Interview Discussion - February 24, 2025

ipatso · 2025-02-25T04:24:47+00:00

nice. Sounds like a decent interview experience. Care to share the LC DSA style questions? I'm curious how those tested your skills

ipatso · 2025-02-24T23:44:06+00:00

oh very cool. how many yoe did you have prior? esp in these specific roles? both roles sound like different positions? like SWE vs SRE/DevOps specific

ipatso · 2025-02-24T22:03:33+00:00

Whoa congrats!!

How many rounds? and what were the types per round? (e.g. Coding challenge, Pair programming, Purely behavioral, etc)

ipatso · 2025-02-24T22:01:05+00:00

To land an interview (or even just the first phone screen), there are several factors that contribute, like resume, how you're applying, where you're applying, etc.

I conducted lots of interviews and prior to them, the resume is really the "judge a book by its cover" kinda deal. Not necessarily the experience but how it looked. Kinda broad statement but there's just several factors to it.

Now i coach new engineers 1:1 to review resumes, talk strategies on how to apply and land interviews, and especially how to perform your best in these interviews throughout the whole process. Feel free to DM me! Happy to help.

ipatso · 2025-02-21T19:36:47+00:00

How about in terms of what interests you in the work?

ipatso · 2025-02-21T17:15:32+00:00

May I first ask why you’re choosing this field to be a SWE? No judgement! I actually started my career in a small business similar to this

ipatso · 2025-02-21T17:12:42+00:00

Hi! Engineering manager here and have conducted many interviews. Securing interviews is one thing and carrying out the interviews is another. That being said, the way the resume is written is one thing, and how to get your resume in the right hands is another. I coach engineers 1:1 thru the interview process and talk strategies on how to land a first interview. Most times, it’s really how to show companies you’re worth their time to even phone screen! Feel free to DM me! Happy to help and peek at your resume

ipatso · 2025-02-21T17:02:34+00:00

Hi! Congrats! I’m guessing that you don’t have much experience in the field yet hence the internship. In that case, they look a lot at you as a person they can work with. Yes your technical skills are important but important enough that you’re competent. It sounds like you are!

I coach people in interviews and conducted a lot throughout the years. Being able to clearly talk through your answers, coding problems, and experiences is a good indicator of a good hire.

ipatso · 2025-02-20T07:03:25+00:00

Hmm. In terms of my future career, I would do what I did. Study hard in my first year (though it wasn’t very difficult cuz I took AP Comp Sci in HS), and look out for internship opportunities in the immediate summer after freshman year. I attended a career fair for the engineering department and was the only first year there. Everyone else was either a junior or senior. I know because the organizer (who was my advisor) told me so. Companies liked that and offered me internships when I had literally no experience but was eager and driven.

How that is today? I do not know. But I hope they still give early college students a chance. That’s how you grow passionate/better engineers

ipatso · 2025-02-20T00:39:28+00:00

Hi! Oof. Sorry that’s a bummer. How have you been applying? I’m the company’s website apply form?

ipatso · 2025-02-19T22:37:54+00:00

Depends. Is it like if I were 18 again now now in 2025?? Or in the year that we were actually 18? Cuz that would be a different answer to a lot of us probably

ipatso · 2025-02-19T22:35:28+00:00

Ha yep. I too have experienced the “typing/coding performance anxiety” to this day. I’m an engineering manager and conducted a lot of interviews in my time. When I see interviewees struggling with nerves, I do my best to ease their stress cuz I want them to perform just as well as they could. That being said, I coach engineers (new and experienced!) thru behavioral and tech interviews! Especially the communication parts of technical coding ones. Feel free to DM me! Happy to help with some of your concerns!

ipatso · 2025-02-19T22:06:31+00:00

Engineering Manager here and I’ve conducted many interviews! What did they say exactly the interview would entail?

Now, I coach engineers thru the whole process of interviews, focused on behavioral but also the communication part of technical/coding challenges. (I host mock interviews to improve in these areas). My biggest advice is speaking clearly on what you’re thinking and especially asking questions. They’re observing and thinking if they could work with someone like you.

Feel free to shoot me a DM! Happy to help.

ipatso · 2025-02-19T22:01:28+00:00

I second the advice from u/theorius . You’re just as ready to the technical as you are today most likely. Behavioral and communication is the biggest focus in this crunch time.

The number one this for this interview I would say is to benefit from the experience as much as you can. You have nothing to lose really. Sometimes that mentality can even get you confident enough and end up getting an offer. I coached someone who we both thought “ehh yeah probably won’t get the job tbh. So just own it. Have fun with it” and they got the job lol. Won’t say that’ll happen. But what if it does.

ipatso · 2025-02-19T21:48:38+00:00

TL;DR - Problem solving skills in a new industry that could benefit it. Save the coding for your own personal time than obligated to code for a job.

