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Let's not forget something. Interviewing is also an skill that you will learn. If you are actively searching for job (because you're unemployed, or you really w

Let's not forget something. Interviewing is also an skill that you will learn. If you are actively searching for job (because you're unemployed, or you really want to leave your current job), you'll know what to expect and be more confident and perform better on each interview. After the fifth interview, you have already faced 90% of all those pesky algorithm questions. I don't really believe in those kind of questions (other than for screening purposes) Anyway, as a company, if you are able to create an atmosphere when interviewees can relax and show "how they really are in a regular day" is a great win.

faro1975 14y ago
This needs repeating - interviewing is a skill you have to, and you can learn. Like lsc below, I'm also a "mercenary". But probably much less competent and maybe even better in interviewing. My background is in humint which gives me some skills to "read" people, figure out exactly how to build the trust with the interviewer, get them to like me and even manipulate the conversation towards the questions I want them to ask me... In my 17y IT contracting career, I didn't have a single interview that didn't end up in an offer despite my significant lack of algorithms or programming knowledge. Luckily, I didn't have 5h pair-programming interviews. You can make it "click" with the company and you can manipulate their "gut feel" to tell them that you would be the ideal candidate for the position. It's not fair and it's irrational that people like me can get the job instead of some much more capable developers, but that's what humans are - irrational.