6 ms·

It is my anecdata, and take it as what it is. I've seen it myself a few times. Take it as what it is, downvote it all you want. A freedom of speech for everyon

It is my anecdata, and take it as what it is. I've seen it myself a few times. Take it as what it is, downvote it all you want. A freedom of speech for everyone.

omar_a1 7y ago
After reading this comment, I get the sneaking suspicion that your definition of "diversity hire" means hiring any minority or female candidates, period.
- alibaba_x 7y ago
  That's what companies mean by diversity as well.
  - omar_a1 7y ago
    Diversity hire, not diversity.
- christiansakai 7y ago
  That is correct. Please see my other comments. I don't have the intention to look down on people.
  - omar_a1 7y ago
    ...So you're confirming that if you hire the most qualified candidate, and they happen to be a minority, you consider it a "diversity hire"? Welp.
    - christiansakai 7y ago
      So if that candidate cannot even answer Easy/Medium Leetcode questions but got offer, then yes. Is that not clear enough?
      - omar_a1 7y ago
        No, it's actually contradicting your above answers.
        christiansakai 7y ago
        Care to elaborate?
      - bigfoot675 7y ago
        You just said that a diversity hire is anyone who is female or an under-represented minority. I think this comment is what you meant to say. Explicitly, if a candidate is a female or an under-represented minority, AND they do not stack up to standards.
        christiansakai 7y ago
        Ah I see, so that's where the misinterpretation come from. Sorry, that's not what I meant. I meant to say that if a minority gets offer without being able to pass even Easy/Medium questions, then yes it is a diversity hire. Thanks for the clarification.
akoumis 7y ago
"I've seen it myself" - So you've sat on FAANG hiring panels that made decisions specifically based on candidates' underrepresented demographics? Or you're just inferring based on people you met while employed at a FAANG? Or...?
- christiansakai 7y ago
  So basically I know a few people who can't even solve an Easy Leetcode questions. They got in as SWE L3/L4, E3/E4 and I also know one L5. Can you help me in explaining why? I don't have the intention of looking down on people. I'm just gathering data. If I can find a reasonable explanation then I want to take a look at it, and learn from it, and see where did I do wrong, so I can improve and pass the interviews next time.
  - charlesu 7y ago
    I knew a lot of people at FAANG that were L4/L5 that couldn't solve Leetcode easies. Leetcode isn't part of the job, just the interviews. Getting an offer is not just a matter of solving a programming problem. It's about how you communicate. And, of course, if you're a brilliant jerk ability doesn't matter: you're not getting hired. If you're not getting past the interviews despite being a strong programmer, you may want to really think deeply about how you're communicating with your interviewer. Remember, the vast majority of people who are getting offers aren't women or minorities so that's probably not what's blocking you.
    - christiansakai 7y ago
      Your experience matches my anecdote. Hence you can imagine my total confusion once I got the interview myself (Google, 2 times, phone to onsite, Amazon one time to onsite, Facebook, one phone). In my latest FB phone for example. I was asked a Medium question that I've never seen before, and nevertheless I solved it. How do I know? Because apparently that was taken straight from Leetcode, and the interviewer didn't even bother to change the question. I copy pasted my solution to Leetcode, run it, pass 100% test cases. I got rejected.... I asked for feedback from the recruiter. Apparently I needed to do 2 Medium questions in the allocated time. I solve the first Medium question in about 30 mins, and there was only 10 mins left for the 2nd one so the interviewer didn't bother to ask me the 2nd one. The scenario that I just told you above is not unique. Venture enough to cscareerquestions and Leetcode forum you'll be surprised to see many many worse experience than this.

It is my anecdata, and take it as what it is. I've seen it myself a few times. Take it as what it is, downvote it all you want. A freedom of speech for everyone.

omar_a1 7y ago

After reading this comment, I get the sneaking suspicion that your definition of "diversity hire" means hiring any minority or female candidates, period.

alibaba_x 7y ago
That's what companies mean by diversity as well.
- omar_a1 7y ago
  Diversity hire, not diversity.
christiansakai 7y ago
That is correct. Please see my other comments. I don't have the intention to look down on people.
- omar_a1 7y ago
  ...So you're confirming that if you hire the most qualified candidate, and they happen to be a minority, you consider it a "diversity hire"? Welp.
  - christiansakai 7y ago
    So if that candidate cannot even answer Easy/Medium Leetcode questions but got offer, then yes. Is that not clear enough?
    - omar_a1 7y ago
      No, it's actually contradicting your above answers.
      - christiansakai 7y ago
        Care to elaborate?
    - bigfoot675 7y ago
      You just said that a diversity hire is anyone who is female or an under-represented minority. I think this comment is what you meant to say. Explicitly, if a candidate is a female or an under-represented minority, AND they do not stack up to standards.
      - christiansakai 7y ago
        Ah I see, so that's where the misinterpretation come from. Sorry, that's not what I meant. I meant to say that if a minority gets offer without being able to pass even Easy/Medium questions, then yes it is a diversity hire. Thanks for the clarification.

akoumis 7y ago

"I've seen it myself" - So you've sat on FAANG hiring panels that made decisions specifically based on candidates' underrepresented demographics? Or you're just inferring based on people you met while employed at a FAANG? Or...?

christiansakai 7y ago
So basically I know a few people who can't even solve an Easy Leetcode questions. They got in as SWE L3/L4, E3/E4 and I also know one L5. Can you help me in explaining why? I don't have the intention of looking down on people. I'm just gathering data. If I can find a reasonable explanation then I want to take a look at it, and learn from it, and see where did I do wrong, so I can improve and pass the interviews next time.
- charlesu 7y ago
  I knew a lot of people at FAANG that were L4/L5 that couldn't solve Leetcode easies. Leetcode isn't part of the job, just the interviews. Getting an offer is not just a matter of solving a programming problem. It's about how you communicate. And, of course, if you're a brilliant jerk ability doesn't matter: you're not getting hired. If you're not getting past the interviews despite being a strong programmer, you may want to really think deeply about how you're communicating with your interviewer. Remember, the vast majority of people who are getting offers aren't women or minorities so that's probably not what's blocking you.
  - christiansakai 7y ago
    Your experience matches my anecdote. Hence you can imagine my total confusion once I got the interview myself (Google, 2 times, phone to onsite, Amazon one time to onsite, Facebook, one phone). In my latest FB phone for example. I was asked a Medium question that I've never seen before, and nevertheless I solved it. How do I know? Because apparently that was taken straight from Leetcode, and the interviewer didn't even bother to change the question. I copy pasted my solution to Leetcode, run it, pass 100% test cases. I got rejected.... I asked for feedback from the recruiter. Apparently I needed to do 2 Medium questions in the allocated time. I solve the first Medium question in about 30 mins, and there was only 10 mins left for the 2nd one so the interviewer didn't bother to ask me the 2nd one. The scenario that I just told you above is not unique. Venture enough to cscareerquestions and Leetcode forum you'll be surprised to see many many worse experience than this.