I like to ask interviewees to imitate the sound a computer would make over an AM radio while executing different algorithms.

Nested for loops go brrrrrrrrrrrr, munching squares go bweep bweep bwweeeep bwweeeep bwweeeep bwweeeep bwwwweeeeeeep bwwwweeeeeeep bwwwweeeeeeep bwwwweeeeeeep bweep bweep bweep bweep...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4oRHv-Svwc

Life goes shlup shlup shlup shlup shlup...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB78NXH77s4

If they use any Don Martin sound effects, I hire them on the spot.

https://www.madcoversite.com/dmd-alphabetical.html

>CHK CHK CHA-GONK BRBBRBBRING! -- Man's Eyes Being Poked Like A Cash Registers' Keys And Jaw Popping Open Like A Till Drawer -- Mad #61, Mar 1961, Page 18 -- Kitzel's Department Store

Many people can write brute force implementations. But while the meme is funny and great, it only shows a part of reality: sometimes you do have to optimize things. Just don't do it too early and only if there is a clear use case that requires the speed. Then you should be able to write fast code, or at least know which library to use that has a good implementation of the algorithm you need.

Some companies like GAFAM probably put too large focus onto algorithmic questions, but they can afford to lose otherwise good engineers who are bad at algorithmic questions. They need something to filter the masses of applicants they receive.

Goodhart’s Law-Driven Development