Since publishing our manifesto, we've heard two main critiques: first, that enabling tool usage in interviews is "cheating," and second, that we should focus on fixing the broken interview process itself rather than building tools to navigate it.
We respect the idealism of these critiques. But we fundamentally disagree with their practicality.
The "Cheating" Value Gap
Let's look at the playing field. Companies use automated ATS systems to screen your resume. They use AI-generated coding challenges to filter you out before you ever speak to a human. They have teams of recruiters armed with the latest tools to maximize their efficiency.
Yet, when you sit down for the interview, you are expected to be "naked." No tools. No notes. No resources. Just your raw memory and a whiteboard.
Why is it that the side with all the power is allowed to use every tool available, while the individual is expected to rely on nothing but rote memorization?
We don't call it cheating when a carpenter uses a laser level instead of a plumb bob. We call it accuracy. We don't call it cheating when a pilot uses autopilot to reduce cognitive load. We call it safety.
Using tools to retrieve information, verify code, and organize your thoughts isn't deception. It's modern engineering.
Pragmatism Over Idealism
"We should fix hiring standards!" say the critics.
We agree. The industry should move away from LeetCode grinding and towards practical assessments. But here is the hard truth: That culture shift will take a decade. You have rent to pay next month.
We are not a think-tank. We are not an industry consortium writing white papers on "The Future of Work."
We are armorers. We see developers getting rejected from life-changing opportunities because they forgot the syntax for a `PriorityQueue` in Java under pressure. We refuse to tell those developers to "wait for the system to improve."
The Real Metric
Critics ask for empirical evidence that tools improve hiring outcomes.
Our evidence is the Senior Engineer who used our tool to calm their anxiety, nailed the system design interview, and is now leading a team at a top tech company.
Our evidence is the Junior Developer who, instead of freezing when asked an obscure API question, quickly looked it up, implemented the solution, and demonstrated resourcefulness—the very trait that will make them successful on the job.
Our Promise
We will continue to build tools that empower the individual. We will continue to level the playing field.
We won't apologize for giving you the edge you deserve.