A LinkedIn post by Sahil Gaba, a Seattle-based software engineer at Google, has gone viral unexpectedly drawing a response from his employer. Mr Gaba, who has been working at Google for four years, shared his game-changing approach to acing coding interviews. In his post, the techie revealed that the most valuable resource in a coding interview is not a book, tutorial, or online course, but rather the interviewer.
"The best resource to crack any coding interview: The interviewer. Most candidates see interviewers as judges waiting to fail them. But the truth? They're actually your best resource during the interview," he wrote in his post.
In the next few lines, he explained that candidates should ask clarifying questions at the outset, as interviewers often provide valuable, subtle hints in their responses. He also asked job seekers to vocalise their approach to encourage interviewers to nudge them in the right direction.
See the full post here:
Mr Gaba also shared a personal story from his Amazon interview, where he faced a challenging programming problem. Rather than panicking, he outlined two potential solutions. By doing so, he picked up on his interviewer's subtle cues, which hinted at the correct approach.
"Always remember that interviewers are humans too. They're looking to have a fun conversation, not just evaluate your technical skills. But most people are so nervous in interviews that they forget to have fun. Be memorable and have fun! The best code you'll write in an interview isn't the one you prepared. It's the one you build together with your interviewer," he concluded.
Google also responded to his viral post, commenting, "Thanks for sharing awesome tips, Sahil."
His post garnered widespread appreciation on social media, with users praising his valuable insights and practical advice.
One user said, "Thanks for sharing the interview tips. I am currently attending coding rounds but struggling to explain my approach and feeling tense. Now, I have a clearer picture."
Another commented, "Engaging with the interviewer can turn the session into a problem-solving collaboration rather than just an evaluation." A third said, "Great insights! Candidates often overlook that interviews are a two-way conversation, not just an evaluation. Leveraging the interviewer's hints and feedback can make a huge difference!"
A fourth added, "What a fantastic reminder of the importance of leveraging the interviewer as a valuable resource during coding interviews! Your insights on asking clarifying questions, thinking out loud, and inviting collaboration are spot on."
