A 30-minute conversation with a recruiter was required to set up the phone screen.

The technical phone screen began with an easy question, then the difficulty ramped up with a new variant.

I was asked follow-up questions about the problem to ensure I understood the algorithm. I explained my thought process well, without needing hints, and made sure the interviewer was clear on my approach.

I didn't write perfect code on the first attempt, but I eventually found the corner cases and solved the problem. I was interrupted throughout the testing phase, as if the interviewer thought I was finished coding.

I was rejected two days later.

I suspect the hiring manager is nitpicky and wants a perfect algorithm on the first try, or perhaps they wanted to ask more follow-up questions. Essentially, they likely want candidates to have already worked on and memorized the algorithm.

What a waste of time.

Typical Algorithm Question