Test anxiety and programming tests in inteviews

Question

I suffer from bad test anxiety and when it comes to programming tests in interviews I do horrendously. A few months ago I interviewed with a company I was interning at and bombed pretty bad, i.e. it took me a while to solve a simple linked list problem because I was so nervous.

For those of you who have done interviewing, do (or have) you taken that into consideration, if at all? Knowing that there is higher chance of doing bad on that part of the interview, where else could one like me improve to increase the chances of being hired?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Tests seem to be a necessary part of the interview process. They're needed to help weed out the people who talk the talk from those who can walk the walk.

So.. I suggest you visit a psychotherapist and see if you can get some advice about beating the anxiety.

Alternatively, you could try pointing out in the interview (or by email before it)... maybe they'd give you something to take home instead you might cope with better? Hopefully they might be understanding, after all, being able to perform well in a test isn't a vital skill for being able to do the job.

I'm not sure you can somehow compensate by doing better in the rest of the interview. I would think most interviewers would like candidates to do well in the test and with their communication skills.

Answer 2

When you hire a programmer, How long it takes for the person to answer a question isnt important. Because everyone is in fact nervous when on a job interview.

If i were you i'd say that "I am very nervous because i do really want this job, so please consider this if it takes some time for me to answer".

And another thing, i Hated standing in front of people talking before and today i am a teacher at a university, teaching programming. And this has been possible just because, i've practiced a lot. You need to find experiences in life that helps you practice these kinds of things.

Answer 3

I have the same problem. I've even gotten physically ill in interviews and had to leave abruptly - it doesn't exactly leave a good impression. It certainly limits career choices since you tend to stay where you are and avoid interviewing.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Finding work without interviewing

   Try to find ways to find work without requiring much of an interview. There are a few ways this can work:

   • Networking: contact friends and colleagues who are familiar with your work. Get involved with local programming groups to make more contacts. Contribute to Open Source projects.

   • Start your own company: Well, that's easy to say, but harder to do. Still, lots of small software companies exist, so apparently some folks have had success doing it.

   • Blog about programming. This will establish a sort of online portfolio.

2. Stress reduction

There are lots of possibilities here. I tend towards the natural approach: Look into dietary supplements like magnesium (citrate or taurinate) - magnesium tends to have a calming effect and it's safe (don't exceed about 400mg in a day, though, or you'll risk getting the runs). 5-htp is a precursor to serotonin which has a calming effect on the nervous system. L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that has a calming effect on the nervous sytem. I personally take all three of these (magnesium, 5-htp, and L-Theanine) when I'm facing a stressful period and I do find that this helps. You might also consider valerian root, but note that it could make you drowsy which probably wouldn't be a good thing in an interview - I take it the night before to deal with anxiety-induced insomnia. Exercise can also help a lot in reducing stress.

You can also be up front and explain that you have some anxiety issues related to interviewing - or perhaps something along the lines of "I really want this job, so I'm a bit nervous". Personally, I can't stand to be in a warm stuffy, small room with the door closed - it definitely puts me into an anxious state. I ask if we can keep the door open or I ask if we can turn down the thermostat so that it's cooler or if we can get ventilation. And if possible, I ask if I can go for a quick walk between interviews when there are multiple interviews in a day (as is usually the case) - even just a quick 5 minute walk can calm the nerves.

Answer 4

Practice.

Take the class of questions you have the most trouble with and work through them on your own. From your example, make sure you understand linked lists forwards and backwards, and practice solving various linked list problems with paper and pen. Many interviews that test programming ability will ask you to solve problems on a whiteboard, with the interviewer looking over your shoulder. Get a friend to play your interviewer and ask tricky follow-up questions like "this part doesn't look right" (regardless of whether it's really wrong or not) and "are you sure?". (With a proper script, the person playing your interviewer doesn't have to know how to program.) Get a whiteboard if you can; if not, at least stand up while you're working through the problem on paper.

I've found Programming Interviews Exposed (now in its second edition) helpful in preparing me for interviews.

Answer 5

1. get professional help
2. pretend you already have the job and this is just a normal assignment
3. overcome your fears by being a consultant/contractor for a while - where every day is an interview and every assignment is a test!

Answer 6

Many many years ago, back in the 80's, back when I was still in school, I had this same Test Anxiety problem. I was just so damn nervous!

I did see a psychiatrist about it. A very good one who was also an MD.

It boils down to behavioral conditioning and positive feedback. Every time I screwed up, it would make the next time that much harder!

So my doctor & I, we cheated. He prescribed 10mg Propranolol tablets. That's a beta-blocker. 10mg is low dose. (320mg/day is not uncommon.)

Propranolol had the effect, on me, of blocking the fight-or-flight adrenaline surge.

After a few successes, the behavioral conditioning & feedback went the other way. I had my confidence back. I knew I could do it. I wasn't worried anymore. And I no longer needed the pills...

Answer 7

Just like everything in life, you have to be in a mental mode where you absolutely dont want the job. It's actually quite simple - before the interview, think of all the pleasant things you'd be doing right now if money was no object (sailing, travelling, laying on the beach, coding Haiku OS, whatever). Now think of the employer as someone who wants to suck life away from you, stick you in a hole for 40 hours a week, have you slave away doing TPS reports. Who the hell are they to deserve the privilegde of your time? You'll be as cool as a cucumber during an interview. During the test, you're supposed to think that they're so humbled to be in your presense.

Works every time for me ...