How to approach problem-solving interview questions
Being an effective programmer means you also have to be a shrewd problem solver. You won’t know how to solve every problem you’ll encounter in your career immediately; but with enough experience, you’ll have the right tools and strategies to start working on a solution.
It’s important to approach coding interview questions with a calm, clear mind. Struggling through a problem because you are nervous or overwhelmed is an easy way to lose track of time. Remember, you need to showcase your strengths in 30 to 40 minutes, so take a deep breath to compose yourself when needed.
Understand the problemAsking qualifying questions will help you better grasp the problem, and it will tell your interviewer that you know how to break down a task. Depending on the type of problem-solving interview question you’ve been asked, your individual clarifying questions will vary. Sometimes you need to understand the requirements of the proposed program better. At other times, you may need to consider end-users, scalability, or even cost.
Look for patternsOnce you feel as though you adequately understand the problem, you can look for patterns that link this problem to others you have experience with. Many coding questions rely on shared concepts. If you detect a pattern, you can start considering the different algorithms and data structures needed to solve the problem.
Weigh your optionsBe sure to weigh your options aloud, so that your interviewer can understand your thought process. We know that your reasoning is important to the interviewer, but you need to be deliberate about making your reasoning transparent. This may feel unnatural, so it’s a good idea to practice talking through a technical question and weighing your options with a friend.
Practice with coding interview problems
The most challenging part of a technical interview is determining the ideal algorithm or approach for the job. Practicing with many different coding problems will help you understand the technical skills necessary to write code to meet specific requirements. Still you will need to put in the work to consistently recognize and understand the overarching patterns. Learning and practicing these patterns can equip you with the tools to approach any type of problem-solving interview question confidently.
We offer a Coding Interview Patterns course that covers 27 of the most popular patterns in your choice of language.
