> This is also true for PhD students and research labs. Like if you are a C.S. PhD student interviewing at Microsoft Research or in an academic position, no one

> This is also true for PhD students and research labs. Like if you are a C.S. PhD student interviewing at Microsoft Research or in an academic position, no one is going to ask you code up insertion sort. They look at your papers and evaluate you. I sometimes regret not doing a PhD for this very reason. this has not been my experience, lab / academic jobs are a day of interviews which probably will not have any programming questions because you're hiring a scientist, not a staff programmer, but you will talk about research, ideas, and be expected to think and produce insights on the spot, and you as a candidate will give an hourlong talk. the decision is not made before you show up and the desires of the hiring body are very fickle.