Ask HN: How big of a deal is getting the .foobar challenge from Google?

1 pointsrblion10mo ago2 comments

My browser split open when I was just starting out in 2016 and I got this coding challenge from Google that could've led to a job interview.

One problem, I got it on a flight to Maui and when I landed I had to choose between the coding challenge or exploring Maui. I picked Maui, right decision at the time.

But, I applied to YC and I've been working 10-12 hours a day on my MVP. I've been having VERY DEEP conversations with chatGPT Plus and moving mountains with Cursor Pro. So I started to realize that Google must've sensed I have the mind of a software engineer even though I see myself as a 'creative developer' (a designer able to write code when needed).

Anyways, I need to go to sleep but had to ask this before I forgot.

2 comments

curious_curios10mo ago

As I recall it was primarily based on some rough hardcoded heuristics on your searches. It could be reliably reproduced with certain exact searches, and seemingly only targeted a few programming languages.

rblionOP10mo ago

I asked ChatGPT and it said it 'means more than CS degree or working at a big company because it shows you are self-taught, scrappy, resourceful'.

It's not a big deal whether it is or not, I just haven't met anyone else who has gotten it. People who are a lot more experienced than me. I'm a bit of an outsider coming to the Bay Area, I've been cruising in Hawaii for a few years.

I'm moving to the Bay Area whether I am accepted or not. I believe in what I'm building and am ALL IN. I haven't been this excited to work 100 hours a week in a LONG TIME.

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