The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) is a challenging assessment used by many tech companies, including Crossover, in their hiring process. Mastering this test can significantly boost your chances of landing your dream job. This article provides expert tips and strategies to help you excel in the CCAT.
Detailed Breakdown of CCAT Sections
The CCAT consists of 50 questions to be completed in 15 minutes, covering three main areas:
Verbal Ability
Word analogies
Sentence completion
Verbal reasoning
Math and Logic
Number series
Word problems
Basic algebra
Spatial Reasoning
Figure matrices
Spatial visualization
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Crossover’s hiring process
Applying to Crossover for a job | Sharing my experience
Advanced Strategies for Each Question Type
Verbal Ability
Word Analogies: Identify the relationship between the first pair of words, then apply it to the second pair.
Sentence Completion: Read the entire sentence first, then choose the word that best fits the context and tone.
Verbal Reasoning: Look for keywords and logical connectors to understand the argument’s structure.
Math and Logic
Number Series: Look for patterns in addition, subtraction, multiplication, or alternating sequences.
Word Problems: Quickly identify relevant information and translate it into mathematical equations.
Basic Algebra: Practice solving for variables and simplifying expressions.
Spatial Reasoning
Figure Matrices: Identify changes in shape, size, color, or orientation between figures.
Spatial Visualization: Practice mentally rotating and manipulating objects.
How to Prepare: CCAT Practice Tests
To maximize your chances of success, consider these preparation strategies:
Take CCAT Practice Tests: Familiarize yourself with the question types and time pressure.
Improve Weak Areas: Identify and focus on improving your weakest areas.
Time Management: Practice answering questions quickly and accurately.
Stay Calm: Remember, the CCAT is designed to be challenging. Stay focused and do your best.
In the last 4 years, 100+ people have asked me on LinkedIn on how to pass the CCAT, so a few months ago I decided to create a course on Udemy for CCAT Practice Tests. It has 4 mock CCAT tests that closely match what you can expect in the actual CCAT test.
You can access that via this link : Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) Practice Tests 2024. If you end up taking the course, I would appreciate it if you could drop your feedback on my LinkedIn if you find anything “off” in the course, so that I can correct/improve it for future learners (thank you! 🙂 ).
Time Management Techniques
The 18-Second Rule: Aim to spend no more than 18 seconds per question (15 minutes / 50 questions).
Educated Guessing: If unsure, eliminate obviously wrong answers and make an educated guess.
Progress Checkpoints: At 5 and 10 minutes, check your progress and adjust your pace if needed.
Mental Preparation and Test-Day Tips
Practice Regularly: Use CCAT practice tests to build familiarity and confidence.
Simulate Test Conditions: Take full-length practice tests under timed conditions.
Stay Healthy: Get enough sleep, eat well, and stay hydrated before the test.
Read Instructions Carefully: Ensure you understand the test format and scoring system.
Stay Calm: Take deep breaths if you feel anxious during the test.
Post-Test Analysis and Improvement Strategies
Review Your Performance: Analyze which types of questions you found most challenging.
Focus on Weak Areas: Dedicate more practice time to your weakest sections.
Learn from Mistakes: Understand why you got certain questions wrong and how to approach them correctly.
CCAT requires a combination of knowledge, strategy, and practice. By understanding the test structure, developing advanced strategies for each question type, managing your time effectively, and preparing both mentally and physically, you can significantly improve your performance.
Just remember that the CCAT is designed to be challenging, and it’s normal not to answer all questions. Focus on accuracy and speed (aim to attempt all 50 questions), and use the strategies outlined in this article to maximize your score. With dedicated practice and the right approach, you can excel in the CCAT and open doors to exciting career opportunities in companies like Crossover.
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Landing Remote Jobs in 2024
Overview of Cognitive Aptitude Tests in Tech Recruitment
Comparison of CCAT with Other Popular Assessments
Benefits and Criticisms of Cognitive Aptitude Testing
How to Prepare for Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT)
How to Prepare for Different Types of Assessments
Future Trends in Tech Recruitment Testing
Many tech companies are increasingly turning to cognitive aptitude assessments to identify top talent. Among these, the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) has gained prominence. This article explores the landscape of cognitive aptitude testing in tech recruitment, with a focus on the CCAT and its alternatives.
Overview of Cognitive Aptitude Tests in Tech Recruitment
Cognitive aptitude tests measure a candidate’s ability to solve problems, learn quickly, and think critically. In the fast-paced tech industry, these skills are crucial. Here’s why companies use these assessments:
Predict Job Performance: High scores often correlate with strong on-the-job performance.
Evaluate Learning Potential: They gauge a candidate’s ability to acquire new skills quickly.
Reduce Bias: Standardized tests can help mitigate unconscious biases in hiring.
