What are the most effective algorithmic techniques for software engineering interviews?

In my experience for cracking any top product based mnc for sdet roles beginners to senior roles below data structures are must to practice before coding round : *Array * String * Matrices * Stack * Linked list * Queue * Hashmap * Binary search * Sorting algorithm with complexities * binary search tree * Recursion * bit manipulation basic level . Will share detail list of commonly asked questions on linkedin soon to crack any coding interview :) Thanks

Software engineering interviews often assess a candidate's problem-solving skills, algorithmic knowledge, and coding abilities. Here are some effective algorithmic techniques that can help you succeed in software engineering interviews: Data Structures: Arrays and Strings: Linked Lists: Stacks and Queues: Trees and Graphs: Sorting and Searching: Understand binary search and its variations. Dynamic Programming: Recursion: Graph Algorithms: System Design: Coding Practices: Time and Space Complexity Analysis: Mock Interviews: Problem-Solving Strategies: Stay Updated:

Assessing the abilities of a software engineer is significantly influenced by the job description (JD), including the required experience level and the specific nature of the job. For Fresh: Focus on basic implementations such as: Queues Stacks Linked Lists Trees & Graphs For Experienced: Diverge from simple implementations towards scenario-based problem-solving. Not just test their technical skills but also their ability to foresee and plan for the future. Present challenges where data structures seem optional but are vital for growth. Assess candidates' structure choices for long-term efficiency. Evaluate their foresight in predicting complexities and crafting scalable, robust systems.

It's important to be sure that the questions you're using to screen candidates have only one obvious data structure that should be used. That way, if a candidate chooses a suboptimal data structure you can be confident that there's something about their understanding of the problem that is lacking. That being said, be flexible. Everyone approaches problems differently. Keep an open mind; a candidate might surprise you.

Recursion is tricky, Normally candidates do not consider or think about it as a first solution to the problem until they dig deeper into the problem and realise that their alternative approach might not work or difficult to scale and maintain. Discuss the problems that apparently can easily be solved using iteration but their actual solution leads to recursion, this will help checking analytical skills. Have them articulate the advantages and limitations of both recursion and iteration. A candidate should understand, for example, that recursion can be more elegant but may lead to stack overflow, while iteration might be more efficient but can lead to more complex code.

While iteration is essential, unless it's essential to the job, avoid asking questions that require recursion in order to solve. Coding interviews are already stressful, and recursion is not a technique that most software devs reach for first. Don't be surprised if the majority of candidates don't do well with these sorts of questions. Instead, have a conversation about recursion in order to gauge the candidate's understanding of the technique. Discuss times when recursion is appropriate, and times when it's not the right idea. As this tends to be an advanced technique, the devs that reach for it first may simply be trying to show off without having much of an understanding of when and where recursion should be used.

Divide and Conquer problems are a great way to judge a candidate's problem-solving ability. However, it's important to be sure that the question you're asking can only be solved with this technique, or the majority of devs will try other approaches. Rather than insisting that code for Divide and Conquer be written in front of you, have a conversation about the technique. Coding interviews are meant to be a test of problem-solving ability, not how quickly they can write syntactically-correct code. Ask candidates when they've used this technique in the past, and what sorts of circumstances make this an appropriate approach for a particular problem.

It’s a good approach to test analytical skills. Discuss real-world problems or tasks in your company's domain that could be approached with Divide and Conquer. This not only shows if they can apply their knowledge practically but also if they understand the business implications. Ask to outline the approach before coding. This tests problem-solving skills and their ability to think through a solution before diving into implementation. Ask how would their approach change if the problem size increases significantly? This tests their understanding of scalability and performance issues. Ask to compare their solution with other possible solutions. This tests their knowledge of algorithms and ability to choose the right tool for the job.

Coding interviews can be stressful for candidates, and prevent them from putting their best foot forward. Instead, think of other approaches that allow the candidate to shine. One such approach is a code reading exercise. This lesser-known option involves taking a file from your codebase and asking the candidate to read it during the interview. Have questions ready to ask about the code, what it does, and why the approach in the code was used. Ask how the candidate would improve the code. This can often be a great entrypoint into a conversation about technology that is enjoyable and informative.