I recently went through a technical interview for a DevOps position, and it felt heavily focused on coding challenges similar to LeetCode problems instead of typical infrastructure tasks. Is this becoming a standard practice in the industry? I'm curious whether there's been a shift towards expecting a higher level of programming proficiency in languages like Python or Go when it comes to DevOps roles.
5 Answers
It really varies by company and interviewer. Many folks don’t truly understand what DevOps is about, which can lead to some strange interview practices. Generally, it's helpful to know programming, but when it gets to pure algorithmic challenges, that feels excessive for DevOps roles.
Honestly, it’s not common to see that level of coding required. Most would expect a basic understanding and practical scripting skills rather than rigorous algorithm challenges. If an interview's focus feels off, it's worth reconsidering if that company is the right fit for you.
The expectation really boils down to the specific role. Some teams might expect more advanced programming skills, especially if the role is more aligned with software engineering tasks. But many just need you to know your way around tools like Terraform, Ansible, and CI/CD processes.
Many roles will just require solid scripting abilities—think Python, Bash, and maybe some Powershell. Expecting deep algorithms knowledge seems out of place unless it's a very specific type of SRE role.
Totally agree that if they're leaning heavily on LeetCode questions, it might not be the right environment for a DevOps role. DevOps is more about keeping systems up and running and understanding infrastructure, not just coding for coding's sake.
Exactly! They should focus more on practical skills that pertain directly to the role.
Yeah, and if they hit you with coding puzzles, it might just be a red flag about their clarity on what DevOps really entails.