| title | datePublished | cuid | slug | cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Catching a GPT-Assisted Candidate in Coding Interview |
Sun Dec 24 2023 03:41:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) |
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catching-a-gpt-assisted-candidate-in-coding-interview-9dd5a56117ae |
Recently, I encountered a peculiar situation while conducting an online coding interview for a new graduate. The candidate, hailing from a prestigious university, seemed to have a strong background, prompting me to select a relatively simple problem (a classic mid-level LeetCode question from the top 100). I assumed that with their educational background, they would have a solid foundation.
To my surprise, the candidate dove into coding immediately after reading the question, without uttering a word. They spent a considerable amount of time typing, but nothing appeared on the codepad. They didn’t even seem to be looking at my screen, leading me to wonder if there was a technical issue with my webpage. After a long pause, they finally started writing code, but their behavior was odd — they kept looking around as if distracted.
When I suggested they first explain their approach before coding, the candidate replied that they would discuss it after finishing. However, even after completing the code, they asked for more time to review it and organize their thoughts. This struck me as unusual — shouldn’t one clarify their approach before starting to code?
It took almost 10 minutes for the candidate to hesitantly explain their solution, and their analysis of the time complexity was incorrect. They also struggled with a simple follow-up question and ultimately did not pass the interview.
In the final five minutes, reserved for questions, the candidate inquired about the company’s vacation policies and whether meals were provided. While these questions aren’t inherently problematic, it would have been more appropriate to ask about the team, products, or express a strong interest in joining the company.
In conclusion, I’m left wondering whether the candidate was genuinely interested in the position or if they simply didn’t prepare enough for the interview. Perhaps, they even used GPT assistance, given their behavior during the coding task. Either way, it was a disappointing experience.
For future candidates, I hope this serves as a reminder to be well-prepared for interviews. And a word of caution: if cheating is ever confirmed in interview feedback, it could permanently close doors to opportunities at our company.
#LeetCode #coding #24ng #Interview #NorthAmericanJobHunt #SoftwareEngineer #FAANG #GPT4