My favorite interview was one where I was able to bring my own laptop to do a code exercise that was mostly communicated ahead of time. They also allowed me to use any tools that would be accessible to me in the real world: other developers in the room, Google, Stackoverflow, etc.

I also LOVE a clear picture of what my day is going to look like- a schedule with who I'll be speaking with and what type of questions I'll be asked. For example: at 8am you'll meet with Bob Bobbs, Software Manager, to discuss previous experience. At noon you'll have lunch with the team. At 3 pm you'll meet with Linda Lindz, architect, for whiteboard interview. Ok, ok, the type of questions I'll be asked is a dream - but a girl can hope.

But the reason I enjoyed this was because 1) coding on someone else's laptop is actually pretty challenging. Consider opposite scroll directions, different keyboard shortcuts and IDE colors. This can all throw you off your game. 2) I have anxiety.. which makes interviewing especially stressful. Understanding the schedule and what to expect throughout the day helps me prepare and cope mentally for the day ahead. The best way I can describe it is instead of my mind racing "You're going to fail for a solid 6 or 8 hours" it will sound more like "Well, the morning is going to be rough, but you've got the 11-3 portion down".. and with that thought I can actually breathe.

What has your favorite interview been? Why?

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