Comparison of CCAT with Other Popular Assessments
While the CCAT is widely used, it’s not the only cognitive aptitude test in tech hiring. Let’s compare it with some alternatives:
CCAT (Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test)
50 questions in 15 minutes
Measures verbal, math/logic, and spatial reasoning
Used by companies like Crossover
Wonderlic Personnel Test
50 questions in 12 minutes
Covers verbal, numerical, and spatial questions
Used by various industries, including tech
Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment
50 questions in 12 minutes
Focuses on numerical, verbal, and abstract reasoning
Popular in tech startups
Revelian Cognitive Ability Test
51 questions in 20 minutes
Assesses verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning
Used globally in various industries
Each test has its strengths, but the CCAT is often preferred in tech for its balance of question types and slightly longer time limit.
Benefits and Criticisms of Cognitive Aptitude Testing
Benefits:
Objective Evaluation: Provides a standardized measure of cognitive abilities.
Predictive Validity: Often correlates well with job performance.
Criticisms:
Test Anxiety: Some candidates may underperform due to stress.
Cultural Bias: Questions may favor certain cultural backgrounds.
Overemphasis: Some argue these tests shouldn’t be the sole deciding factor.
How to Prepare for Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT)
I have written a detailed set of articles covering different aspects of the CCAT exams that you can find here. In short, the best way is to practice, identify your weaknesses and get your mind used to the “race against time” scenario that CCAT poses.
In the last 4 years, 100+ people have asked me on LinkedIn on how to pass the CCAT, so a few months ago I decided to create a course on Udemy for CCAT Practice Tests. It has 4 mock CCAT tests that closely match what you can expect in the actual CCAT test.
You can access that via this link : Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) Practice Tests 2024. If you end up taking the course, I would appreciate it if you could drop your feedback on my LinkedIn if you find anything “off” in the course, so that I can correct/improve it for future learners (thank you! 🙂 ).
How to Prepare for Different Types of Assessments
While each test is unique, some general preparation strategies apply:
Familiarize Yourself: Understand the test format and question types.
Practice Time Management: These tests are often time-pressured.
Focus on Weak Areas: Identify and work on your weakest skills.
Stay Calm: Remember, these tests are designed to be challenging.
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Crossover’s hiring process
Applying to Crossover for a job | Sharing my experience
Future Trends in Tech Recruitment Testing
The landscape of cognitive aptitude testing in tech is evolving:
AI-Powered Assessments: Adaptive tests that adjust difficulty based on performance.
Gamified Assessments: Engaging, game-like tests to reduce test anxiety.
Skill-Specific Tests: Assessments tailored to specific tech roles or skills.
Holistic Approaches: Combining cognitive tests with personality assessments and job simulations.
Final Notes
Cognitive aptitude assessments, particularly the CCAT, play a significant role in tech hiring. While they’re not perfect, they provide valuable insights into a candidate’s potential. As a job seeker in the tech industry, familiarity with these tests, especially through CCAT practice tests, can give you a competitive edge.
Remember, while these tests are important, they’re just one part of the hiring process. Your experience, skills, and cultural fit are also crucial factors in landing your dream tech job.
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Landing Remote Jobs in 2024
Are you considering applying for a position at Crossover?
Before you start, remember that Crossover has a rather rigorous hiring process and it uses the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) as a key component in evaluating candidates. This article will guide you through Crossover’s hiring steps, particularly focusing on the CCAT assessment.
Overview of Crossover’s Hiring Steps
Crossover’s hiring process involves the following stages:
Initial application screening
Basic Fit test
CCAT assessment
Spoken English Test
Real work assignments
Interview with hiring manager
Offer and proctored CCAT retake
Let’s look deeper into the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) portion of this process.
Detailed Breakdown of the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT)
The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) is a crucial step in Crossover’s hiring process. Here’s what you need to know:
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Number of Questions: 50
Question Types: Verbal, Math and Logic, Spatial Reasoning
Scoring: Based on the number of correct answers, with percentile rankings
Crossover uses the CCAT to assess your problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and aptitude for learning new information quickly.
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Landing Remote Jobs in 2024
Tips Specific to Crossover’s Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT)
Aim High: Crossover often looks for candidates scoring above the 90th percentile, with some roles requiring scores in the 95th percentile or higher (40+ marks out of 50).
Time Management: Practice answering questions quickly but accurately.
Broad Knowledge: The CCAT covers a wide range of topics, so brush up on various subjects.
No Calculator: Mental math skills are crucial as no calculator is allowed.
How Crossover Uses CCAT Scores in Their Decision-Making
Crossover uses CCAT scores as a key factor in their hiring decisions:
Initial Screening: A minimum score (40) is often required to proceed in the process.
Role Matching: Higher scores may qualify you for more advanced or complex roles.
Potential Assessment: Scores help predict your ability to learn and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment.
Preparing for Crossover’s CCAT Assessment
To maximize your chances of success, consider these preparation strategies:
Take CCAT Practice Tests: Familiarize yourself with the question types and time pressure.
Improve Weak Areas: Identify and focus on improving your weakest areas.
Time Management: Practice answering questions quickly and accurately.
Stay Calm: Remember, the CCAT is designed to be challenging. Stay focused and do your best.
