How to succeed at preparing for the Makers Academy Interview/Pair Programming

Preparing for Makers Academy can be a daunting challenge. Especially if you, like me, had no real experience in software development before this point (making mySpace pages back when you were 13 doesn't count). Makers Academy is extremely selective (9/10 candidates get rejected), so you need to give yourself the best chance possible on passing the interview/pair programming session. Here’s how I did it:

1. Be as curious as this Owl

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day.” Albert Einstein

This point really speaks for itself but don't let that diminish its value. The preparation material that Makers requires you to complete before the pair programming session is a good base for what you need to know. But don’t stop there. Read around the topics that you learn to fully understand how things work. For example, .uniq filters out all of the unique values in an array (gets rid of duplicates)and returns it back to you in an array, but do you know how it does it? Don’t just get the required amount of points on Codewars (it was 100 when I did it). Do more and challenge yourself to beat higher kyu katas (this was easy for me as I love anything gamified). The more curious you are, the more it will help you when it comes to the interview as it will help you to think like a computer (that's a good thing!).

2. Don’t just use the recommended materials.

I’ve already hinted at this above. Codecademy is a great resource for learning the basics but that's really where it ends. Codewars is great at providing you with standalone challenges but that's all they are. While I was preparing for the session, I used other resources such as Udemy courses (paid) and Learn to Programme by Chris Pine (https://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/). This will round out and build upon the foundation of knowledge that you’ve already acquired through completing the required materials.

I would also recommend building something in Ruby. No matter how basic or small or even if you follow a code-along on Youtube, it doesn’t matter. Build something. It’ll really put things into perspective and help you to understand how different pieces of code interact with each other.

3.Be consistent

“Its a marathon, not a sprint” Dr Phil

Don’t try and rush through all of the material. You’ll get to the end and realise that, in all honesty, you remember none of it. The information sits in your short-term and working memory banks which allows you to use it right now, but give it a day or two and you'll struggle to recall what you've learned. Take your time to understand each section thoroughly and that will help lock the knowledge into the long-term memory banks of your brain.

4. Stay relaxed and have fun!

Yes, the Makers pair programming session/interview is difficult, especially for those new to software development. However, that doesn’t mean you have to be stressed out about it and that it can’t be fun. Enjoy learning new things, because ultimately, this is how you will succeed. Make sure you go for regular trips outside for fresh air and even put your feet up in front of the T.V. and have a night off. Time off to recharge your batteries is never a bad thing.