What are some strategies for handling difficult questions in a computer science interview?

Even though I have co-authored a popular book on Programming interviews, more and more I have started to rely on digging into prior experience of the candidate. To prep for a CS Interview, I would suggest picking the project you did that you are most proud of. Figure out how to talk about it so you can clearly communicate the value delivered, design choices and tradeoffs made, and how you contributed to it. What made it hard, and why you loved it. Steer the conversation towards your work if you can.

LISTEN CAREFULLY - UNDERSTAND PROPERLY - PAUSE & THINK - ANSWER APPROPRIATELY I. Clarify the Question: Make sure you understand the question correctly before attempting to solve it. II. Break Down the Problem: Break the problem down into smaller, more manageable parts. III. Discuss Your Thought Process as you work through the problem. Interviewers are often interested in how you approach problem-solving more than just the final solution. IV. Use Examples or draw diagrams to demonstrate your solution approach. Visual aids can enhance your explanation. Finally, if you're unable to solve a problem, don't hesitate to ask for feedback. Interviewers appreciate candidates who are open and willing to learn new stuffs.

Few advices to handle the interview questions: 1. Be very polite, true and honest. In case, if you don't know the answer, politely say 'NO' rather than giving wrong guesses. 2. Break the problem into small subproblems, answer them in steps. 3. Politely ask for few minutes from interviewer(s) to collect your thoughts and patiently answer the questions. 4. Before appearing for an interview, prepare well on the technology and skills on which the company works. Discuss with your seniors and teachers in advance about the kind of questions, the company asked in previous years interviews.

First face the question by trying to understand that particular difficult question to get an idea to solve,and next try to solve the logic.Even though the answer which you got may be incorrect but your confidence level to solve that problem may give you satisfaction so with that satisfaction you can keep working on that aspects which you did'nt get to solve the problem.

We often find ourselves in a situation where we feel lost in the middle of somewhere, especially during interviews. We all reach a point where we're afraid of what the next question from the interviewer will be. In this situation, take a moment to think before answering. Don't rush into a response. Instead of worrying about not clearing the interview, relax and take your time. Break down the question and ask for clarification if needed. Use examples to explain your answer. Don't be afraid to admit if you don't know the answer, but show willingness to learn. Ultimately, think out loud. Ask questions of the interviewer, including 'how would you do this?' and 'Is this a reasonable approach? But do your research about the company in advance.

Sometimes you know a solution for the question asked, but you know it is not the optimal one. I find it useful to share the sooner. It helps by: - Verifying your understanding of the problem - Finding the cases which it will not work or it will perform poorly - Establishing a baseline: as sub-optimal solution is better than no solution Also, this is closer to real-life situations where usually we don't know the answer upfront, then we might find a solution. Later, after researching and experimentation, we work our way to a better solution.

Practice solving a variety of challenging problems before your interview. This will help you become more comfortable with problem-solving techniques and familiarize yourself with common patterns and algorithms.

Practice makes perfect. Talking the talk takes you so far, walking the talk takes you further. From my experience, going through examples and learning how software operates provides a good platform to experiment and then apply the new knowledge to yield answers and solutions. No point reinventing the wheel... best to build on what has been achieved already.

A lot of people, especially people who learn coding through online coding courses in a couple of months, will inevitably skip this step. Practicing fundamentals such as data structures, array manipulation, algorithms, etc. will never lose its importance and earning points for implementing and using complex frameworks will have no merit if the interviewee lacks basic understanding of their coding platform

Wenn Sie bereits ein eigenes Repository haben oder sich an Diskussion beteiligen, stellen Sie das bereits im CV heraus, das verschafft etwas Vertrauen, so dass die Fragen evtl. gar nicht so kritisch werden. Seien Sie in jedem Fall perfekt auf Fragen zu den Vertiefungsrichtungen, insbesondere Master und Bachelor Thesis, vorbereitet. Wenn dort eine Wissenslücke entdeckt wird, ist das in der Regel ein Zeichen von mangelndem Interesse.

From an interviewer’s perspective, your approach to solving a problem is often just as important as the actual solution. Your capability of articulating your thought process indicates how effective your team collaboration and leadership skills are and can sometimes be a more determining factor in hiring than getting to the correct conclusion without bringing anyone else along in the process. During interview prep, spend time practicing “categorizing” your process into consumable, bite-sized steps that makes your explanation easy to follow. You’ll see typical “category” trends emerge during your prep even if the questions are on wildly separate topics.

In my experience, interviewers would much rather you talk out the code and explain your reasoning behind it rather than you just completing the whole thing and not having any explanation or reason behind the process. Companies are looking for people who know how to code but also looking for people that they can work with, teach, and learn from!

Usually, the interviewer is not evaluating your capability of solving that specific problem, but your way of thinking and explanation. They seek a person who is able to perform on a variaty of problems. Try to fully understand the question and ask for some tips if you're stuck. Make your way into the solution before coding it.