In the last 4 years, 100+ people have asked me on LinkedIn on how to pass the CCAT, so a few months ago I decided to create a course on Udemy for CCAT Practice Tests. It has 4 mock CCAT tests that closely match what you can expect in the actual CCAT test.
You can access that via this link : Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) Practice Tests 2024. If you end up taking the course, I would appreciate it if you could drop your feedback on my LinkedIn if you find anything “off” in the course, so that I can correct/improve it for future learners (thank you! 🙂 ).
There are also some free resources if you just want to get an idea of the sort of questions you can expect here:
Understanding Crossover’s hiring process, particularly the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) assessment, is crucial for your success. The hiring process is designed to identify candidates who will do well in Crossover’s high-performance, remote work environment. With proper preparation, especially through quality CCAT practice tests, you can approach the assessment with confidence and increase your chances of landing your desired role at Crossover.
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Landing Remote Jobs in 2024
Are you facing a Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) as part of your job application?
Don’t worry – with the right preparation strategy and quality CCAT practice tests, you can boost your performance and confidence. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about preparing for the CCAT. Here’s a breakdown in case you want to skip to a particular section.
Table of Contents
The Importance of CCAT Practice Tests
The CCAT is a challenging assessment that measures your cognitive abilities under time pressure. Here’s why practice tests are crucial:
Familiarization: They help you get comfortable with the test format and types of questions.
Time Management: You learn to pace yourself within the 15-minute time limit.
Skill Improvement: Regular practice can enhance your problem-solving speed and accuracy.
Confidence Boost: Being well-prepared reduces test anxiety and improves performance.
Types of Questions in the CCAT
The CCAT includes various question types across three main categories. Below I have listed them along with example questions from each, so you can get a good idea of what sort of questions to expect.
Verbal Ability
Word analogies
Sentence completion
Verbal reasoning
Math and Logic
Number series
Word problems
Basic algebra
Logical reasoning
Spatial Reasoning
Figure matrices
Spatial visualization
Quality CCAT practice exams should include a mix of all these question types to ensure comprehensive preparation.
Example questions from Logical reasoning:
Example questions from Verbal reasoning:
Example questions from Mathematical reasoning:
Example questions from Spatial reasoning:
Time Management Strategies
With only 15 minutes to answer 50 questions, time management is crucial. Here are some strategies:
Aim to spend no more than 20 seconds per question.
If a question seems too difficult, skip it and save time for easier questions (aim to attempt all 50).
Practice educated guessing – eliminate obviously wrong answers quickly.
Success Stories from CCAT Test Takers (including my own experience)
Many test-takers have significantly improved their CCAT scores (out of 50) through consistent practice (you can check that in the course reviews) but instead of theirs I will mention my own experience:
Back in 2019: I took it for the first time: Scored 32 marks.
Early 2020: Revised some of my old SAT I material and retook the test: Scored 38 marks.
Late 2020: Took a course (website for that is no longer available apparently) that had 3 practice tests for 60 dollars. Retook the test: Scored 48 marks.
Late 2020: Took the proctored CCAT, scored 44 marks.
Late 2022: Took that for another employer, scored 46 marks.
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Crossover’s hiring process
Applying to Crossover for a job | Sharing my experience
Conclusion
Success on the CCAT is achievable with the right preparation strategy. Quality CCAT practice tests are your best tool for familiarizing yourself with the test format, improving your skills, and boosting your confidence. Remember, consistent practice is key to mastering the cognitive aptitude assessment and opening doors to exciting career opportunities.
If you would like to access the practice tests, check out our comprehensive CCAT Practice Tests course on Udemy, featuring 5 full-length practice exams with detailed explanations & tips to help you succeed!
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Landing Remote Jobs in 2024
What is the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT)?
Purpose and Use in Hiring Processes
Test Structure and Content
How Companies Like Crossover Use CCAT
Tips for CCAT Preparation
Where to find CCAT Practice Tests?
Are you preparing for a job application that requires a cognitive aptitude test? You might be facing the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test, or CCAT. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the CCAT, from its purpose to preparation strategies.
What is the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT)?
The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) is a popular pre-employment assessment used by many companies, including Crossover, to evaluate a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and aptitude for learning new information. This cognitive aptitude assessment is designed to predict job performance and learning potential across a wide range of occupations.
Purpose and Use in Hiring Processes
Employers use the CCAT to:
Assess a candidate’s ability to solve problems and learn quickly
Predict job performance and potential for success in a role
Streamline the hiring process by identifying top candidates early
Companies like Crossover incorporate the CCAT into their hiring process to ensure they’re selecting candidates who can thrive in fast-paced, intellectually demanding environments.
Test Structure and Content
The CCAT consists of 50 questions that must be completed in 15 minutes. The test covers three main areas:
Verbal ability
Math and logic
Spatial reasoning
Questions are presented in a multiple-choice format and include:
Word analogies
Number series
Math word problems
Logic statements
Figure matrices
CCAT Scoring system
CCAT scores are typically reported on a scale from 0 to 50, representing the number of correct answers. Many employers also look at percentile rankings, which compare your score to those of other test-takers. For example, a score in the 80th percentile means you performed better than 80% of other test-takers.
