Hey there, I'm the Mike (an author of BCtCI). I totally get where you’re coming from—there are a lot of flaws in the interview process, no doubt about it.
When Cracking the Coding Interview was originally written, the intention wasn’t to claim, it as a perfect process and to give ideal questions that should be asked. In fact, there are many questions in the original book that I wouldn’t recommend any interviewer use. The real purpose was to shed light on a process that had been shrouded in secrecy for decades, long before the book existed.
The reality is, like them or not, these types of interviews aren’t going anywhere—whether or not resources like mine are available. So the real question becomes: Should the process remain some insider-only system where only those with well-connected friends know what to expect and how to prepare? Or should we make it more accessible, ensuring that everyone has a fair shot with similar resources?
For me, the answer is clear: transparency and equal access for all. It’s not about endorsing the process—it’s about making sure the playing field is level.
That's fair. I didn't mean to condemn you. Sorry if it came across that way. Honestly I was just curious. I'm in the (apparent minority) of devs who actually like solving leetcode-style problems, so the current system doesn't bother me a ton.
It really resonates with me because during my university years, I myself had a poor social network. As soon as I started interviewing, I was like, “WTF is this?!” whereas some better connected peers seemed to somehow “just know” how to be prepared to interview. There definitely wasn’t equal access.
When Cracking the Coding Interview was originally written, the intention wasn’t to claim, it as a perfect process and to give ideal questions that should be asked. In fact, there are many questions in the original book that I wouldn’t recommend any interviewer use. The real purpose was to shed light on a process that had been shrouded in secrecy for decades, long before the book existed.
The reality is, like them or not, these types of interviews aren’t going anywhere—whether or not resources like mine are available. So the real question becomes: Should the process remain some insider-only system where only those with well-connected friends know what to expect and how to prepare? Or should we make it more accessible, ensuring that everyone has a fair shot with similar resources?
For me, the answer is clear: transparency and equal access for all. It’s not about endorsing the process—it’s about making sure the playing field is level.