Interviewing ChatGPT
I’ve started interviewing for SDE1/Intern roles and many candidates are clearly using ChatGPT or another LLM bot to solve problems… many are super obvious; ‘give me one moment to think’ as they type a question, read the answer, then finally respond without really understanding the logic. Was it always like this with Google before and ChatGPT is worse or is it actually brainrotting the industry? I have even had candidates use this for behavioral questions, having it read their resume and come up with stories. What do you do when a candidate is clearly using ChatGPT ? Honestly, I’d rather interview ChatGPT directly than by proxy. TC 420k #interview
Yes if you asked a problem with an obvious name. People would always try to cheat. Ask them critical questions, then fail them.
Asking candidates leetcode questions in real time and expecting them to solve it on the spot is stupid so I wish u all the wasted time you’re getting from the outputs ur receiving.
I get this on both system design questions and coding questions…
People rewriting full solutions entirely rather than debugging their first draft. Never saw that before ChatGPT.
Do it in person 🤣
I remember I passed an in person interview with 4 coding questions googling them on the phone. If you are professional it doesn’t matter if you do it on a larger screen or a small phone
Huh? Why would they let you use a phone?
I would rather be interviewed by a ChatGPT than a person/company that is hiring people who memorize lc and design questions. Even if they able to explain their answers it doesn’t mean they understand them and succeed with real life scenarios. That is practice of vetting smart people with critical thinking, real experience, knowledge and skills
In my personal opinion, all big tech shoot themselves in a foot with the LC. Who cares if you know how to invert a binary tree or not. This knowledge is absolutely available for free and implementation of the solution is trivial - question should be when to use it. Make it clear that ChatGPT isn’t legal and if you catch someone using it then reject such person. Ask critical thinking questions.
Exactly. I recently had an interview where I was told in advance that ChatGPT and Google were not allowed. I did a couple of mistakes but passed the interview. I got in shape with LC and pass the interviews easily but it’s insane that everybody is asking it now even before landing the real interview. Everybody thinks they are Google but have a budget of a grocery store
Interviews in tech looks like you will develop a system for a new spacecraft but you end up writing a ridiculous procedure.
If you are convinced that a candidate is cheating, take note, keep your cool and when you wright your feedback, fail the candidate. You can also double down, not recommending the candidate for other roles. That will give recruiters a clear signal that the candidate should not be recycled (they may also ask you to explain your reasons, leading to a candidate ban). I've never been so tough tho. I've always given the benefit of doubt to the candidates.
If I’m being completely honest: For leetcode interviews: ask bs questions, expect bs back. For anything else: don’t use AI
Side effects of AI. Companies should move away from asking stupid LC questions!
How can you tell if it’s obvious? Does the candidate copy and paste the coding question and you get an alert?
- using a second monitor and typing, reading answer before responding. - phrasing things unnaturally - illogical ordering of solution implementation. Copying top to bottom instead of building our methods and explaining the thought process The offenders I’ve seen are really quite obvious about it… it’s embarrassing
The new generation is manufactured differently my boy.