Different roles may require different minimum scores. For instance, Crossover often looks for candidates scoring above the 90th percentile for most positions, with some roles requiring scores in the 95th percentile or higher (40+ marks out of 50).
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Crossover’s hiring process
Applying to Crossover for a job | Sharing my experience
How Companies Like Crossover Use CCAT
Crossover, known for its rigorous hiring process, uses the CCAT as a crucial step in evaluating candidates. Here’s how they typically incorporate it:
Initial application screening
CCAT assessment
Further skills tests or assignments
Interviews for top-performing candidates
The CCAT helps Crossover identify candidates who are likely to excel in their high-performance, remote work environment.
Tips for CCAT Preparation
Familiarize yourself with the test format and question types
Practice time management – 15 minutes for 50 questions is challenging
Take CCAT practice tests to identify your strengths and weaknesses
Focus on improving your weak areas through targeted practice
Develop strategies for quick problem-solving and educated guessing
Get plenty of rest before the test day
Remember, while you can improve your performance through practice, the CCAT is designed to measure your innate cognitive abilities. Consistent practice with quality CCAT practice exams can help you perform at your best.
Where to find CCAT Practice Tests?
In the last 4 years, 100+ people have asked me on LinkedIn on how to pass the CCAT, so a few months ago I decided to create a course on Udemy for CCAT Practice Tests. It has 4 mock CCAT tests that closely match what you can expect in the actual CCAT test.
You can access that via this link : Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) Practice Tests 2024. If you end up taking the course, I would appreciate it if you could drop your feedback on my LinkedIn if you find anything “off” in the course, so that I can correct/improve it for future learners (thank you! 🙂 ).
Conclusion
Understanding the CCAT is crucial for anyone applying to companies that use this cognitive aptitude assessment in their hiring process. By familiarizing yourself with the test structure, content, and scoring system, you can approach the CCAT with confidence. Remember, preparation is key – consider investing in comprehensive CCAT practice tests to maximize your chances of success.
Whether you’re applying to Crossover or another company using the CCAT, mastering this cognitive aptitude test can open doors to exciting career opportunities. Good luck with your preparation!
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Landing Remote Jobs in 2024
The process is rather simple, I have jotted down all the steps in the bullets below:
Click on “New”.
Create a GitHub repository
Enter the name for your repository. Select whether you wish to keep it private (only you can see it), or make it public (visible to everyone). Then click on “Create Repository”.
Configure your repository’s settings
A new page will open. From that, copy the below line (it will be different for each repo), you’ll need it later:
URL for remote repository hosted on GitHub
In your terminal/command prompt, navigate to your project directory:
Navigate to your project directory
Run git init ; it will initialize a local repository in that folder.
git init
Run git add . ; it will add all the files in that folder to the local repository.
git add .
Run git commit -m "<Enter a short text to describe your commit>"
git commit -m “<commit message>”
All the files in your project are now committed to your local repository.
Now, you need to sync your local repository (that is on your PC/system) with the remote repository (that is hosted on GitHub). To do that, first paste the command you copied earlier which specifies the URL of the remote repository, it will link your local repo with the remote repo:
git remote add <remote repo’s URL>
Run git push -u origin main; this will push/sync the changes/code from the local repository to the remote repository on GitHub.
git push -u origin main
Note: If you have large files (over 100MB), they will fail to upload and show an error similar to the one in the below image. If that is the case, please go through How to Upload Large Files to GitHub | Git LFS.
Large files – use Git LFS
Go to GitHub and refresh the page that you were on. You should now be able to see all the files in your GitHub repository.
In this post, I have tried to cover the different questions that I get regarding working with Crossover. After you have gone through this article, if you still have questions, please feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn with your specific query and I’d be happy to answer it for you. However, please be sure to read this post completely and explore all the resources that have been mentioned in it.
Crossover Available Roles & Crossover Application Process
Navigate to Crossover’s website [Navbar > Join Crossover > Current Openings], you’ll see the different roles that they’re hiring for at the moment.
Go through the titles of the roles, see which ones fit your profile/skillset.
Read the detailed Job Description, specifically the Candidate Requirements section.
If you’re not fully sure that you are eligible for the role, apply for it anyway, as the very first step in your application is the Basic Fit test. It takes 10-20 seconds to fill and within 30 seconds it would let you know if you’re eligible to apply for the role or not.
The next step is the Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT), coupled with a Spoken English Proficiency Test. (More details on the CCAT below).
Other than that, there might be role specific tests , which shouldn’t take more than 30-60 minutes to complete. Note: You only have to complete these tests once and it would apply for all the other roles that you apply to. Note: An additional “Generative AI Assessment” has also recently been added – I will update the article to give tips for that in the coming weeks; for the time being, if you need raw unstructured advice on that, just ping me on LinkedIn.
