10 Ways to Ace Your coding Test

Relying on a polished resume will not guarantee success in a coding test.

One of the main reason why engineers fail coding tests is a lack of preparation.

Acing a coding test requires planning and heaps of practice. Follow these 10 simple steps to improve your chances:

1 Master the basics.

Know and practice the basics of programming Variable Declaration, Operands, Looping structures, Control structures, and Program Structure.

You already know how to code, but it is still necessary to review and refresh your knowledge of the basics.

2 Research the company.

Familiarize yourself with their interview procedures and how they conduct coding tests whether it is on a whiteboard or screen based.

Some tech companies use the same coding questions over and over, in this case, practice common questions and try to solve them in different ways to see which is the most efficient and appropriate. But if the company gives random coding test problems, expect the unexpected and practice solving unconventional coding challenges.

3 Focus on a programming language you’re good at.

In embedded and systems engineering C/C++ are the most commonly used high level languages.

4 Practice coding.

Though this might be obvious practicing your coding skill is the best way to keep skills sharp. Work on solving challenging coding problems.

Come up with different approaches and refine your coding to produce the most efficient and elegant code you can. Use online coding websites to help you practice.

Coding tests are given with written instructions so read them carefully and take your time before commencing. Don’t rush. Be mindful of the time but be careful not to miss important details.

5 Be prepared to explain your code.

Apply good coding standards and be willing to explain your approach and your coding style.

Be prepared to explain your solution verbally as well on a whiteboard. 

6 Start practicing immediately.

Start practicing as soon as you start applying for jobs. Some companies will give you a week notice, so if you start practicing right away you’ll have an edge.

Regular practice will serve as a warm-up which will keep you ready to code any time and will also save you from cramming at the last minute.

7 Expect the unexpected.

Engineering and computing are vast subjects so any type of questions could come so don’t limit yourself to the standard questions explore related topics. Subjects which may be related to coding and software development such as basic discrete maths, machine learning and generic systems engineering.

8 Be open to learning.

Be open to constructive criticism. Your coding will never be perfect due to time constraint and the pressure that you might feel while solving a coding test.

Interviewers/ evaluators will observe how you solve specific coding problems and will give your feedback. Always be patient and polite and take onboard any feedback so you can do better next time.

9 Relax

Take the coding test seriously but don’t get overwhelmed and stressed out: Remain humble, open-minded and friendly at all times. Remember your interviews are people too and they want the best for you.

10 Sleep.

Funny enough getting a good night’s sleep is essential before any job interview, particularly for code-intensive technical interviews which require a lot of focus and logical thinking.

Despite the pressure that you might feel, try to relax and get a good night’s sleep to put yourself in a peek condition so you perform well on your coding test.

Coding tests are used to validate your technical capability as an engineering candidate. It helps engineering managers to gauge your technical level but they also consider your soft skills. So the interview pass or fail is not always based on the results of your coding test.

Tech companies hire people who are well prepared and will hit the ground running. Code tests are a good yardstick for them to measure you by.

So make the time to prepare for your coding tests – trust me it will make the difference between a job offer or not.

Remember the 3 P’s (Practice! Practice! Practice) = Success!

If you’re a engineer looking for a change or a hiring manager or HR professional looking to work with a specialist engineering recruiter reach out to me at [email protected]