@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Here is a suggested schedule for revising and practicing algorithm questions on
When practicing, you are advise to treat it like a real coding interview and check through thoroughly before submitting. Consider even manually coming up with some tests cases and running through them to verify correctness!
## Week 1
## Week 1 - Sequences
In week 1, we will start off easy and do a mix of easy and medium questions on arrays and strings. Arrays and strings are the most common types of questions to be found in interviews; gaining familiarity with them will help in building strong fundamentals to better handle tougher questions.
@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ In week 1, we will start off easy and do a mix of easy and medium questions on a
- [Search in Rotated Sorted Array](https://leetcode.com/problems/search-in-rotated-sorted-array/)
## Week 2
## Week 2 - Data Structures
The focus of week 2 is on Linked List, string and matrix-based questions. The goal is to learn the common routines dealing with linked lists, traversing matrices and sequence analysis (arrays/strings) techniques such as sliding window.
@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ The focus of week 2 is on Linked List, string and matrix-based questions. The go
- [Pacific Atlantic Water Flow](https://leetcode.com/problems/pacific-atlantic-water-flow/)
- [Merge K Sorted Lists](https://leetcode.com/problems/merge-k-sorted-lists/)
## Week 3
## Week 3 - Non-Linear Data Structures
The focus of week 3 is on non-linear data structures like trees, graphs and heaps. You should be familiar with the various tree traversal (in-order, pre-order, post-order) algorithms and graph traversal algorithms such as breadth-first search and depth-first search. In my experience, using more advanced graph algorithms (Dijkstra's and Floyd-Warshall) is quite rare and usually not necessary.
@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ The focus of week 3 is on non-linear data structures like trees, graphs and heap
- [Binary Tree Level Order Traversal](https://leetcode.com/problems/binary-tree-level-order-traversal/)
- [Encode and Decode Strings (Leetcode Premium)](https://leetcode.com/problems/encode-and-decode-strings/)
## Week 4
## Week 4 - More Data Structures
Week 4 builds up on knowledge from previous weeks but questions are of increased difficulty. Expect to see such level of questions during interviews. You get to get more practice on advanced data structures such as heaps and tries.
@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ Week 4 builds up on knowledge from previous weeks but questions are of increased
- [Graph Valid Tree (Leetcode Premium)](https://leetcode.com/problems/graph-valid-tree/)
- [Number of Connected Components in an Undirected Graph (Leetcode Premium)](https://leetcode.com/problems/number-of-connected-components-in-an-undirected-graph/)
## Week 5
## Week 5 - Dynamic Programming
Week 5 focuses on Dynamic Programming (DP) questions. Personally as an interviewer, I'm not a fan of DP questions as they are not really applicable to practical scenarios. However, companies like Google still ask DP questions and if you joining Google is your dream, DP is unavoidable.
This is a straight-to-the-point, distilled list of technical interview Do's and Don'ts, mainly for algorithmic interviews. Some of these may apply to only phone screens or whiteboard interviews, but most will apply to both. I revise this list before each of my interviews to remind myself of them and eventually internalized all of them to the point I do not have to rely on it anymore.
## The Process
#### Legend
- ✅ = Do
- ❌ = Don't
- ⚠️ = Situational
### 1. Before Interview
### Before interview
| | Things |
| --- | --- |
@ -29,7 +27,7 @@ This is a straight-to-the-point, distilled list of technical interview Do's and
| ✅ | Stay calm and composed. |
| ⚠️ | Turn off the webcam if possible. Most remote interviews will not require video chat and leaving it on only serves as a distraction. |
### 2. Introduction
### Introduction
| | Things |
| --- | --- |
@ -38,7 +36,7 @@ This is a straight-to-the-point, distilled list of technical interview Do's and
| ✅ | Sound enthusiastic! Speak with a smile and you will naturally sound more engaging. |
| ❌ | Spend too long introducing yourself. The more time you spend talking the less time you have to code. |
### 3. Upon Getting the Question
### Upon receiving the question
| | Things |
| --- | --- |
@ -55,7 +53,7 @@ This is a straight-to-the-point, distilled list of technical interview Do's and
| ❌ | Start coding without interviewer's green light. |
| ❌ | Appear too unsure about your approach or analysis. |
### 4. During Coding
### During coding
| | Things |
| --- | --- |
@ -78,7 +76,7 @@ This is a straight-to-the-point, distilled list of technical interview Do's and
| ❌ | Interrupt your interviewer when they are talking. Usually if they speak, they are trying to give you hints or steer you in the right direction. |
| ❌ | Write too big (takes up too much space) or too small (illegible) if on a whiteboard. |
### 5. After Coding
### After coding
| | Things |
| --- | --- |
@ -92,7 +90,7 @@ This is a straight-to-the-point, distilled list of technical interview Do's and
| ❌ | Immediately announce that you are done coding. Do the above first! |
| ❌ | Argue with the interviewer. They may be wrong but that is very unlikely given that they are familiar with the question. |
### 6. Wrap Up
### Wrap up
| | Things |
| --- | --- |
@ -101,7 +99,7 @@ This is a straight-to-the-point, distilled list of technical interview Do's and
| ⚠️ | Ask about your interview performance. It can get awkward. |
| ❌ | End the interview without asking any questions. |
Phone interview are the most common format and every candidate will face this at least once while interviewing. You will be asked to speak with an interviewer either over a phone call or VoIP (Skype/Hangout). A question will be given to you and you will work on that question using an online collaborative editor (CoderPad/CodePen/Google Docs).
