What is asked at interviews of leading IT companies
The interview is only the beginning, but when it comes to Google, Microsoft or Apple, the tests are not long in coming. The selection process takes place in several stages, each of which has its own difficulties. If you managed to make a resume correctly (which, by the way, our guide can help) and go to the on-site interview, it’s time to start preparing. We picked up the questions that were asked to real candidates in leading IT companies and tried to systematize them. In general, we will tell how it happens, and then it is up to you.
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Most often, you need to write a program that will solve this or that problem. For example, put spaces in the text or solve a mathematical expression. It may seem that the main thing is the result, but in fact, recruiters are much more interested in the course of your thoughts. You should not immediately begin to write an algorithm, it is better to ask clarifying questions and show that you want to study the problem before solving it. Google says that this question exists in order to hear which questions you will ask.
1. Write a program that calculates the sum of the first n members of the series (1 + ½ + ⅓ + ...). (Google)
2. Write the word counting program in the file. (Microsoft)
The difficulty is that you need to combine arithmetic skills and common sense. It will be necessary to count not the three-storyed expression from Skanavi, but, for example, the amount of pizza that Americans eat in a year. The main thing is to initially make the right assumptions so that you do not make a mistake in the calculations. By the way, the assumptions are definitely worth voicing, because they are much more interesting to recruiters than the final figures.
1. How many golf balls will fit on the school bus? (Google)
2. How many piano tuners are in the world? (Apple)
Perhaps some of this group of questions will seem the most tricky. Maybe it is, because the answer does not require special knowledge, but at the same time, not everyone can answer. Do not panic, if you can not solve the problem right away - start talking again, do not rush. and then sooner or later an insight will descend upon you.
1. A spinning top rotates on the table. You have a few pins. How to determine which way it turns? (Microsoft)
2. What is the most creative way you can break a watch? (Apple)
3. You were reduced to the size of a coin and placed in a blender. Your original density has been saved. Blades will move in 60 seconds. Your actions? (Google)
Very often at interviews they ask to describe this or that concept in such a way that even an eight-year-old child will understand what is being said. As a rule, the whole idea should be put in 3 sentences, so do not waste time writing an incredible plot. Try to highlight the main thing and identify its role in simple words. If you have any familiar children, such as nephews - great! The main thing is not to bring them to hysterics constant conversations about incomprehensible things.
1. Explain what the database is in three sentences for your nephew to understand. (Google)
2. How would you describe the code for an eight-year-old child? (Apple)
These questions are needed in order to understand how well you are aware of the activities of the company and how you see your role in it. They may ask about history, current projects, achievements — anything. We recommend to read the materials and be fully prepared. In addition, sometimes they ask about how you would do in a given situation with colleagues or superiors. Questions can not be called complex, the main thing - to show their adequacy and work in a team.
1. Why shouldn't we hire you? (Twitter)
2. Name as many Microsoft products as possible. (Microsoft)
3. If you wanted to bring a dog to work, but one of your colleagues suffers from an allergy to dog hair, what would you do? (Google)
The interview, although it requires preparation, is still not an exam. Most of the questions do not have the only correct answer - it all depends on your point of view, the chain of reasoning and arguments. Moreover, the reasoning of interest to recruiters is much more than the final answers in the form of numbers or codes. So if you can prove that 1.25 servings of pizza are being eaten in America in a year - this answer will be correct. In short, everything is in your hands!
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// Code
Most often, you need to write a program that will solve this or that problem. For example, put spaces in the text or solve a mathematical expression. It may seem that the main thing is the result, but in fact, recruiters are much more interested in the course of your thoughts. You should not immediately begin to write an algorithm, it is better to ask clarifying questions and show that you want to study the problem before solving it. Google says that this question exists in order to hear which questions you will ask.
1. Write a program that calculates the sum of the first n members of the series (1 + ½ + ⅓ + ...). (Google)
2. Write the word counting program in the file. (Microsoft)
// How much?
The difficulty is that you need to combine arithmetic skills and common sense. It will be necessary to count not the three-storyed expression from Skanavi, but, for example, the amount of pizza that Americans eat in a year. The main thing is to initially make the right assumptions so that you do not make a mistake in the calculations. By the way, the assumptions are definitely worth voicing, because they are much more interesting to recruiters than the final figures.
