Practice programming problems?

May 9, 2016 5:29 PM

I've been doing a couple phone screens for technical software positions here and there. Most of these sessions involve working on a programming problem on a shared "coding pad" like Codility. I'd like to do a few practice problems like this. Help?

Ideally I'd like these to be long enough for a 45min-1.5 hour session just to get used to the pace, and it should be done in a shared code pad app like Codility and not just an example you write in your own IDE. I have lots of sample problems from textbooks I can do on my own IDE, but I want to get more comfortable with the combination of a time limit, a hard problem, and a web-based IDE with no syntax completion or embedded documentation. Every company seems to use these apps for interviews now, for better or worse, so I'm hoping to cure my fear by immersion.

FYI, I am not looking for general programming problems or interview prep advice. I have a ton of that stuff already.

Thanks!

posted by deathpanels to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

You could practice making problems for yourself, and solving them on interviewzen.com. It's free, and allows you to create that sort of environment for yourself.

Not sure if this is helpful info, but I've found that a problem which takes 5-10 minutes without interview pressure can take up to 30 minutes in an interview in that sort of environment, and a problem that takes me 15-20 minutes without pressure is probably just about right for a 60 minute interview.
posted by whisk(e)y neat at 6:11 PM on May 9, 2016

The book "Cracking the Coding Interview" is basically filled with these.
posted by sammyo at 6:12 PM on May 9, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Codility offers programming lessons, I suggest you take them for practice.
posted by crazycanuck at 6:29 PM on May 9, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Some colleagues of mine are doing http://www.codewars.com to solve problems and talk about why they chose the things they chose.
posted by advicepig at 6:33 PM on May 9, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: There are a shitload of these on HackerRank, which is what I use to brush up
posted by RustyBrooks at 7:23 PM on May 9, 2016 [2 favorites]

Yep! HackerRank is great for this kinda stuff, and you can maintain a little 'ranked' profile.
posted by destructive cactus at 7:26 PM on May 9, 2016

Response by poster: How did I miss that codility practice section! Thanks guys, this should work for me. Cheers!
posted by deathpanels at 5:47 AM on May 10, 2016