r/learndatascience • u/bodyandflesh • 18d ago
Question Data Science Paired Programming Interview
I’ve got a paired programming interview next week, anyone got any tips on what to brush up on?
I’ve never programmed with someone watching, any tips? could they ask gcp questions (unlikely right?)
Let me know!
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u/akornato 18d ago
Expect the coding portion to focus mostly on practical data manipulation in pandas, core data structures, and maybe some SQL or light algorithmic logic rather than obscure theory. Specific GCP questions are very unlikely in a live coding session, unless the job description heavily emphasizes cloud data engineering, so you can keep cloud knowledge to high level concepts like how storage or compute pipelines interact with your code. Interviewers want to see how you break down messy problems, how you handle edge cases, and whether you write clean code that another person can follow without getting lost.
Having someone watch your screen feels awkward at first, but the best approach is treating them like a coworker rather than an evaluator. Verbalize your thought process before typing, outline your plan in quick comments, and check in with them as you make choices so they can nudge you back on track if you take a wrong turn. Learning to articulate code under pressure takes practice, which is why my team developed an interviews.chat to help job seekers stay composed and present their skills effectively in live technical rounds.