The next part is Real Work, which would test your domain knowledge. These tasks would be role specific; I’ve seen a minimum of one and a maximum of three real work assignments for different roles over time. Most of these are not timed (from what I’ve seen), and they give you a very nice, long description of what to expect in that particular assignment. So just read through that, see if you’d like/need to revise anything before attempting it, then go ahead and do the assignment.
Once you clear the real work assignment(s), the hiring manager will review your complete profile and if you seem like a good fit, they’d invite you for an interview.
If you’ve cleared all the previous steps on your own, the interview shouldn’t really be much of an issue for you. Just don’t do any major blunders and you should be fine.
Clearing the interview gets you the offer, and before joining you have to re-take the CCAT test, only this time, it would be proctored. So, if you used a calculator, or cheated in any way previously, you’d basically have your offer rescinded.
That’s all! Note: Once you apply for a role, these steps appear on the portal as well.
The best way to crack the Crossover CCAT test is to practice. That’s the only way that works; you need to train your mind about the type of questions you can expect, learn some tricks to “save time” because the limiting factor in that test is time. I believe that if anyone had 60 minutes for the CCAT; they would for sure score 100% marks, because the questions themselves are not hard; it’s just that some of them are “time sinks” and you need some “tricks” or practice to quickly do them, or decide to “skip” them to have a shot at attempting all 50 questions in the given time.
In the last 4 years, 100+ people have asked me on LinkedIn on how to pass the CCAT, so a few months ago I decided to create a course on Udemy for CCAT Practice Tests. It has 5 mock CCAT tests that closely match what you can expect in the actual CCAT test. You can access that via this link : Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) Practice Tests 2024. If you end up taking the course, I would appreciate it if you could drop your feedback on my LinkedIn if you find anything “off” in the course, so that I can correct/improve it for future learners (thank you! 🙂 ).
That said, besides the practice tests, here’s some key points:
You get 12 minutes (IIRC, or maybe 15 minutes – you will know in advance of course) to attempt 50 questions. From what I’ve noticed, this is the rough scale:
4 stars > 35+ marks.
5 stars > 40+ marks.
6 stars > 45+ marks.
Each role would have a different requirement for the number of stars.
Mindfulness and focus really matters in this one. Best to do it on a day and time when you’re fully relaxed and haven’t done any other mind-numbing activity.
Question types include: Basic Mathematics, English & puzzles.
Be fast. Don’t think you know the answer straight away and it’d likely take you more than 30 seconds to get it? Make a guess move on. Try to attempt all 50 questions in the allotted time.
To add to the above point, questions are ordered randomly (not in increasing order of difficulty), so it’s very likely that if you’re only able to attempt 45 questions for instance, the last 5 questions might have been easy but you never got to them because you spent too much time on a hard question (hard = would take more than 30 seconds to solve).
Try to find some generic tips & tricks for ‘quick math questions’. Example: 12 is 20% of what number (x is y% of what number). You can solve that in your head quite quickly by doing x100/y | (12100)/20 = 60. This is just an example. Series, sequences, basic algebra, these are some of the topics that I remember being touched in this exam, so just do a quick 20-30 minutes revision of these.
TAKE the test. The best way to know which areas you need to improve on and what to expect on the test, is to take the test. They let you take it twice before blocking you for the next 3 or 6 months. Once you have taken the test, I’m sure you can pinpoint which areas you struggled in (took more time) and can look for online resources where you can practice similar questions.
I compiled a list of a few free resources for the CCAT Practice Tests here:
Varies from team to team and company to company. But my general observation has been that as long as you’re doing quality work, you would be fine.
Your colleagues are going to be very very smart people (they went through the same challenging recruitment process that you did), so you always have to be delivering your best work to keep your performance levels high.
There is a lot of autonomy – little to no micromanagement. You get constructive feedback/coaching for areas where you can improve by your Manager, if and when needed, in an asynchronous manner.
Shift requirements can vary from team to team, or company to company.
You’re not bothered past your shift timings, for most roles that I know of at least.
If you’re on holidays, there are very low chances that you would be bothered at all. I personally never have been, IIC. Again, I obviously haven’t worked, or talked to people, in all the roles. But one thing that I have observed is that if you are requested to check in on a holiday, it would be for emergency cases only, where you are the only resource that is equipped to handle the situation.
Fully remote – no time wasted traveling.
Compensation is as advertised. If it says $50/hr on the portal, that’s exactly what you would be getting. Payment cycles are weekly, not monthly.
You’re expected to treat this as a full-time commitment (I’ve never seen Crossover advertise a part-time job) , minus any (un)planned holidays.
💡Youtube Playlist: Step-by-Step Guide to Landing Remote Jobs in 2024
Conclusion:
I’ve read some really bad reviews on Glassdoor, but did not really find them to be true for pretty much all the teams that I’ve had a chance to collaborate with, but of course, experiences can vary based on perceptions so feel free to ask other people directly (Plus, most of the reviews on Glassdoor I’d say are by people who basically never really cleared the recruitment round). Lastly, I’ve only covered the basics here, if you have any specific questions, drop them in the comments below or message me on LinkedIn. I’ll either include them in the article so that other people can benefit from them in the future, or see if I can schedule a meeting with you if it requires detailed guidance/can’t be covered properly over text.