When I am evaluating candidates, I am most interested in following their thought process so that I can see how they approach and work through problems they may not initially know the answer to. You'd be surprised how easy it is to tell is if someone is recalling something from rote memory vs. organically processing and thinking about your question. Even if you're stuck and not entirely sure about where to move forward with your answer, take me on the thought journey with you and ask questions when you need additional clarification. These questions and feedback from the interviewer lead to a more in-depth and thorough solution, while also positioning yourself as a thoughtful candidate willing to really engage with a tough problem.

When faced with a difficult question, take a moment to organize your thoughts before diving into a solution. Articulate your problem-solving approach clearly, breaking down the problem into smaller steps. If the question seems ambiguous, don't hesitate to seek clarification. For instance, if asked to design a system, you might say, "Before I start designing, can you provide more information about the expected user load and data volume for this system?"

In my experience, most interviewers look for who can handle and troubleshoot any issue if they can't, they always look for a workaround solution, which shows to the interviews that they have great skills and experience.

When faced with tough interview questions, your best asset is your own experience. Draw from projects, courses, or hobbies to provide concrete examples. Discussing how you applied a specific design pattern or tool, the reasoning behind your choices, and the outcomes achieved, showcases not just your technical prowess but also your problem-solving skills and passion for computer science. It transforms abstract questions into a showcase of your real-world expertise. Remember, your experiences are your evidence; use them to demonstrate your capabilities succinctly and powerfully.

Support your answers with concrete examples from your past experiences. This could be projects you've worked on, challenges you've overcome, or achievements you've accomplished. For instance, if asked about a challenging debugging situation, you might say, "In my previous role, we encountered a critical bug in the production environment. By systematically isolating the issue and using debugging tools, I was able to identify and fix the problem, preventing any downtime."

In interviews, it's crucial to articulate not just solutions but also the thinking behind them. For instance, consider a café restroom as a semaphore: its occupied/vacant state parallels semaphore signaling. Explaining this analogy lays a foundation for discussing semaphores in code. Similarly, using a deadlock scenario in the café, where two people hold keys for each other's rooms, mirrors programming deadlocks. By connecting real-life examples with technical concepts, I demonstrate problem-solving skills while showcasing critical thinking to the interviewer. This approach bridges the gap between abstract concepts and tangible scenarios, making complex ideas more relatable and understandable.

Best way to explain: - Using examples shows similar things that you have worked with until now. - It shows your experience, skill and mind set. - Example also proves which way will be failure or which will be the most optimum one.

Everyone makes mistakes; don't be afraid to admit when you do! Equally as important, don't assume you didn't make any mistakes. Rubberduck through your code and ensure it behaves as expected. It always looks great when you can proactively catch your own mistakes, admit them, and remedy them before the interviewer does.

Listen first, speak second. Make sure you understand what the interviewer is asking and if not, ask clarifying questions. Also be aware of false choices...most things cannot be reduced to either A or B answers and the assumptions and parameters can affect the answer.

Lastly, if you have understood the question well and still have no examples or logic to explain about the question, you can honestly tell the interviewer that you don't know the answer. Some interviewers might view this negatively but some might appreciate your honesty and even try to help you solve the question by giving you some hints. But try to not say that you don't know the answer for multiple questions because this might leave a negative impression of you and you might not get selected.

Admit your mistakes and avoid arguing that you are right in front of the interviewers. Every company values honest and humble individuals in their team.

Honesty glows in life and certainly when answering interview questions. Interviewers often can tell how factually accurate your answers are... based on their personal or previous interview experiences. Moreover, there will be sub questions following a main question, so best not to dig a hole for yourself! Combining honesty with humbleness is certainly a winning combination and the interview panel will appreciate this.

- Think critically about the problem at hand and break down the steps you need to solve it. - There's something to learn from every experience. Even if the interview doesn't go the way you're hoping, think about how you can improve for next time. - Have confidence, you can do it!

Start with the basics, even if you don't completely know the answer, elaborate based on your knowledge, show interest and demonstrate a desire to learn, discipline and willpower count for much more than pure knowledge

Don't hesitate to ask for clarification. After all, an apparently difficult question can be a simple one with an unclear context. Eliciting more information from the interviewer by providing examples to see if you're on the right track is often appreciated, as many solutions in software engineering and architecture are often determined by shrinking the problem space through a disambiguation process.

Expressing genuine interest in both the role and the industry is key. Prior knowledge of the industry could be beneficial. When discussing ideas to improve customer satisfaction, it's important to consider broader industry perspectives rather than just focusing on specific domains.

Handling difficult questions in a computer science interview requires a combination of technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and effective communication. Here are some strategies to navigate challenging questions: Clarify the Question: If you're unsure about the question or need more context, don't hesitate to ask the interviewer for clarification. It's better to fully understand the problem before attempting to solve it. Break Down the Problem: Break the problem down into smaller, more manageable components. Analyze each part individually to gain a better understanding of the problem as a whole.