3 min read // by Daksh Kohli
Interviewing in the Age of AI: Time for a Rewrite
For a college student, an interview is the tunnel between campus life and the hustle of the corporate world. Lately, that tunnel has narrowed in the age of Artificial Intelligence, and everyone is fighting for space. AI has made memorising concepts like OOPS, DSA, SQL, and code syntax feel increasingly obsolete. So is memorisation actually necessary to work in the industry, or does it only help you clear old-fashioned interviews? Let’s find out!
Online Assessments: The Gateway Gets Crowded
The gateway to interviews, hated by many but defeated by none. AI has significantly increased the number of rule-breakers in online assessments, which makes the tests unfair for honest candidates. Companies and recruiters have responded by making these tests more rigorous and taxing, but the repercussions are felt by honest candidates too. One of my observations is that violation has become the norm. Not using AI to perform better in an OA may be the ethical decision, but it is hardly the practical one. Even if you have strong knowledge of your domain, combining it with the power of AI will greatly improve your chances of qualifying. I am not saying that one should cheat, but taking a knife to a gunfight is simply foolish. This shows how AI has changed the dynamics of online assessments. I still believe we are in a phase of transition, and that the format will gradually evolve into something more practical. For example, imagine a GitHub repository where candidates must solve a problem statement with a limited number of AI tokens, first by understanding the codebase and the requirements. That kind of assessment would test skills that are actually used in the industry.
DSA Rounds: Brain Muscle or Barrier?
Another major caveat is DSA. The world loves to show off the number of questions solved on LinkedIn, but I believe DSA-based screening has become outdated. Understanding data structures and different types of algorithms is important for sharpening problem-solving ability. Yet interviews still test how well you remember syntax and whether you can solve problems under pressure. In real-world scenarios, you have time to strategise and decide which approach best fits the requirements of the problem. I believe that if the pressure is lifted, people think better, and the vast pool of such questions can simply be used for reference. DSA is great for building mental muscle, but testing someone solely on it and then concluding that they are not good at tech is, by all means, wrong.
Resume and Referrals: Proof of Work and the Power of People
The resume comes into play once you reach the interview stage, and I believe it shows who you really are through what you have built with your own hands. I understand that AI has made building projects easy, but explaining those projects and truly understanding the concepts behind them is what sets candidates apart. Referrals, as always, still work remarkably well for getting placed at a company. AI has had no negative effect on them; on the contrary, it has only helped recruiters sort candidates more easily.
Conclusion: A Rewrite in Progress
All in all, the interview process is in a phase of transformation. Soon enough, new changes and industry standards will come to light, and the norm will shift toward a better future and a healthier industry.