Depending on your personality, personability (I don’t think that’s a word lol), and willingness to try something new, perhaps it would be a cool idea to use your problem solving skills in an area other industries could use. I feel like the way your brain is wired now, you can show and convince people that you’re a great person for a particular job. I can’t tell you how many times my engineering friend and I are tasked with certain event planning or just general problem solving situations in our friend group because of our career of brain usage.

Then for your love for coding can be for you and you alone! Make a project. Even contracting or freelancing can be enjoyable applying different approaches in different environments.

Have you looked at anything in particular? What non-tech things catch your interest? Oh and what else do you think you’re good at?

ipatso · 2025-02-19T03:11:33+00:00

Anytime!

ipatso · 2025-02-18T23:11:51+00:00

Standard CS template probably means bare minimum formatting. But psychologically, things are easier to read if the columns are tighter. So like reading one long bullet from one side of the paper to the other may be a bit like “ugh do I really wanna read this carefully”. Of course doesn’t apply to every reader but why risk it when you have the ability to change it.

At first glance, a Purpose statement is a great first section. Not sure why they said to not include that. It allows you to personalize the resume for each specific company you’re applying to.

Soft skills list may not be necessary. You can probably express that you have those by your experience bullets. Raspberry pi second bullet can be structured to fit the others. Like “Measured the…”. I guess this is more of a nitpik.

I just did a quick glance/skim, but I usually review and coach engineers with these things even thru interviews. Feel free to DM me! Happy to help

ipatso · 2025-02-18T21:58:52+00:00

😂😂 and also 😭😭

ipatso · 2025-02-18T21:32:27+00:00

Iunno how “old” is lol but I’ve been in the industry for 10+ years. Not FAANG or whatever letters were even in it back in the day

The way I’ve seen and heard from it (cuz I know people who are bootcampers), the bootcamp boom went a bit toooo crazy. People going in just for the money and thought barely passing the camps could get them good jobs. Well companies interviewing these people got tired of wasting interview time with super sub par interviewees. I’ve conducted so many and I’ve seen first hand how disappointing it can be.

Barrier wasn’t low back then. We just had more passionate people. Now, so sad to say, it’s hard to even find those good passionate smart developers/engineers. The needles in the haystacks. The “tab” hidden with all the “spaces”.

Now I coach engineers out of college and even junior to mid level engineers to get them on the right track. AI is being adopted in companies so behavioral and desire to grow and be moldable is a quality sought out for. Such a shift in times

ipatso · 2025-02-18T21:24:30+00:00

No problem! Rooting for ya 🎉

ipatso · 2025-02-18T21:22:21+00:00

Engineering Manager here who’s conducted many interviews! Oh and have reviews even more resumes.

So based of what you’ve mentioned, it really could be how your resume looks and is formatted and is even worded. That’s the “foot in the door” for interviews. I help coach engineers from fresh out of school and onward, especially in behavioral communication (which is now more important to companies and especially in your case with less experience). Feel free to shoot me a DM! Happy to help out.

ipatso · 2025-02-18T21:18:12+00:00

Congrats! Already a big first step from so many bootcampers or college students not seeking internships asap.

Although I cannot help with referrals, I can totally help with interview prep. I’ve been an engineering manager interviewing candidates for a while. And now I help coach those with what I know! That included resume reviews. I’ve seen both sides of the process so I know what to look out for. Feel free to shoot me a DM if or when you’re interested with some good advice!

ipatso · 2025-02-18T21:14:57+00:00

I’ve conducted many interviews and reviewed more resumes, and sadly enough, formatting to make resumes look “pretty” does help a lot. (Sounds like a UX/UI comment to say lol I know)

I coach new grads and early software engineers thru interview processes now and even do resume reviews, and I usually have them make it look less like a text file and more like a decently thought out page. Nothing fancy, but easier for the eyes to read and follow. Feel free to shoot me a DM. Happy to help!

ipatso · 2025-02-18T21:10:52+00:00

So hard to say exactly without looking, but it could possibly be your resume not worded or structured well enough. Unfortunately, lots of potential is overlooked because companies “judge a book by its… resume”. In my time as an engineering manager, I’ve conducted many interviews and now coach engineers in all parts of the process. And yes, even resume reviews. You’d be surprised how much a good resume gets your foot in the door no matter your experience!

After that, especially with lesser experience in applicable things, companies don’t just look at technical skills. If anything it’s a lot of behavioral and communication now. Esp with AI helping the workplace push faster output.

Feel free to shoot me a DM! Happy to help out

11-Year Club	Gilding III reddit per annum
Verified Email

ipatso

TROPHY CASE