P.S: Read the FAQs on their website, they cover a lot of common queries quite well.
I have also covered some other areas that you might have questions about. You can read about it here:
In this brief article, I will cover the basics of Git Large File System, short for Git-LFS.
Purpose/Use Case
Its use case is, as the name suggests, to allow uploading large files (over 100 MB – to be precise) to your GitHub Repository. You might need to push design files to your repository (for documentation purposes, or to keep everything related to a project in one place), or you might be a game developer, in which case, there are dozens of files with a size that is north of the limit.
How it Works – Theory
In essence, the large files are still not stored within the GitHub repository. Git-LFS works by uploading the large files to the cloud and store a pointer with the location of that file in your GitHub Repository.
If you do not wish to add the large files to your GitHub repository, you can simply add them to the .gitignore file. As a basic example, let us say you wish to prevent all the zip files in your local repository from being tracked/uploaded to the remote repository, you would add the following line in your .gitignore file:
*.zip
If you do wish to track the large files, then you can either add those files individually or in bulk. The bulk is particularly useful when most of your files over 100 MB are divided into a few different extensions. For instance, you might have 15 PSD files and 10 zip files.
Steps
Navigate to the project directory in terminal/command prompt and run the below commands:
git lfs install
git lfs track *.psd
That’s it. Add, commit and push your changes to the remote repository like you normally would and the error won’t appear.
In this article, we are going to learn about Google colaboratory notebooks in as much detail as possible. This tutorial is going to cover a variety of things related to Google colab, the details of which you can find in the Table of Contents Below.
What Google colab offers
How to setup Google colab
Enabling GPU and some basic functions
Importing files/datasets to Google colab notebook
If you have already used Google colab and know a few things feel free to skip any part that you’re already familiar with and jump right to the part you are interested in.
What Google Colab Offers
The reason why Google collab has become so popular nowadays is mainly because they offer free GPU for training for up to 12 hours continuously and even after that you can reconnect for a new session and the thing is that most people do not have a GPU in their workstation. Those who do – it’s not manufactured by Nvidia. The current GPU that collab offers is nvidia tesla T4.
Once you are there, right click, click on more, click on connect more apps.
4. Type colaboratory in the search bar and the click on install.
5. After installation close this tab.
6. After that right click and go to “more” and open colaboratory. It will create a new colab notebook for you.
7. To rename your notebook:
8. Buttons to add more code cells, to add more text cells and to delete cells are as follows. It’s as simple as that.
Enabling GPU and some basic functions
To check which devices are connected to your notebook currently, run the commands mentioned below:
from tensorflow.python.client import device_lib
device_lib.list_local_devices ()
Currently we only have a CPU connected to its memory.
To avail Google’s free GPU service, click on “edit” and then “notebook settings” to enable GPU. Save it as you go. It will take some time to connect (5-6 seconds).
Run the above code again. Now it will show that a GPU device is connected as well. It’s name is Tesla T4.
To install a library or a framework write the command !pip install and the name of the framework or library. Let’s try tensorflow.
Nowthis command might not always work, in case it doesn’t, just go to Google and write “how to install ‘library name’ on google collaboratory notebooks”. The first few searches will probably give you a single line command that you can run on your notebook to install that library on your Google collab notebooks.
To clone a github repository through your Google Drive simply just go to that repository and copy the link, come back to your notebook and write this command with your link. !wget clone “your repo link” With this your repository will be cloned in your file.
To check the content of your current folder use the command ‘!ls’. As you can see the repository has been cloned in our current directory.
Let’s now learn how to navigate to the Google Drive folders. The LS command shows you the content of your current directory. To move back one directory, this is the command that you would run.
To see the contents of your current directory use the same command “!ls”. This is what you will get.
Let’s go to the content folder with this command. cd content. Let’s see what we have inside it. It has Drive simple data and the file you imported from git just now.
Go to sample data with command cd sample_data to put some datasets in there. First go into the file and check its contents. If you want to remove something just type RM and the name of the file. To see if the file has been removed or not, type the LS command again. It should have been removed.
To see the contents of a file use this command !cat "name of file". It displays what was inside that file
Importing files or datasets into Google colab notebook
Let us now learn how to import our dataset into our Google collaboratory notebook. For that, go to Google Apps website with this link.
Copy this line of code and also import pandas library.
Run this cell**
Go back, copy this line of code, paste it in one cell and run it.
uploaded = files.upload()
Choose files and upload them, in this case it is an Expenses.csv file and try to read that file with the command shown.
To import an online dataset into your Google collaborate notebook the easiest way to do that is to write this command and add the link to it.
!wget "the link to import dataset"
Let’s add this link for example and run the cell. The name of the data set as you can see is Titanic.csv.
Now try to read it with the following command.
The data set has been successfully imported to our Google colaboratory notebook.
Before we continue, I would like to discuss a common error that arises when you’re using colab.
