If you have decided to start the process of preparing for a programming job interview and are unsure of what to focus on in your preparations, this article is for you.

What is a software engineering programming interview?

Coding interviews are a form of technical interviews that are used to assess the programming skills of a potential software engineering candidate by presenting them with programming problems. Coding interviews typically focus on data structures and algorithms, while other technical rounds may involve system design (especially for mid-level and senior candidates).

A coding interview usually lasts for 30 to 45 minutes. The interviewer will ask you a technical question (or questions) and you will have to write code in real-time in an editor such as CodePen or CoderPad (phone screen/virtual on-site) or on a whiteboard (on-site) to solve the problem within 30-45 minutes.

How will you be evaluated during a coding interview?

We have gathered evaluation criteria from top technology companies and generalized them into a coding interview evaluation rubric that you can use. The specific terminology or weights may vary depending on the company, but top technology firms always consider the following criteria in their evaluation:

Communication – Asking clarifying questions, communicating approaches and trade-offs clearly so that the interviewer does not have difficulty following.

Problem-solving – Understanding the problem and approaching it systematically, logically, and accurately, discussing multiple potential approaches and trade-offs. Ability to accurately determine time and space complexity and optimize them.

Technical skills – Translating discussed solutions into working code smoothly. Clean, correct implementation with a strong grasp of language constructs.

Testing – Ability to test code against normal and corner cases, self-debugging issues in code.

By using the above tips and developing your skills towards better mastery of these 4 criteria, you increase your chances of successfully completing the recruitment process.