Testing services to prepare for an interview

Six years ago, Glassdoor released study, where experts assessed the complexity of interviews in IT companies and the reaction of applicants. And suddenly it turned out that the more difficult the interview, the more satisfaction the specialist gets from the job if he is hired.

The recruiters seem to have taken note of this. Any IT specialist’s interview turns into a large number of theoretical questions and practical tasks. A qualified specialist may not immediately remember the arguments of the language functions that he used twice in 10 years, and those by accident.

To refresh knowledge, even seniors often prepare additionally for a technical interview and use online programs that mimic the technical part of the interview.

To the start of the flagship Data Science course figuring out if test interviews are really suitable for preparing for real ones.

CodeSignal

Its strong advantage is support for a large pool of languages. From popular Python, Java, C ++ or JS to rare F # or Erlang, 38 languages are supported. The interface is friendly and simple.

There is an arcade game where you can practice using functions and attributes in a playful way, and there are also challenges from companies with their real tasks. The level of difficulty and the estimated time for solving the problems are indicated, so Juns can also develop skills.

There are no tutorials and guides on CodeSignal, there are only tasks and training blocks. Code verification is automatic, using a number of – from 6 to 20 – tests. But we are interested in the section of preparing for the interview. According to the creators, the training program was created based on questions and tasks from top IT companies. The intensity of training can be selected.

When you select one of the packages, a drop-down menu with 20 themes appears. The program can be customized to suit you, you can choose a specific topic. Here is a test question about Python arrays:

For each completed task, points are given, they open tasks more difficult. Seniors will spend an hour or half an hour to get to really serious tasks.

The practice is complemented by common theoretical interview questions. There are detailed answers for each block of knowledge, so you don’t have to look for them separately. There are also tips on what to look for when preparing.

A CodeSignal account can work like a resume. The tool on the site will help you create a CV and design it beautifully.

Data Scientist resume writing guidelines and key pitfalls you can read here…

In an hour on the portal, the author solved a dozen problems and it is more difficult to look at the training. The impression is more than good. Convenient, intuitive interface, various training formats, real practical tasks from companies. All this is under the sauce of gamification, and the structure of the portal and experience points motivate to solve problems easier in order to move on to complex problems.

CodeSignal seems like a pretty good tool for preparing for the technical part of an interview. It is not boring, it has enough practical problems, there is a theory. And also – tasks from top companies. The resource is free.

InterviewBit

If CodeSignal helps to train the technical part of the working interview, then on InterviewBit communication is pumped.

A very unusual thing, where you are not interviewed by an automaton, but by a person. But first things first.

There are only 5 languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, C ++ and C #, but there are mini-courses for each. In theory, you can come without any knowledge at all and learn the basics of the language on this resource.

The basic Python course on the site takes just over 9 hours. There are not so many practical tasks, but it is very good.

There are small tasks from well-known companies, video tutorials. The training is comprehensive.

There is a detailed base of theoretical answers from Junior-Middle interviews – these are approximately 70 bases of questions on languages, frameworks and technologies, each of which contains from 50 to 100 questions and thematic videos with explanations.

I AM looked Python section, there were 92 questions with detailed answers. Questions are not only theoretical, but also on understanding the principles of technology and the ability to work with it. Here is one of them:

And then there is a small test where you check your knowledge. Made fit. But back to the interview tool:

This is how it works:

You connect to the system and are looking for an interlocutor right now or schedule time in the calendar. The same applicant will communicate with you, but this is the trick.
When the interviewee is selected, you receive interview questions that you need to ask him. They depend on what programming language he is studying, what competencies he has and what position he is applying for. The opponent also receives a block of questions for you. There are also options for answers, so you can evaluate how correctly a person answers.
First they interview you, then you. Or vice versa. Each phase lasts 45 minutes.
After a double interview, you give your opponent a grade as an interviewer and as a job seeker. He does the same. Everything is anonymous, confidential.