It means that all the GPUs that Google offers are currently busy and you can solve this problem simply by trying a few minutes later.
To see the parameters that a function of any library like tensor-flow, keras and scikit learn uses, this is how you can do it.
The documentation for that function will be shown to you which will include the parameters that the function takes as well as what each parameter means and in some cases it will also include an example of how that function can be used.
That’s all folks. Have a good time coding with Google Colab.
In this tutorial, we are going to learn about a sorting algorithm named Bucket Sort. Bucket sort, or bin sort, is a comparison sort algorithm that works by assigning the elements of an array or list to a number of buckets. The elements within each bucket are then compared to each other and sorted individually by either recursively calling the Bucket sort function or by using a different sorting algorithm. In our example, we will be using the Insertion Sort as our intermediate algorithm to sort the elements within the individual buckets.
Bucket sort can be thought of as a scatter-order-gather approach towards sorting a list. Firstly, the elements of the input array or list are scattered into different buckets. Then, the elements are ordered or sorted within the containing bucket. Finally, the elements are gathered in order. This sorting approach is most suitable when the input is uniformly distributed over a range and also when you have data in decimals or floating-point values. For example, if you come across a problem that asks you to sort a large set of floating-point numbers, in the range from e.g. 0.5 to 1.5, uniformly distributed across the range, then Bucket sort is the best algorithm to do so.
What to expect?
So basically, in this tutorial, we will be implementing Bucket sort on a list using Python. We will give you a step by step demonstration of how Bucket sort actually works. We will also discuss the computational and time complexities of the worst, average and best cases of the algorithm and compare Bucket sort’s performance with other sorting algorithms. Also, we will talk about some of the applications of Bucket sort itself. So, let’s begin!
Prerequisites
To follow this tutorial, you should have some prior basic programming knowledge in any language (preferably in Python). Other than that, the rest of the article is pretty beginner friendly. We will be using Sublime Text for writing our implementation of the Bucket sort in Python 3. Feel free to use any other code editor that you like.
Bucket Sort Algorithm
Before jumping into its exact implementation, lets walk through the algorithm a little bit. Bucket sort works as follows:
Set up a list of initially empty buckets. Number of buckets is equal to the length of the input list.
Go over the original list, putting each element in its bucket. This is determined by the length of the input list and the largest element in the input list. This will be clearly demonstrated in the example that follows.
Sort each non-empty bucket. We have used Insertion sort for this. You can use any other sorting algorithm for this as well.
Visit the buckets in order. This will yield a list as the output in which the elements are arranged from smallest to largest.
Step by step demonstration of Bucket Sort Algorithm
Suppose the input list is:
Largest number = 1.2 Length of list = 6 Size = Largest number / Length of list = 1.2/6 = 0.19999 = 0.2 This information will be useful in determining in which bucket will each element of the list be placed.
Create empty buckets. The number of buckets is equal to the length of list which in our case is 6. So, we will have 6 empty buckets.
Insert elements into the buckets from the list. The question is, how do we know in which bucket to place each element? Remember we calculated ‘size’ in the first step. We will basically divide each value of the list by size which is 0.2. The output will tell us the index of the bucket where the value is to be placed. Let’s consider our input list.
1.2 / 0.2 = 6. We will subtract 1 from this as it is outside of your index range. So, 6 – 1 = 5 Thus, the value 1.2 will be placed inside the bucket at index 5.
Likewise,
0.22/ 0.2 = 1.1 = 1. Thus, the value 0.22 will be placed inside the bucket at index 1. 0.43/0.2 = 2.15 = 2. Thus, the value 0.43 will be placed inside the bucket at index 2. 0.36/0.2 = 1.8 = 1 (Remember that we always consider the floor of our value. Thus 1.8 will not be rounded to 2, rather it will be rounded to 1). The value 0.36 will be placed inside the bucket at index 1. 0.39/0.2 = 1.95 = 1. Thus, the value 0.39 will be placed inside the bucket at index 1.
