Just out of curiosity, or maybe a valid question that a lot of people might be interested? So what makes you decide to hire or no hire for a engineering position?<p>I will just tell my personal experience both as a interviewee and a interviewer:<p>* As a interviewee:
Since you probably would never get real feedback from interviewers (due to some policies or whatever), my feel of the interviews that I was rejected:
1. interviewers caught some of your coding bug, even though you fixed it;
2. you think you will discuss/communicate with the solution that interviewer wanted, but maybe the interviewer is expecting to see without too much discussion (hints), you came up something s/he wants or better surprise him/her. If not, you will be probably rejected.
3. Maybe the interviewer just does not like you (chemical not right, etc). No matter how well you did, someone can always pick up something to say you're not "good" enough for the position. This can be subtle, and you as interviewee, just can never know.<p>* As a interviewer:
From what I recalled, I will hire the candidate if s/he
1. Does some amount of workable coding
2. Even with some hints, the optimal solution is brought up and implemented.<p>The reasons I rejected candidates:
1. too much unnecessary talking, no real code. or cannot write any sensible code.
2. with <i>a lot</i> hints, he/she can not write up standard algorithm routines
3. border line candidate, in the sense that there is some team member just does not like the candidate and vote for no hire and I did not champion for him/her.<p>What are your possible reasons of hire/no hire? or "feel" of being accepted/rejected?
This is a very hard question actually. Interviews are pretty subjective process. It will be very hard to summarize what are the possible reasons to hire/reject candidates.<p>Aside from answering the author's question, I would propose the onsite in-person interview should be video recorded, conducted by one interviewer. Then later replaying in the hiring committee or what so ever, and vote for hire/no hire. That could eliminate any discrimination/bias/subjective/personal feedback from interviewer and stop interviewee from being accusing any accidents during the process.