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Have you considered giving them a hint, that you primarily are looking for the algorithm that will generate the data?

• shadowgovt 5y ago
  I have, often. People get nerves in an interview and don't always hear what the interview is saying, I think.
  • jrochkind1 5y ago
    That much is true. I get so nervous in technical interviews, and it has definitely lost me some jobs I am confident I had the technical skills for.
  • ryandrake 5y ago
    Some candidates also can get into this “word salad” mode, where they just talk and talk, and don’t listen to what you are saying. They have their script and talking points and just go on autopilot, filling every silence with words and words. You can give them obvious hints and cues: “Just give me the simplest answer and we will go from there!” …and they launch right back into 5 more minutes straight of talking. As an interviewer, I have to manage our time appropriately so we can get into all the questions, and will sometimes even have to firmly say “STOP TALKING. Unfortunately we need to move on to the next question.”