Lastly, 0.27/0.2 = 1.35 = 1. Thus, the value 0.27 will be placed inside the bucket at index 1. So, what we finally get after this step looks something like this:
The elements within each bucket are now sorted using any of the stable sorting algorithms. Here, we have opted for Insertion sort. We will not be going into the details of this algorithm as our main focus is on Bucket sort algorithm. We will just talk briefly on how Insertion sort works and why we have chosen it as our intermediate sorting algorithm in one of the following sections. All you need to know for now is that after insertion sort, the elements within the individual buckets are sorted. They look something like this:
Lastly, the elements from each bucket are gathered or concatenated. It is done by iterating through each bucket and inserting individual elements into a list. This results in a final list with sorted elements which look like this:
Python Code
def bucketSort (input_list):
# Find maximum value and length of the input list to determine which value in the list goes into which bucket
largest = max (input_list)
length = len (input_list)
size = largest/length
# Create n empty buckets where n is equal to the length of the input list
buckets = [[] for _ in range (length)]
# Put list elements into different buckets based on the index
for i in range (length):
j = int (input_list[i] / size)
if j != length:
buckets[j].append (input_list[i])
else:
buckets[length - 1].append (input_list[i])
# Sort elements within the buckets using Insertion sort
for i in range (length):
insertionSort (buckets[i])
# Concatenate buckets with sorted elements into a single list
final_output = []
for i in range (length):
final_output = final_output + buckets[i]
return final_output
# Performs insertion sort algorithm on the individual bucket lists
def insertionSort (bucket_list):
for i in range (1, len (bucket_list)):
var = bucket_list[i]
j = i - 1
while (j >= 0 and var < bucket_list[j]):
bucket_list[j + 1] = bucket_list[j]
j = j - 1
bucket_list[j + 1] = var
def main ():
input_list = [1.20, 0.22, 0.43, 0.36,0.39,0.27]
print ('Original list: ', end = '')
print (input_list)
sorted_list = bucketSort (input_list)
print ('Sorted list: ', end = '')
print (sorted_list)
main ()
As discussed above, for sorting the elements in each of the individual buckets, we used the insertion sort algorithm. Why? because insertion sort’s runtime is based on how far each element is from its final position. This implies that the number of comparisons between elements remains relatively small, and the memory hierarchy is better exploited or utilized.
Insertion Sort’s fine details are outside the scope of this tutorial. Its functioning can be understood by looking closely at the insertionSort function in the above code. It takes the first element of bucket list and assumes it’s sorted. Then the second element is stored in the ‘var’ variable. It compares var with the first element; if the first element is greater than var, var is placed in front of first element such that the first two elements become sorted. It then takes the third element and compares it with elements on the left of it. The third element is placed just behind the element smaller than it. If there is no smaller element, it is placed at the beginning of the list. Similarly, every unsorted element is placed at its correct position. The overall output is the different bucket lists, with elements arranged from smallest to largest in each.
Complexity
The complexity of an algorithm is simply the amount of work the algorithm performs to complete its task
Worst Case Complexity
Worst case occurs when the elements in the input list itself are arranged in the reverse order. When there are elements of close range in the list, which is the typical case for Bucket sort, they are likely to be placed in the same bucket and this may result in some buckets having a greater number of elements than others. This makes the complexity depend on the sorting algorithm used to sort the elements of the bucket, which in our case is insertion sort. Thus, if insertion sort is used to sort elements of the bucket, the time complexity for the worst case becomes O(n2).
Average Case Complexity
It occurs when the elements are distributed randomly in the list. Bucket sort runs in linear time in all cases until the sum of the squares of the bucket sizes is linear in the total number of elements. This makes O(n) to be the average case complexity of Bucket sort algorithm.
Best Case Complexity
Best case occurs when the elements in the input list itself are arranged in the correct order. Also, in the case of Bucket sort, if the elements are uniformly distributed within buckets, i.e. each bucket has the same number of elements as the other. If insertion sort is used to sort elements of a bucket, then the overall complexity in the best case will be linear i.e. O (n+k). O (n) is the complexity for making the buckets and O(k) is the complexity for sorting the elements of the bucket using algorithm having linear time complexity at best case.
Comparison with other sorting algorithms
Counting sort:
Bucket sort can be converted to Counting sort if we reduce the size of each bucket to 1, i.e. each bucket can only hold one value. The variable bucket size of Bucket sort allows it to use O (n) memory instead of O(M) memory, where M is the number of distinct values as is the case in Counting sort. Therefore, Bucket sort gives up Counting sort’s O (n + M) worst-case behavior.
Merge sort:
In Merge sort, a list is distributed into several sub lists to be sorted. However, because of the overlapping value ranges, the sub lists cannot be combined to one as in the final step of the Bucket sort algorithm. Instead, they must be interleaved by a merge algorithm which adds complexity to the algorithm as compared to Bucket sort.
Quick sort:
Bucket sort with two buckets is a form of Quicksort where the pivot value is always selected to be the middle value of the value range. This choice is effective for uniformly distributed inputs, but for other means of choosing the pivot in Quicksort e.g. randomly selected pivots, this makes it more resistant to clustering in the input distribution.
Bucket Sort Applications
Computing histograms in data visualization and analysis. For example, n students might be assigned test scores in the range from 0 to 10 and are then placed into ranges or buckets on the basis of those scores.
Working on data that is uniformly distributed over a close range
Working on floating point or decimal values
Conclusion
To sum it all up, we started off by getting an introduction to what Bucket sort is and went on to discuss what we need to know before we jump into its implementation in Python. We discussed its algorithm and each and every step involved in the sorting process. We talked about Insertion sort and why we chose it as our intermediate algorithm instead of other algorithms. Then the worst, average and best-case complexities of Bucket sort were analyzed. We drew a comparison and a relationship of Bucket sort with other sorting algorithms like counting, merge, and quick sort. Lastly, we covered some common applications of Bucket Sort. Overall, Bucket Sort is an important concept to understand when it comes to algorithms especially if you need to sort a list that is huge to fit into memory.
