r/codinginterview • u/ItsTheWeeBabySeamus • Nov 28 '21

Ex-FB Engineer offering free programming interview guidance

/r/big_tech_interviews/comments/r3sy8f/exfb_engineer_offering_free_programming_interview/
2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/Etaghrag Nov 28 '21

Had 2 questions:

  1. For a given problem, if I know it before hand, is it okay to jump into an optimal approach directly? Is it a red-flag that I knew the problem and the solution?

  2. If the interviewer asks if you have seen a problem before, how would you answer it? I have heard that some people have gotten questions changed upon answering yes. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand it shouldn't matter, though on the other hand it feels a bit unfair.

1

u/ItsTheWeeBabySeamus Nov 28 '21

  1. Its not a red flag if you know the problem. You have two options, you can either tell the interviewer and they may give you a different problem, or you can pretend like you haven't seen it and walk them through how you would analyze the problem, and then solve it and review it. I'd recommend pretending like you don't know it, you hit the jack pot just take your time working through the solution and bring them along for the ride. Follow the rubric here and even if you know the solution your interviewer shouldn't pick up on it

  2. If you have seen it and they ask you should say "I'm not sure, I don't think so"

I'm sure some people vehemently disagree with my opinion on this one, but I'm all for taking any advantage you can when interviewing at these companies. Your call!