I'm currently preparing for my first coding interviews, using a blog post about interviewing at Google as my guide. [1] In addition to studying the subjects in the post (algorithms, data structures, discrete math), I'm taking the three public Stanford classes and writing an iOS app that I will put in my github. Any advice re this approach? My career goal is to program useful stuff people use, with smart people.
>> My career goal is to program useful stuff people use, with smart people.
I think at a high level that is a fine career goal. You want to work on interesting problems in an intellectually challenging environment (that's where smart people are), and you want your work to have meaning to society.
I think if you continue to hold your work to this standard, you will be able to look back on your career with satisfaction.
Maybe the way you worded that is a little harsh: I think that's a fine goal but when you approach an employer you might want to put that goal in the context of the company you're interviewing with. So in effect, you want to use your career goals as an angle by which you might sell yourself to the prospective company.
[1] http://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2008/03/get-that-job-at-goog...