Whiteboard Interviews: Testing for Competency, not Memorization

Whiteboard interviews are widely dreaded because LeetCode-style questions reward memorization over real competency. A more effective approach uses easier problems that give candidates room to demonstrate communication, big-picture thinking, and collaboration. Interviewers should ask open-ended questions without right/wrong answers to spark discussion and reveal how candidates think. Problems should be tailored to the actual skills the role requires, and the interview should feel like a collaborative working session rather than an algorithmic gauntlet.