Ask HN: How do you prepare for interviews?
12 コメント
I work as software engineer.
I usually do the following:
- get a short list of representative people who work for the company i’m applying for. This usually means: a few engineers and a few managers, linkedin profiles (and if available their github/personal websites). I guess this step could be automated, but I wouldn’t pay for it (since it only takes at most 1h, and I never apply to more than 1 or 2 companies at a time)
- I try to read all the company’s social media stuff online (blog posts, tweets, glassdoor, etc.) Depending on the company this is impossible, so again I try to get a representative sample. Again, could be automated, but I wouldn’t pay for it
- Based on my findings above, I prepare the following: a) a couple of stories about what I have built in the past. I have this already prepared but I may modify it slightly to include buzzwords suitable for the company; b) rehearsal of the usual non-tech stuff companies usually ask (like, talking about my leadership abilities and so on)
I don’t rehearse coding exercises (mainly because I don’t spend too much time preparing interviews, so practising leetcode for a couple of hours is rather pointless). If i’m applying to work with a tech stack that’s new to me then that’s different: I spent around 1 week playing around with it. If i’m applying to a job for which I know the tech stack, the whole preparation takes me around 3-4 days (around 5 hours in total, including the points above). So, I try to know as much as possible about the company. The more they have published online the better (it’s very easy to fake you talk the buzzwords they use when they describe their culture, principles, values, etc.)
I usually do the following:
- get a short list of representative people who work for the company i’m applying for. This usually means: a few engineers and a few managers, linkedin profiles (and if available their github/personal websites). I guess this step could be automated, but I wouldn’t pay for it (since it only takes at most 1h, and I never apply to more than 1 or 2 companies at a time)
- I try to read all the company’s social media stuff online (blog posts, tweets, glassdoor, etc.) Depending on the company this is impossible, so again I try to get a representative sample. Again, could be automated, but I wouldn’t pay for it
- Based on my findings above, I prepare the following: a) a couple of stories about what I have built in the past. I have this already prepared but I may modify it slightly to include buzzwords suitable for the company; b) rehearsal of the usual non-tech stuff companies usually ask (like, talking about my leadership abilities and so on)
I don’t rehearse coding exercises (mainly because I don’t spend too much time preparing interviews, so practising leetcode for a couple of hours is rather pointless). If i’m applying to work with a tech stack that’s new to me then that’s different: I spent around 1 week playing around with it. If i’m applying to a job for which I know the tech stack, the whole preparation takes me around 3-4 days (around 5 hours in total, including the points above). So, I try to know as much as possible about the company. The more they have published online the better (it’s very easy to fake you talk the buzzwords they use when they describe their culture, principles, values, etc.)
I let the interviewers to get me prepared. I first interview with the worst employers and record or take notes of the interviews. I'm not afraid of letting them know that I don't know. Then I do my homework and research, try out, and take notes of the solutions. I memorize the notes for the next better employer, rinse and repeat, until I get a job. I've been able to try new careers that way.
Most of the time I do nothing to prepare, except maybe wear a nicer shirt. There are some exceptionally few rare times I do some research on the prospective employer.
I absolutely do not cram some information about a technology which I have not used prior. I just don’t know it and leave it at that.
If you want to be awesome at interviewing then speak with confidence, answer only the questions that were asked, be honest. It’s really that simple, but the actual preparation takes years of reality.
There are three things that comprise high confidence. The first is strong social intelligence. That means listening to people: verbal, vocal, and physical. Take it all in and respond appropriately. Second is actual real world technical experience doing the work asked about. Mastery of a craft results in emotional comfort when discussing interconnection between deep moving parts. Third is strong communication skills, which is a mastery of expression, especially speech. Strong speaking skills allow precise conveyance of a subject’s technical minutiae without pause, stutter, or repetition. It also allows for strong persuasive dialogue.
Good confident interviewers are looking for the fakers: liars, pretenders, and narcissists. These are people, for whatever reason, struggle and fold in the face of brutal honesty. Weak interviewers, people who lack confidence or exhibit low self esteem, are more likely fooled by fakers. The primary goal of a faker is selling their own fragile ego, the amazing snowflake unicorn gift to the world that only exists in their own mind. Converse that to a high confidence person whose goal is some form of product creation, because it’s not about them or their ego but the thing that gets delivered, which they have done multiple times in the past.
