I bet I can condense this even more: it's yet another FAANG shibboleth that starts out as a good idea and the evolves into a ritual candidates need to perform until they can identify that they are "in".
Google Algorithm/Whiteboard interview has morphed into a generation of robots that can solve any LC problem but are incapable of building anything real in software.
Currently I think there are more books out there on "passing the systems design interview" than there are on actual systems design.
Have you ever been management at a Fortune 500 company?
I have and, while the parent may be a bit on the cynical side, you're take is boarding on dangerously naive for anyone who wants to understand the non-engineering part of an org.
My experience is that the real path to success is to do cynical things naively. That is, if you cynically see things how they are, and act accordingly, you won't get very far. Management in large orgs (and many small ones as well) requires "true believers" so to speak.
Meetings are a lot about asserting power, but the most successful people in large orgs genuinely believe that those people asserting power are better than them, and hope to one day be as powerful.
Flattery works insanely well, but it works better coming from a true sycophant, one who genuinely aligns their personal success with your opinion of them. I've been the object of flattery many time, and to be honest, it does feel good and work even when you know it's some what BS.
> Now this is pure keyboard warrior fantasy material.
I literally laughed out loud when I read this, since I was more or less told to engage in this type of behavior to succeed by senior leadership when I worked in a large org. Inject yourself into projects that didn't need you, find ways to make yourself relevant, do whatever it takes to grow your team (because your authority is directly proportional to the number of people under you).
Personally I think that entire culture is reclusive, so left that role very quickly and stick to IC work and smaller leadership roles on teams that do more resemble the world you're describing. But make no mistake, parent is accurately depicting the realty at the majority management roles in large corporations.
I bet I can condense this even more: it's yet another FAANG shibboleth that starts out as a good idea and the evolves into a ritual candidates need to perform until they can identify that they are "in".
Google Algorithm/Whiteboard interview has morphed into a generation of robots that can solve any LC problem but are incapable of building anything real in software.
Currently I think there are more books out there on "passing the systems design interview" than there are on actual systems design.