Re:How to Rock an Algorithms Interview
by tom_b on Monday September 26, 2011 @04:10PM
(#3040539)
For a significant number of gigs, you don't need to know algorithms and data structures. This continues to surprise me.
I think for interviewers, this approach to quizzing on algorithms and data structures is probably just a well-known practice and probably lacks correlation with the work of a specific job role most of the time.
If you aspire to work somewhere that has a demand for deeper algorithmic work, you do need to understand algorithms and data structures. I think this is probably a smaller number of potential jobs than many of us on HN would like to admit - there is simply a large number of mundane IT/dev jobs where the naive imperative solution will be just fine.
I would skip flash cards, but try to find small projects at work that require algorithmic and data structure thinking. Then you get some applied experience that will "tell a good story" at an interview plus build your analysis skills.
I think for a lot of jobs, even being able to talk about an algorithm and data structure design that you personally did will put you way out in front of a number of candidates.
I think for interviewers, this approach to quizzing on algorithms and data structures is probably just a well-known practice and probably lacks correlation with the work of a specific job role most of the time.
If you aspire to work somewhere that has a demand for deeper algorithmic work, you do need to understand algorithms and data structures. I think this is probably a smaller number of potential jobs than many of us on HN would like to admit - there is simply a large number of mundane IT/dev jobs where the naive imperative solution will be just fine.
I would skip flash cards, but try to find small projects at work that require algorithmic and data structure thinking. Then you get some applied experience that will "tell a good story" at an interview plus build your analysis skills.
I think for a lot of jobs, even being able to talk about an algorithm and data structure design that you personally did will put you way out in front of a number of candidates.