The best way to improve your algorithmic skills is to practice with realistic and diverse questions. There are many online platforms and books that offer algorithmic questions for different levels and topics. Some of the popular ones are LeetCode, HackerRank, Cracking the Coding Interview, and Elements of Programming Interviews. Choose a resource that suits your goals and preferences, and try to solve as many questions as you can. Don't just memorize the solutions, but try to understand the logic and reasoning behind them. Use the
tag to write and test your code, and check the test cases and feedback.
###### Think out loud
One of the most important aspects of answering algorithmic questions in an interview is to communicate your thought process clearly and effectively. Don't just write code silently, but explain what you are doing and why. Think out loud as you analyze the problem, brainstorm ideas, choose an approach, write pseudocode, code, debug, and optimize. This way, you can show your interviewer how you tackle problems, how you handle edge cases and errors, and how you improve your solutions. It also helps you avoid mistakes, clarify doubts, and get hints from the interviewer.
###### Use a framework
To help you structure your thinking and communication, use a framework to guide you through the steps of solving an algorithmic question. The STAR method - Situation, Task, Action, and Result - is a popular approach that can be used in the following way: Describe the problem and its context, define the goal and subtasks, implement the solution and explain your code, and test and optimize your solution. This involves considering inputs, outputs, constraints, assumptions, expectations, data structures, algorithms, edge cases, errors, time complexity, space complexity, efficiency and readability.
###### Learn from feedback
Finally, don't be discouraged by your mistakes or weaknesses, but use them as opportunities to learn and improve. Seek feedback from your interviewer, your peers, or yourself. Ask for specific and constructive comments on your performance, such as your strengths, areas for improvement, and suggestions. Reflect on your feedback and identify your gaps and challenges. Work on them by reviewing the concepts, practicing more questions, or seeking help from others. Track your progress and celebrate your achievements.
######Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?