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I don't know about "most", but I phone-screened four candidates last week, all claiming to be currently employed (with 3-10 years industry experience).

Two of the four couldn't finish fizzbuzz (in the language of their choice) in 30 minutes. It feels a bit unethical to name their employers, but they were companies that would be familiar anyone who reads HN.

When I worked for FAANG, IIRC, the ratio was about the same, so I don't think it's a problem of recruiting.



In a phone interview? When they could just fire up Google on their laptop and get an answer in 30 seconds, and you wouldn't know unless you heard them typing? I mean, I guess you could conclude that they are too honest to cheat, which is a plus...


Yup. All that. And it's a question that has been circulating the internet for over 10 years as a basic interview question.

Re typing: You can usually hear it unless the mic is muted (part of the reason I try to keep the conversation going).


Wow. Did you get any sense of what they actually do at work, programming-wise?




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