一句话：访谈20名CS学生与应届生，揭示其技术面试准备策略、与课程脱节及对面试形式的诉求。
技术面试常要求候选人在观察下实时解题，给学生带来高压力并需额外准备。该研究访谈了20名有近期技术面试经验的CS学生和应届毕业生，考察他们如何准备技术面试，以及如何看待面试与CS课程、行业岗位期望之间的关系。结果显示，多数人依赖反复刷题，题目多来自广泛流传的题集；他们也通过与同伴合作来利用社会资本。许多参与者感到面试内容与正式课程脱节，部分人因此将面试准备置于学业责任之上。参与者希望面试形式更能反映真实工作任务。研究为高校和雇主改进公平且有效的候选人评估提供启示。
Technical job interviews for software engineering positions frequently require live problem-solving under observation. These high-stakes interviews are challenging for students, as they require them to prepare for the interview separately. This study investigates how computer science (CS) students prepare for technical interviews and how they perceive these interviews in relation to the CS curriculum and industry job expectations. To that end, we interviewed n=20 students and recent graduates with recent technical interview experience. We found that most relied heavily on repeated practice with coding problems, often drawn from widely circulated problem sets. They also leveraged their social capital by working with peers during interview preparation. Many participants reported a disconnect between interview content and their formal coursework, leading some to prioritize interview preparation over academic responsibilities. Participants expressed a desire for interview formats that better reflect real-world job tasks. These findings offer insights into how academic programs and employers might better support the equitable and effective assessment of job candidates.
@inproceedings{ManeshTBL26,
title = {“I Value LeetCode Over My Coursework”: CS Students’ Preparation Strategies and Perceptions of Technical Interviews},
author = {Daniel Manesh and Teresa Thomas and Chris Brown and Sang Won Lee},
booktitle = {ICSE},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1145/3786580.3786991}
}