Understanding the SAR Method
What does the 'SAR' method stand for when structuring answers to behavioral interview questions?
- Situation, Action, Result
- Situation, Application, Response
- Solution, Action, Reason
- Situation, Analysis, Reflection
- Source, Action, Review
Purpose of the Interview Prep Grid
What is the primary benefit of completing an interview prep grid before an interview?
- It provides talking points based on your specific experiences.
- It helps you memorize algorithms for coding questions.
- It guarantees you will get the job you interview for.
- It allows interviewers to track your progress over time.
- It replaces the need to answer behavioral questions.
Behavioral Interview Focus
Why is it important to focus on describing your own accomplishments instead of your team's during a behavioral interview?
- It shows you understand your personal impact.
- It demonstrates your ability to follow orders.
- It makes your answers longer and more detailed.
- It's required by all interviewers at every company.
- It confuses interviewers with too much information.
Clarifying Questions in Whiteboard Interviews
During a whiteboard question, why should you ask clarifying questions before attempting a solution?
- To ensure you understand the problem requirements.
- So you can stall for time during the interview.
- Because interviewers always expect you to repeat the problem aloud.
- To make your solution longer and more complex.
- So you can finish faster without missing details.
Effective Communication During Problem Solving
Why is communicating your thought process important while solving a whiteboard question?
- It helps the interviewer follow your reasoning.
- It is not necessary if you know the answer.
- It proves you studied enough for the interview.
- It allows the interviewer to give you hints immediately.
- It makes you appear uncertain about your abilities.
Approaching Behavioral Questions Confidently
According to the article, which daily practice is suggested to improve confidence in answering behavioral questions?
- Making and practicing with flashcards
- Reading technical documentation daily
- Copying answers from previous interviews
- Practicing algorithms only
- Writing letters to interviewers
Handling Unfamiliar Whiteboard Questions
If you encounter a whiteboard question you are unfamiliar with, what should you do according to best practices?
- Describe your approach and thought process out loud.
- Stay silent until you know the answer.
- Attempt to write random code and see what works.
- Ask to skip the question entirely.
- Immediately tell the interviewer you cannot solve it.
Value of Written Work Experience Records
Why is it valuable to keep a written record of both your successes and failures?
- They provide ready examples for future interviews.
- It is required for all software engineers.
- It allows you to ignore your mistakes.
- It helps you forget about past challenges.
- It is only useful for technical interviews.
Binary Search Analogy
In the article’s analogy, why is searching for a value in a phone book like binary search?
- Because it helps you efficiently narrow down to the target item.
- Because you start at the first page and go through every entry.
- Because a phone book is always sorted alphabetically.
- Because it requires knowledge of phone numbers.
- Because it can only be done with built-in methods.
Whiteboard Question Preparation Technique
What preparation method was described for whiteboard coding questions?
- Solving one algorithm per day on paper and talking out loud while solving it.
- Memorizing the most common technical interview questions only.
- Searching online for answers during the interview.
- Writing as much code as possible without testing it.
- Practicing only with the help of others.