Five Ways to Fail a Coding Test

One:

The number one reason why you may fail to solve a coding test is to start a solution to a coding challenge before actually understanding the problem well. One must always make sure they are well acquainted with the problem at hand and can dissect it and paraphrase it before they come up with a solution. Writing down the problem on a paper can help you to figure out what you are solving and where to start.

Two:

Begin working on the more difficult challenges before you work out and submit the easier ones. Start with the easier problems first, and then afterward tackle the harder challenge. This may sound like an obvious old school trick but it is at the very least practical. You want to make the best use of your time, especially in a coding test.

Three:

Choose to code the solutions in a language you recently learned but have not yet mastered. You have finally won a coding interview, and this is not the time to practice or learn a new coding language. Unless the company you are applying to is interested in a specific language or languages, you must try to remain in your comfort zone as much as possible during the coding test; coding your solutions in the language you are most proficient in will help you to feel at ease, boost your confidence and stay on top of your game.

Four: 

Spend a long time without solving a programming challenge. If you mostly find yourself solving problems only when you are doing a coding test, then you may be unprepared to ace coding interviews. Build a coding habit, and not merely a coding habit but a problem-solving habit. By becoming a hobby problem solver, you will not dread an upcoming coding challenge but instead, you'll start enjoying and even looking forward to them.

Five: 

Have no strategy for problem-solving. Use a good strategy for problem-solving and thinking and stick to it. This is not the time to panic and aimlessly tackle a problem. Rather, at this point, you must have spent a considerable time practicing solving programming challenges (which you can find on sites like Hackerrank, Codewars, and Leetcode), and in the process, come up with a working strategy for tackling these kinds of problems. Your strategy may start with taking a deep breath, calming yourself, and then proceeding with a clear head.

Some Random Wise Sayings Gathered from Past Years

• Attitude will take you places: it is less about what you do and more about how you do it. It means being conscientious in your work; learning to do things with your heart, and not simply with your mind. Hope as you read this you will not see it as another list of "dos" and "don'ts". My hope is for you to improve your understanding and gain some inspiration and new insights to keep you going.

• Document each and every second of your time, well if you can... Perhaps this sounds painstaking but it works like a bomb. The Pomodoro technique is helpful in this.

• Some people have gifts, others give gifts. Which one are you?

• If you find yourself hovering at a given moment: remember that more reversible decisions are less risky.

• Preparation plus Attitude equals Opportunity; Opportunity plus Preparation equals Luck. Preparation is key.  One can say that all of life is about preparation.  

• Language is the index of learning.

• It may be helpful to view Maths and Programming simply as languages. Learning to code is like learning a new way to express yourself. Maths and Programming are more like learning a language than esoteric/exclusive logic.

• Never compare yourself to others. We are all unique by design.

• Avoid stressing while trying to learn.

• Do not be afraid to stand on the shoulders of giants. You don't have to go to the moon if you can bring the moon to you. Use tools that are already there if possible.

• AI is the art of translating organic intelligence into inorganic intelligence.

• Be a professional Googler. Googling is not cheating; feel free to do it guilt-free.

• We in the computer age would do well to note that information is different from knowledge, and having knowledge does not mean you are educated; being educated does not make you wise.  Pondering much about your ways does. Allow time for the information to sink in.

• Don't lean on your feelings too much as they are often deceptive. Even the most successful icons struggle with feelings of inadequacy. 

• Learn some memory techniques to improve your learning rate. Make patterns by stringing events together. Patterns are easier for the brain to recall than random events.

• Always expect surprises (both good and bad) when coding.

• Allow some breathing space and room for serendipitous learning. It is more likely to guide you to your "eureka" moments.

• Everything has got a moral if only you can find it.

• Role-playing works when learning; it is also suitable for coding and debugging. Picture and try to visualize every move. Role-playing makes you both emotionally and logically intelligent. Tell the story of your code through lots of writing and drawing.

• When debugging first ask yourself: "What are the usual suspects?" This is a basic step in solving cases.

• Being a female does not mean you can't code. We were all meant to be creators, and it's only a matter of learning to work together. 

• Ask questions to yourself and others. There are often stupid answers but much more rarely stupid genuine questions. A more strategic means of problem-solving is to ask the kind of questions that are more likely to lead to the right solutions.

• Make a plan, follow it, always do.

• Practice makes perfect. Too much learning without application is akin to hypocrisy and is much more wearisome.

• How do you eat an elephant? Bit by bit. Manage complexity by breaking down large problems into smaller simpler steps.

• You don't have to understand everything all at once. Consistent exposure to information / "iterative learning" rather than trying to figure it all out at once is a better strategy for learning. Each time a bit more will sink in.

• Hard Work, and not just smart work, will pay off in the end. 

• Always revise your assumptions/preconceptions because making wrong assumptions will always lead to wrong conclusions regardless of good reasoning.

• Everybody plays the fool sometimes, there's no exception to the rule.