The main goal of such a training is to remove the nervousness and fear of a live interview. The specialist does not just train to answer technical questions, but tries to do it with his voice, in front of a real person and in a limited time. This is a completely different experience than solving tests online or answering questions for yourself.

Yes, there are downsides. If you have different technology stacks, you will not be able to assess the quality of the interlocutor’s response and small nuances. This was partially fixed by the Discord channel, where you can discuss such issues. But this is a common channel of the company and its connoisseurs, so this is not a very good option.

This format is still the best opportunity for training a live interview. Only real interviews are better.

Interviews are conducted in English, Russian is not supported. For a test interview to be successful, you need to know the language at least at the Upper-Intermediate level. Lack of a strong accent and normal listening skills are encouraged.

You can work on your listening comprehension in the app Listen English Daily Practice… These other resources useful in preparing for your Data Science interview are you find here…

Interestingly, InterviewBit has a system of interviews with practicing HR specialists. You can mark a number of organizations where you would like to work. Small or medium-sized companies can send invitations for an interview from a specialist or recruiter, that is, you can get an offer right in the system. And all this is free for users

Pramp

Pramp isn’t part of a big project, it’s all about interviews. The scheme is similar to InterviewBit, but implemented at a completely different level, and among the areas of interview you will find Data Science. The first 6 interviews will be free.

As in the previous version, the main language of interviews is English, so you need to know it well.

Cross-interview pairs are matched based on skills. Together with you there will be a specialist of about your level, studying about the same technology stack as you. He will understand the technical side of the questions, and not just check the answers against the cheat sheet. There is a nuance: training “here and now” will not work – you need to sign up in advance.

The set of languages is not very large, but the most common languages are there. The most interesting thing is that you can choose the direction of the interview. If you are applying for a job in ML, then knowledge of mobile development is unlikely to be needed.

During the interview, you will solve problems in real time. This is what the conversation window looks like:

On the bottom left is a window for video, everything else is a common workspace. You write code in real time – the interlocutor will see the speed of work, ideas and implementation, errors and fixes. The code runs right in the window.

In interviewer mode, the interlocutor has a little more information than you. If suddenly he himself did not understand the solution, there are hints and a detailed answer, but when you answer, only the condition is available. Large companies have adopted similar schemes. If the interview is remote, registration for Pramp is a must.

The portal offers expert interviews for money with specialists from FAANG companies. Five interview sessions cost between $ 800 and $ 1400. One – about 200. This will be as close as possible to a real interview, the programmer will be chased on all tricky questions and situations, because it is accepted by a really experienced person. And if you pass the interview brilliantly, it is possible to get an offer.

In the course of preparing the material, we found about a dozen tools for training interviews for IT specialists. They partially repeat the functions, so there is no point in talking about all of them, but let’s leave a couple more examples:

CoderByte – a worthy alternative to the tools listed above, to which 864 companies have already switched. Some courses and challenges are free, others require a paid subscription.
HackerEarth – greets users with the division into an enterprise and an open community. Free for non-commercial use.

There are also unusual platforms, one of which is Russian-language TEST-HELP, where you can check and pump your general training, the ability to think consistently and quickly in tasks of different types. For 1299 rubles, you will get full access to all types of tests and answers to problems.

There are tools that combine training with learning PL and highly targeted interview-only portals. But it’s interesting that with their help you can really remove the fear of a technical interview and show your best side without being distracted by excitement. After all, the more interviews you go through, the more confident you will be during the actual interview. And the higher the chances of getting a good offer, which is what we need.

Please share in the comments what interviewing services did you use and what impressions did they leave?

When moving from one area to another, fear of being interviewed is not the only problem. For example, the market is oversaturated with people starting new careers, especially after quarantine. This article will tell you what to do.

And you can become a specialist in demand on the market at our courses:

Also you can go to the package page coding coursesto find out how we train specialists in the field of programming.