They gave me a HackerRank test to complete in C++. The task was to design a simplified trading system for one stock.

There were many different inputs to the system. The primary issue with the test was the presence of at least four ambiguities. For instance, the problem description stated one thing, but the examples demonstrated another.

It was unclear if an optimized process was required and to what extent. Following the description were 27 hidden tests, with both input and output concealed. I only managed to pass about 10, despite debugging my code, which I felt was correct. I was rejected after a day.

I spent three different days coding, accumulating about 350 lines of code in total. The test duration far exceeded the 2-3 hours typically considered reasonable for HackerRank tests.

Overall, I feel it was not worth the effort. I should have carefully reviewed the test before beginning.

On a similar occasion recently, I rejected a test from another company. The recruiter promised the test would take at most 1.5-2 hours, but one of the three tests involved designing a full graph parser. Unless one copied and pasted extensively, it would have taken most of the day to complete. I should have done the same with the Akuna test and saved my time.

There is only one question.