing obtained using FE and PE exams. Those exams are effectively “tech tests” equivalents but after passing them you get a license that you have to maintain. I can appreciate this approach since you can take CEU (continuing education) to maintain your license instead of taking the entire test all over again.

    I never though software engineers would need a license but I would MUCH rather prefer grind to obtain a license ONCE which then I can use to fulfill tech test requirements and maintain the license with much less effort throughout the year.

      • varsock
        3·
        1 year ago

        thanks for sharing, didn’t know they got rid of it - makes sense though

        from the same article:

        if the boards aren’t regulating the [software engineering profession], it’s tough to get people to take the exam

        Now middle managers and HR are regulating the software engineering profession -_-

          • varsock
            1·
            1 year ago

            But if people want to complain about the irrelevance of reversing a list or describing two different approaches to balanced trees… they’d probably complain more about being tested on generators and RC frequency response in low pass filters even if you only have to take it once.

            LOL! absolutely.

            I think the skills tested on tech interviews are important, though; At least fundamentals. I don’t encounter many people that consider time and space complexity of a unit of code (big O notation) and that’s unfortunate.

            Data structs and their method for language built-ins are already optimized so I get that most people just use them but man, I see so many developers not even choose the correct structures. That includes me until I started leetcoding for a new job after 4 years of professionally work.

            But of course, this needs to stay in reason. Asking Brainteasers and optimizations like dynamic programming are dick moves. I don’t want my team to prematurely optimize and make our code base complex just cause.