Round 1 - Code Design

The interviewer gave an introduction and directly jumped onto the question without bothering to ask for my introduction, as if they were in a hurry.

The solution was implemented end-to-end, following TDD. A right approach to TDD is to start with minimal testable code and then cover all test inputs, eventually refactoring. However, the interviewer expected a TDD where you already know the solution, which was annoying. The total session was 1 hour, with 45 minutes dedicated to coding (a hard limit).

It did not feel like pair programming, and the candidate might feel disconnected from the interviewer because they seemed to be in a hurry. Therefore, be cautious and ask the interviewer what they want you to cover.

Overall, it was an uncomfortable interview with contradictory feedback, as later discussed with the recruiter.

Round 2 - Data Structure

Again, the interviewer gave an introduction and jumped to the question. They did not bother to ask for the candidate's introduction or do an icebreaker. The solution was approached the same way as the first one, and great feedback was received.

Points to be noted:

• Both rounds involved implementing a solution to a code algorithm/problem statement and following TDD.
• Both solutions were approached in the same way, following TDD best practices, and all edge cases were covered.

It is at the interviewer's discretion what feedback they want to provide, and yes, everyone has their opinion.

• The candidate might not feel connected to the interviewer; rather, you will feel more like streaming a Twitch session for your viewers.
• Despite following a similar approach to the solution, you may receive different and opposite feedback.

Things you are expected to do, and which I was also doing: Language proficiency, decision-making, communication, code readability, and documentation. However, the interviewer might again provide opposite feedback, which you could sense during the session itself.

Code Design

Rate limiter

Data structure

Ranked voting system