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This. I've slung code in (now) 16 different languages from macros, to scripting to compiled over the last mumbleseveraldecadesmumble. But they throw btree sort

This. I've slung code in (now) 16 different languages from macros, to scripting to compiled over the last mumbleseveraldecadesmumble. But they throw btree sort hackerrank puzzles at me when I've been a working sysadmin for over 20 years, and never had algorithm courses for a BS degree? How about no. If I have to sort stuff, I use a built in function, and let the CS hardcore software engineers do the puzzle games. I'm a script hack and sysadmin/SRE, not a software puzzle guru. I look up the syntax I need for the language I'm writing today. I may end up programming a different language next week, month or year. It's not worth the trouble memorizing the triviata of every language I ever used. There are only so many ways to cast variables and write loops. Everything else is nomenclature and punctuation. Ask me to address a system problem, don't give me a BS puzzle.

crearo 5y ago
FWIW, every data structure / algo interview I've done allowed me to use built in functions for sorting (I work at FAANG). In general, I dislike the interview process too, but there just isn't a better way to do these, as is clear from this large thread. If you look at it from the company's perspective, you have to conduct interviews at scale, and it can't hand off the same system problem to everyone. You're being tested on your problem solving ability. It doesn't correlate directly to your job, but the general assumption is, if you can solve puzzles after studying for them, the chance that you can solve any random problem thrown at you is high.