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> Does a modern software engineer not need to demonstrate an ability to design efficient algorithms that solve problems that haven't been encountered before? O
by peeters 12y ago
> Does a modern software engineer not need to demonstrate an ability to design efficient algorithms that solve problems that haven't been encountered before?
On the job? Sure they do. In an interview room? That's not an adequate replication of the job environment. I am not asked to design an algorithm for a problem introduced to me 17 seconds ago and have 5 minutes to do it.
Plus, you're committing the #1 sin of interviews; that many of the people that can answer the question in an interview setting have encountered the problem before, and that's why they can answer it.
- JoeAltmaier 12y agoThat answers something that's been bothering me about interview coding. The ones who pass, are the ones who've seen the problem before. So its not a coding test nor a creativity test; its an experience test only.
- cousin_it 12y agoI've passed many algorithm interviews without knowing the answer beforehand. It's very possible, people just don't bother to learn. Any good textbook on algorithms will give you the tools to create new ones. Mostly it's application of a few basic concepts, like big-O complexity, divide and conquer, or dynamic programming. Go through 100 problems on Project Euler and this stuff will become second nature.