Overall Experience:
The initial interview was positive, but the take-home assignment left me frustrated. There was no opportunity to discuss or explain the solution once submitted, which made the process feel disconnected from how real problem-solving works. Without this dialogue, it’s hard to demonstrate your thought process and reasoning, which I believe is just as important as the code itself.
I received feedback mentioning bishop move blocking as a major issue. There were also some minor issues related to class structure and redundant calls to canMove(). However, these could have been clarified if there was a chance to discuss my approach.
The assignment was time-limited and unpaid, and the fact that LLMs were allowed made the whole exercise feel more like vibe coding. If the company is okay with using LLMs, then coding from scratch isn’t the point — it’s about how you approach the problem. This made me feel like the process was less about assessing true skills and more about checking off boxes.
Advice to Future Candidates:
Lack of discussion after take-home assignments is a major red flag. It limits the ability to truly assess a candidate’s thought process and problem-solving abilities.
If LLMs are allowed, then the focus shifts from writing code to problem-solving. Don’t waste time on repetitive coding tasks.
The process almost encourages vibe coding by not allowing candidates to explain their solutions, which doesn’t really showcase their deeper understanding
Finally, the reply and assesment of the submission reeked of using LMMs, ironically.