1. How many golf balls will fit on the school bus? (Google)
[Answer]
This is one of the questions asked in the company to see how the applicant is looking for a solution to the problem. One of the applicants found a good answer: “I presented a standard school bus 8 feet wide, 6 feet high and 20 feet long: these are approximate dimensions based on my observations during the long standing in traffic jams behind the school bus. That means 960 cubic feet, 1,728 cubic inches per cubic foot, which means about 1.6 million cubic inches. I calculated that the volume of a golf ball is about 2.5 cubic inches (4/3 * pi * 0.85), since the radius of the ball is 0.85 inches. Dividing 1.6 million by 2.5 cubic inches, you get 660 thousand golf balls. However, considering the seats in the bus and other things that occupy a free seat, as well as the spherical shape of the ball, I assumed that there would be plenty of free space between them. And I rounded the value to 500 thousand balls. ”
2. How many piano tuners are in the world? (Apple)
[Answer]
We would answer: “As much as the market requires. Suppose the piano has to be tuned once a week and it takes one hour, and the tuner works 8 hours a day for 5 days a week. Then it turns out that 40 pianos require weekly tuning. Our answer: one for every 40 pianos. ”
// Erudition, logic, sense of humor
Perhaps some of this group of questions will seem the most tricky. Maybe it is, because the answer does not require special knowledge, but at the same time, not everyone can answer. Do not panic, if you can not solve the problem right away - start talking again, do not rush. and then sooner or later an insight will descend upon you.
1. A spinning top rotates on the table. You have a few pins. How to determine which way it turns? (Microsoft)
[Answer]
Bend a pin, gently bring to the top and from a blow the pin will bend to one side or the other.
2. What is the most creative way you can break a watch? (Apple)
[Answer]
Connect the fantasy. We would melt and stretch like Dali.
3. You were reduced to the size of a coin and placed in a blender. Your original density has been saved. Blades will move in 60 seconds. Your actions? (Google)
[Answer]
Information about the density is given in order to confuse you. Definitely there is no right answer, you can offer to break the blender with the power of thought.
// Just about the complicated
Very often at interviews they ask to describe this or that concept in such a way that even an eight-year-old child will understand what is being said. As a rule, the whole idea should be put in 3 sentences, so do not waste time writing an incredible plot. Try to highlight the main thing and identify its role in simple words. If you have any familiar children, such as nephews - great! The main thing is not to bring them to hysterics constant conversations about incomprehensible things.
1. Explain what the database is in three sentences for your nephew to understand. (Google)
[Answer]
A database is a machine that stores a large amount of information about different things. People use it to remember this information when they need it. Let's go play football.
2. How would you describe the code for an eight-year-old child? (Apple)
[Answer]
Code is a rule according to which information is converted into a cipher. It needs to be written carefully and carefully. Code, like handwriting, can tell a lot about the author.
// You and the company
These questions are needed in order to understand how well you are aware of the activities of the company and how you see your role in it. They may ask about history, current projects, achievements — anything. We recommend to read the materials and be fully prepared. In addition, sometimes they ask about how you would do in a given situation with colleagues or superiors. Questions can not be called complex, the main thing - to show their adequacy and work in a team.
1. Why shouldn't we hire you? (Twitter)
[Answer]
Another stressful question. You are not expected to give a detailed retelling of the shortcomings - rather, jokes or the ability to deftly translate the topic.
2. Name as many Microsoft products as possible. (Microsoft)
[Answer]
It will be immediately clear how well you know the company.
3. If you wanted to bring a dog to work, but one of your colleagues suffers from an allergy to dog hair, what would you do? (Google)
[Answer]
Any solution can be proposed, but we recommend first of all to take into account the interests of a colleague.
The interview, although it requires preparation, is still not an exam. Most of the questions do not have the only correct answer - it all depends on your point of view, the chain of reasoning and arguments. Moreover, the reasoning of interest to recruiters is much more than the final answers in the form of numbers or codes. So if you can prove that 1.25 servings of pizza are being eaten in America in a year - this answer will be correct. In short, everything is in your hands!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/293086/
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