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Interview for seasoned professional vs new college grad

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7 Answers Interview for seasoned professional vs new college grad

Hi, I've been working professionally for 11 years. I'm curious as to how my interview will be the same or different from a new college grad's? Also, do questions differ depending on whether the candidate got a Master's or beyond? For instance, I don't recall ever learning about Dynamic Programming in my Bachelor's degree education (although I have learned about it on my own since through self-study).

- vmayer99 February 19, 2013 | Flag |

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If you are a seasoned professional, you must have had your share of being on the other side (i.e. being the interviewer). What are your thoughts?

Based on my experience being an interviewer with two big companies, the basic questions(data structures/algo) will more or less be same and might be judged similarly to new grad if they are mainly about problem solving.

The design (system/class design etc) questions, will be given (new grads might not get such questions) and judged based on the experience you have (i.e how do you consider the tradeoffs etc). The actual code you write will also be judged based on the experience (new grads _might_ have it easy in that matter. Anyone else will have stricter standards).
.

- Anonymous February 19, 2013 | Flag Reply

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Thanks for the response!

Maybe it's unusual, but I actually have never been an interviewer where I've worked. Although, I think I'd be better off at interviewing if I had been.

In your experience, was most coding done on a white board or a computer? Or was the design done on a white board and implementation on a computer? Thanks.

- vmayer99 February 19, 2013 | Flag

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There is usually no access to a computer during interviews.

Mostly whiteboard.

- Anonymous February 19, 2013 | Flag

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(though if you are interviewing a Google, you might get a chance to try out a chromebook)

- Anonymous February 19, 2013 | Flag

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Thanks for all the info! I have one more question.

I've heard of phone interviews that involve coding on some site online. Any idea if a lot of companies are doing that?

- vmayer99 February 19, 2013 | Flag

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Yes most companies do it.

Many teams in Microsoft use their Lync communcation software.

Google uses google docs.

LinkedIn and others use collabedit.com

- Anonymous February 19, 2013 | Flag

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Majorly the pattern and level of difficulty remains the same. Only the adv of expr is Domain and real time situation.

IMO, being expr pro you will have advantages if you can present well else, it may backfire you..

- hprem991 February 20, 2013 | Flag Reply

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