You cannot just prep your confidence before an interview. You have years of experience with some collection of skills and talking with people or you don’t. Fakers will try to convince people otherwise, and some people are easily charmed by their foolishness.
I absolutely do not cram some information about a technology which I have not used prior. I just don’t know it and leave it at that.
If you want to be awesome at interviewing then speak with confidence, answer only the questions that were asked, be honest. It’s really that simple, but the actual preparation takes years of reality.
There are three things that comprise high confidence. The first is strong social intelligence. That means listening to people: verbal, vocal, and physical. Take it all in and respond appropriately. Second is actual real world technical experience doing the work asked about. Mastery of a craft results in emotional comfort when discussing interconnection between deep moving parts. Third is strong communication skills, which is a mastery of expression, especially speech. Strong speaking skills allow precise conveyance of a subject’s technical minutiae without pause, stutter, or repetition. It also allows for strong persuasive dialogue.
Good confident interviewers are looking for the fakers: liars, pretenders, and narcissists. These are people, for whatever reason, struggle and fold in the face of brutal honesty. Weak interviewers, people who lack confidence or exhibit low self esteem, are more likely fooled by fakers. The primary goal of a faker is selling their own fragile ego, the amazing snowflake unicorn gift to the world that only exists in their own mind. Converse that to a high confidence person whose goal is some form of product creation, because it’s not about them or their ego but the thing that gets delivered, which they have done multiple times in the past.
You cannot just prep your confidence before an interview. You have years of experience with some collection of skills and talking with people or you don’t. Fakers will try to convince people otherwise, and some people are easily charmed by their foolishness.
so you are basically saying that your past work doesn't matter and only whatever trick question is being asked matters
Your past work is what allows you to answer technical questions better than the next guy. There is no trick.
it is unlikely that you know the answer to every question if what you do is reasonably complex or a large area of tech
I agree with the spirit of what you are saying, but not the details. I absolutely research the company first. Aside from whatever improvement that may bring to the interview, I don't waste time on a company that I wouldn't want to work for. Likewise on any tech they use with which I am not familiar - I read up on it enough to know whether or not I'd want to work with it, and at least get enough sense of it to have a conversation about its overall design and purpose.
That research isn't for them... it is for me. I self-select out of jobs that I'd reject once I learned more about them.
That research isn't for them... it is for me. I self-select out of jobs that I'd reject once I learned more about them.
Interview for the jobs you don't want.
Then, you can build confidence for more high-stakes interviews.
Then, you can build confidence for more high-stakes interviews.
Hah! I do this too. When I find myself back in the market after a long stint of not having interviewed I find it usually takes me 3 jobs I don't want to get warmed up. The next one after that I crush.
Employers don't realize the most sought after candidates will be the ones doing the worst interviews. They are rusty because they rarely enter the market and now is the time to grab them. By the time they reach peak 10/10 they will be gone. Anyone who is a great interview probably has been passed over by many by the point they reach you.
I don't prep significantly - I already did all the reading and exploring before I applied. I already know I want to work there and that I'm comfortable with the tools they use. And I interview really well off the cuff.
My main problem is that I'm not getting interviews at all right now.
My main problem is that I'm not getting interviews at all right now.
Unless someone is fresh out of college, any such tool will probably misguide them.
Interviews are about showing how the candidate is interested in the company and demonstrating how their skills, experience, and personality relate. (Takes many along time to realize this)
This is not the Jeopardy championship. The answers are not found in a book, website, or game.
OP, your effort is laudable, but kindly I suggest focusing your energy elsewhere.
Interviews are about showing how the candidate is interested in the company and demonstrating how their skills, experience, and personality relate. (Takes many along time to realize this)
This is not the Jeopardy championship. The answers are not found in a book, website, or game.
OP, your effort is laudable, but kindly I suggest focusing your energy elsewhere.
Now, I'd like to understand the problems/challenges people face when preparing for interviews, so if you could answer some questions, that would be greatly appreciated!
- What industry are you in (i.e, SWE, product, etc...) and how do you usually prepare for interviews?
- In your last interview prep cycle, what was the biggest challenge you faced when preparing for interviews?
- What tools do you usually use to prepare for interviews (i.e., leetcode, exponent, algoexport)?
- Name one thing you dislike about those tools, and one thing you like about those tools
Thank you in advance!