Let's be real - technical interviews are tough for everyone involved. Candidates face pressure to perform under artificial conditions, while interviewers struggle to design meaningful assessments that actually predict job success.
The best interviews I've participated in were designed to simulate what candidates would actually do in their day-to-day work. If the role involves writing code, the interview should include a substantial coding component. But what makes a coding challenge truly effective?
The ideal challenge strikes a delicate balance: it should closely mirror real work scenarios while remaining practical for an interview setting. This means creating tasks that are concise enough to explain quickly, manageable to complete within time constraints, yet comprehensive enough to reveal problem-solving skills.
After interviewing 50+ developers since 2019, I've curated a collection of challenges that produce insightful conversations. Today I'm sharing my p