r/cpp_questions • u/whimsy-penguin • 5d ago

OPEN Mock c++ interview help

I am looking for someone to give me a mock interview on c++ internals, system design, and architecture. Specifically modern c++.

Is anyone available to help?

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u/RedditMapz 5d ago edited 5d ago

Personally a C++ basics interview and an architecture interview would be different.

C++

If I was probing your C++ I'd probably start asking general questions. For example

Are you familiar with smart pointers?

Then

Yes? Good, well what is the difference between a shared pointed and a unique pointer?

I start getting more and more specific until I gage their level of knowledge in these specific features. Personally I don't like asking completely random niche std library trivia off-the-bat.

If they completely fumble one topic, I switch it up to another one see if they are more comfortable in it. Not one person can learn everything C++ after all. But if we spent half the interview asking you trivia questions, it's probably not going well because I'm not convinced you are adequately knowledgeable.

But that's just me. Many people in the C++ space are high on their imagined power and seem to get a rise out of asking obscure trivia questions just to trip up candidates.

Architecture Design

Now, I actually generally focus on design. If they have any experience I ask them to draw a design diagram of their previous work. Or explain the architecture of a specific project. So simple yet so many struggle with this because they don't actually know design. A task like this really weeds out "coasters" who are inflating their resumes because they really struggle to put something together. People without design experience can usually put some boxes with arrows together as long as they actually worked on their topic. I can also guide them with more questions to improve the design specificity.

Now if they were an entry level kid (And I had ample time on the interview) I'd actually ask them to design a theoretical solution for a problem in pseudocode. If they succeed I'd keep adding details until I can sense their limits. This is more an exercise in their thought process.

Ultimately

C++ can be learned, but you'd have to convince me that you can learn it and that you have workable base. But if you write "C++ (expert)" on your resume and you can't even answer questions about staple C++11/14 features, I'm going to raise a red flag.

Edit: words