Hi All, I have recently given few technical phone screens and based on my personal experience I feel like they need some serious fixes. In one of the interview - Question asked was to code “product of array except self”. I explained the optimal solution with O(n) time complexity and O(n) space complexity and implemented the code covering all the edge cases. So, the next follow-up question was to implement it in a O(1) constant space and O(n) time complexity. So, I thought about it and explained the interviewer that we cannot achieve a constant space O(1) solution with O(n) time complexity because in any case you would require atleast 1 output array of O(n) space to achieve O(n) time complexity solution. Explained the clear reasoning on why we cannot achieve it and showed him that if we make the solution space efficient i.e., constant space O(1) , time complexity of the solution increases to quadratic time O(n2). For next 15-20 mins, he was still mentioning that we can get a O(1) constant space and O(n) linear time solution. So, I said I’ll rethink if there is any other way we can achieve it. I still didn’t see a possibility to achieve the ask. Finally, when there was 5 mins left in the interview, interviewer realized that actually I was in fact correct in saying that we cannot achieve a O(1) constant space and O(n) time complexity solution at the same time. Since the interview leaned towards only technical without any behavioural questions, I was fairly confident that I will move onto next round. But I got an email from HR coordinator saying that they are not interested to move forward with me. I was little surprised with this. I just started thinking about transparency in interview process. Same happened with an other company. There was only O(nlogn) solution for the ask but the interviewer kept on asking for O(n) solution. I was obsolutely sure that we cannot have O(n) solution for it. Basically in phone interviews there is no one other than interviewer & interviewee. So, there is no one to verify/ second that interviewer is really correct/ wrong with his question/ solution or the observations/ analysis on a candidate. In on-site interviews there will be couple of interviewers doing the interviews so it is difficult to be completely biased on a particular person’s decision/ analysis on a candidate and there is less chance of mistake. So, I think it is always better to have 2 separate interviewers from different teams one actively interviewing and the other interviewer shadowing/ taking the notes. This way probably companies can reduce the bias in making any decisions on phone screens. It also helps the companies to do proper vetting before loosing the potential/ right candidates at phone screen stage. I know some of the companies are already doing it but not all. Do you think technical phone screens need some fix?
Kind of sounds like the interviewer was hiding his own mistake here. I'm a proponent of the recorded web editor solutions that exist, since it provides a way to audit and allow for an appeals process which often came up when I was in charge of the process in previous positions.
Yeah, I agree with you. It makes sense to have a recorded web editor for audit and appeals.
If same things are repeating, it’s always time for some introspection too. By any chance did you appear to be opinionated? Arrogant ? Did you give up too soon ? etc etc. It’s not realistic to record phone interviews for audit. Who has the time/resources ? Moreover, at that stage, it’s too early to vest resources for auditing
It happened to me in only 2 interviews. Also, I don’t think that I was arrogant. I was only trying to explain with proper justification as I was confident about my solutions. No, I didn’t give up too soon as well 😊 Regarding time/ resources. I don’t think these big companies care about time and resources to find a right fit for the role they are filling in. To some extent I accept on time front. They need not have and publish a formal process for audits/ appeals in their recruitment process. Probably, they can do some recordings and store them for a week or 2 after the interview. I don’t think it needs too much of infrastructure or cost. Incase they receive any appeals with proper justification they can just verify it. If it is not a feasible solution, probably as I mentioned above they can think of having two engineers in the phone screen to reduce some bias.
Should there be a fix? Yes. Will there be a fix due to constraints on eng resourcing? No.
exactly!
May be the interviewer wasn’t considering output array as the space being used! Too dumb to become an interviewer.
Exactly!
Nothing about the phone screen will ever change. This is the part of the interview where one person has the freedoms to do as they like without much oversight. All depends on who interviews you. Sometimes you get lucky with a good person other times you get stuck with an asshole. Just gotta keep trying.
You are right. Things are not going to change. We just need to move on.
You are being rejected because the companies don’t like you. Adding an appeals process isn’t going to change that.
You are absolutely wrong in saying so! Did you at least read my post? I’m not being rejected because the companies didn’t like me. It is because of a particular interviewer who is being jerk.
Look at it this way - you wouldn’t want to work with that jerk anyway.
Yeah..you are right but most of the time initial phone screen interviewers are from different teams!
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Shit happens, you were doing good bro. Good luck with your next interview!