Competitive programming = coding challenges, like Google Code Jam and HackerRank. Nothing to do with getting a better job or a better salary.
[deleted]
A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
31–40 of 171 posts
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think the GP means that problems solved in programming competitions are similar to what you'll find on some job interviews.
Sure, and I think the comment he replied to means "the term competitive is ambiguous, let me clear it up: this is not talking about advancing your career."
I guess, to the degree that you would assume "competitive programming" could be interpreted as something specifically to advance your career, which I know I didn't, and I'm not sure how you could (but I could easily be missing a common different interpretation).
That is, I wouldn't assume "A Competitive Fisher's Handbook" would apply to my career as a bulk tuna fisherman, and I would find a comment that points out that there is nothing related between the two as as both obvious (colloquially), and overreaching (specifically) to the point I might feel the need to counter-correct as there very well might be links between them that could help in non-obvious ways. That competitive programming and interviews share more than superficial similarities might make me even more likely to do so.
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#33i like this book because it has certain time and resource constraints in mind. that maybe a typical professional programmer does not have. but maybe someone from another subject can learn.
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#34i like this book because it has certain time and resource constraints in mind. that maybe a typical professional programmer does not have. but maybe someone from another subject can learn.
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#35Competitive programming = coding challenges, like Google Code Jam and HackerRank. Nothing to do with getting a better job or a better salary.
Especially given the importance of teamwork. Competitive people tend towards tedious one-upmanship. It's something you want to screen out in the hiring process.
Programmers participate to ICPC in teams of three. According to my experiences, teamwork is a fairly important part of success since there is only one computer for each team.
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
if you live in bay area you would understand. this is how it works in US west coast. Wall street is pouring money to here and big companies just pay that much to new grads who can do algorithm questions on whiteboard. believe it or not, it is true.
I don't know where you're getting those figures from, but they're off by more than a factor of 2 based on information I have from friends in Google and previous disclosures here on HN by Googlers. Google won't pay most new hires out of school much over $100k in the bay area, and they adjust based on living expense. AFAIK the higher end of junior compensation is close to $200k, which is where you start getting into th…
For new grad (B.S.) software engineers this year, the standard offer is ~160k total compensation amortized over the first four years, including signing/target annual bonus but not including any raises or stock refreshers that may happen.
I'm graduating with an M.S., starting this summer. Using competing offers, I negotiated up to 190-195k amortized over four years, including 215-220k in the first year (because of signing bonus). I ended the negotiation a little early because of stress and likely could've pushed 210k amortized.
My resume isn't anything special, but I practiced enough to be good at the whiteboard interviews. The best-of-the-best new grads are probably getting close to 250k, but there aren't many of them.
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#37Competitive programming = coding challenges, like Google Code Jam and HackerRank. Nothing to do with getting a better job or a better salary.
It says right on the tin that this is meant for IOI/ICPC-style contests, whose participants are high school and undergraduate students respectively.
As a former competitor in USACO, ACSL, etc., I would have loved to have resources like this around for practice and self-study back in high school.
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
Competitive people are often very good at working in teams, see any team sport, or team programming contests.
I would choose a person who is driven to solve problems over a person who is driven to exceed others, every time. Competition is for losers.
I had to compete for my job, in which I get to spend a lot of time working relatively unconstrained on scientific problems of my choosing, as long as they're quite broadly mission-oriented. I like working on questions no one else is asking and avoiding the 'a large debate exists in the community as to whether X or Y' messes that Nature loves to publish.
I had to compete for my wife, who supports me and inspires me and etc. me, with few constraints (such as no others compete for our affections).
I hate games of all sorts (they have rules and the fun is to remember them and play by them?). But nonetheless I realize:
Competition is for organisms.
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
The same skills used in competitive programming are needed to pass a modern day technical interview at some of the larger companies. So I wouldn't necessarily say it has nothing to do with getting a better job or salary.
Sadly the proliferation of sites like HackerRank (YC funded shamefully) means competitive programming is the first "filter" stage for interviews these days.
I actually don't mind that. The filter works both ways - it tells me the company in question is clueless about hiring tech talent, so I can ignore them.
Re: A Competitive Programmer's Handbook
#40great stuff.read this,understand this and you'll get google offer for 350k per year.
Why would you? How is knowing (and understanding) all that worth 350k per year? It shows that you are sharp and know your algorithms...is that all it takes to solve "350k yr" class problems? What do those problems look like? I suppose if they look just like hacker rank or something, then yes... Certainly some companies put all their faith in those type of demonstrations of skill, I grant you...I'm just wondering if y…
> be me
> go to grad school, get PhD in mathematics
> get hired at Google (also works anywhere else)
> 300k starting
Pretty sure this is how it works (just ask around on 4chan).