10 common mistakes programmers make when preparing for interviews

When participating in an interview similar to website development, the interviewer will usually ask you to write code on the whiteboard instead of on the computer. So why do you still only practice coding on your computer? There the programmer compiler will show you your syntax errors. Quickly take out a pen and paper and write out your development code.

1 Practice only on the computer

When going to a technical job interview, the interviewer will usually ask you to write code on the whiteboard, not on the computer. So why do you still only practice coding on your computer? There the compiler will show you your syntax errors. Quickly take out a pen and paper and write out your code. When you are satisfied with the program you wrote on the paper, enter it into the computer and let the compiler verify its correctness to see if the result is the same as you imagined.

2 Don’t prepare for experience issues

Don’t forget to spend time recalling your past experiences. These include projects you have participated in, different situations you have encountered, and how you solved these problems. Your answers will affect the interviewer's impression of your technical abilities. Be sure to review the projects you participated in in the past and sort out your main achievements.

3 Don’t do mock interviews

This is a self-evident thing. You wouldn't give a presentation without rehearsing it, and the same goes for interviews. If you are preparing for a programmer interview, you should find some programmers who can prepare with you. You can simulate the interview situation together and ask each other questions.

4 Trying to memorize answers

Trying to memorize some answers beforehand and then use them in the interview is a very bad approach. The probability that you will be able to use the answers you memorized is very slim, and such preparation will cost you a lot of time and energy. Remember, the better you perform on the field, the more valuable you are.

5 Don’t talk about the process of solving the problem

If you don’t speak for a long time when answering a question, it will be understood that you don’t have a clear idea. The interviewer cannot understand your thoughts, whether you are thinking or stumped. However, if you keep talking to the interviewer, he will understand your thoughts and see your thought process. The interviewer can also guide you back to the correct solution when you stray off topic.

6 Hurry

Don’t be in a hurry when solving problems, this will only lead to more mistakes and expose your carelessness. Work methodically and accurately, and often look back at your code for errors and correct them. By doing this, the project will take less time to complete and there will be fewer errors.

7 Bad Programming Habits

Don’t just think that you have done a good job just because you wrote a bug-free program. You also need to look out for duplicate code, confusing data structures, excessive whitespace, etc. Just like writing code for a real application, design more logical data structures, innovate functions, and match the layout form to the language you choose.

8 No Testing

After your program is written, take a moment to go over your code to make sure there are no bugs in it, especially when practicing with pen and paper because you won’t be able to do it on a whiteboard There are compilers to help you check.

9 Fixing bugs carelessly

If you find a bug, think about why it happened and then fix the problem. Don't try to solve a problem by randomly flipping booleans or changing some flags in a loop. Doing so only shows that you don't understand your mistake and you are careless.

10 Give up

Indeed, some questions are designed to challenge your abilities. What the interviewer wants to see is your attitude, whether you face it actively or retreat. What's important is that you show resilience and face the challenges ahead of you. Companies want to hire people who can solve problems with code, and you need to show that you enjoy the process of solving problems.