> But all three of us are very reluctant to start interviewing because we all know how much interviewing really really SUCKS.
Have you interviewed much recently, or are you going on what you hear about bad things in the interview process? (The bad stuff tends to get more mentions.)
It might not be as bad as you think. Yes, some amount of whiteboard work is common. But it shouldn't be about "topics you may or may not know" - that sounds bizarre to me. You should be tested on a language you know, and on a problem that a reasonable person would be able to solve. Also, the focus is often on how you approach the problem, not if you write up a perfect solution or not.
Overall, what you describe sounds like a horror story ("one interviewer wants us to code a particular dynamic programming question the way they are picturing in their head"). I don't think that's as common as you appear to think.
It sounds like you are reluctant to even start interviewing. Why not try, and see how it goes?
Have you interviewed much recently, or are you going on what you hear about bad things in the interview process? (The bad stuff tends to get more mentions.)
It might not be as bad as you think. Yes, some amount of whiteboard work is common. But it shouldn't be about "topics you may or may not know" - that sounds bizarre to me. You should be tested on a language you know, and on a problem that a reasonable person would be able to solve. Also, the focus is often on how you approach the problem, not if you write up a perfect solution or not.
Overall, what you describe sounds like a horror story ("one interviewer wants us to code a particular dynamic programming question the way they are picturing in their head"). I don't think that's as common as you appear to think.
It sounds like you are reluctant to even start interviewing. Why not try, and see how it goes?