How to Avoid Getting Stuck By a Tricky Coding Interview Problem
You might freeze during your whiteboard interview, as the problem may come from an un-practiced area, and you may not know what follows next. Below are the tips that will help you solve your tricky coding interview problems.
The freeze may be intended, so relax
Many interviewers actually want to see what you do when stuck with a problem that requires some brainstorming and problem-solving skills. They want to know more about your troubleshooting capabilities this way, and hence the tricky question is thrown at you at the coding exam. You should try to attempt the question after doing some thinking and show that you can actually do sampling and other tasks in order to deduce a solution that is quite hard to find.
Use your hands
You need to solve the problem step-by-step and keep note of the repeat works that show that you need optimizations for your algorithm. The shared code editor is useful for the telephonic interview, else you can write a sample on your whiteboard. Draw the graphs and trees for the other problems. Make sure that the initial inputs are optimally sized so that you can solve the problem in optimal time.
Use the data structures
There are many data structures used, and these include queues, stacks, arrays, trees, graphs. linked lists, arrays, hash maps etc. You can choose the one that suits your problem the best way. Graphs are helpful towards establishing relationships, while stacks provide for easy tracking of items. A data structure can help in reducing the problem-solving time as well.
Breakdown or un-twisting
The problem thrown at you may have multiple twists and may be created in order to keep you engaged for a long time interval. In this case, you may be required to breakdown or un-twist the problem itself. For instance, when asked about the array’s Yth largest number, you may need to know about the largest first. You can then proceed to find the 2nd and the 3rd largest ones, and deduce others until you reach the Yth number.
Prior practice will help you reach the answers during the interviews easily. The neural pathways provide for the “coding interview” thinking approach and the more you practice them, the better. You can start right now, do the requisite efforts and remain un-stuck during your interview. HNR Tech is a leading global digital service provider (with a global client base) that brings to your knowledge and information that makes you successful and skilled.