You are usually not allowed to execute the code even if the editor supports execution. So don't rely on that for verifying the correctness of your solution.
You are usually not allowed to execute the code even if the editor supports execution. So don't rely on that for verifying the correctness of your solution. Formats would differ slightly depending on the roles you are applying to. Many companies like to use [CoderPad](https://coderpad.io/) for collaborative code editing. CoderPad supports running of the program, so you is possible that you are asked to fix your code such that it can be run. For front end interviews, many companies like to use [CodePen](https://codepen.io/), and it will be worth your time to familiarize yourself with the user interfaces of such web-based coding environments.
### Onsite
@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ If you have made it to this stage, congratulations! This is usually the final st
The onsite stage usually consists of multiple rounds (coding, system design, behavioral) and is expected to last for a few hours. Since you are onsite, it is possible that you will be asked to do a whiteboard exercise with an interviewer, usually either solving an algorithm question or doing a system design question. It ia also possible that you have to bring you own laptops and work on a project/solve a coding problem on the spot.
For onsite interviews at smaller (non-public) companies, most will allow (and prefer) that you use your own laptop. Hence it is important that you prepare your development environment in advance.
If the company provides lunch, you might also have a lunch session with an employee where you can find out more about the company culture.
The following interview formats are based on my experience interviewing with Bay Area companies. Formats would differ slightly depending on the roles you are applying to. Many companies like to use [CoderPad](https://coderpad.io/) for collaborative code editing. CoderPad supports running of the program, so you might be asked to fix your code such that it can be run. For front end interviews, many companies like to use [CodePen](https://codepen.io/), and it will be worth your time to familiarize yourself with the user interfaces of such web-based coding environments.
For on-site interviews at smaller (non-public) companies, most will allow (and prefer) that you use your own laptop. Hence it is important that you prepare your development environment in advance.
Interviewing is a skill that you can get better at. The steps mentioned above can be rehearsed over and over again until you have fully internalized them and following those steps become second nature to you. A good way to practice is to find a friend to partner with and the both of you can take turns to interview each other.
A great resource for practicing mock coding interviews would be [interviewing.io](https://iio.sh/r/DMCa). interviewing.io provides free, anonymous practice technical interviews with Google and Facebook engineers, which can lead to real jobs and internships. By virtue of being anonymous during the interview, the inclusive interview process is de-biased and low risk. At the end of the interview, both interviewer and interviewees can provide feedback to each other for the purpose of improvement. Doing well in your mock interviews will unlock the jobs page and allow candidates to book interviews (also anonymously) with top companies like Uber, Lyft, Quora, Asana and more. For those who are totally new to technical interviews, you can even view a [demo interview](https://start.interviewing.io/interview/9hV9r4HEONf9/replay) on the site (requires sign in). Read more about them [here](https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/27/interviewing-io-hopes-to-close-the-engineer-diversity-gap-with-anonymous-interviews/).
A great resource for practicing mock coding interviews would be [interviewing.io](https://iio.sh/r/DMCa). interviewing.io provides free, anonymous practice technical interviews with Google and Facebook engineers, which can lead to real jobs and internships. By virtue of being anonymous during the interview, the inclusive interview process is de-biased and low risk. At the end of the interview, both interviewer and interviewees can provide feedback to each other for the purpose of improvement. Doing well in your mock interviews will unlock the jobs page and allow candidates to book interviews (also anonymously) with top companies like Uber, Lyft, Quora, Asana and more. For those who are totally new to technical interviews, you can even view [recorded interviews](https://interviewing.io/recordings) and see how phone interviews are like. Read more about them [here](https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/27/interviewing-io-hopes-to-close-the-engineer-diversity-gap-with-anonymous-interviews/).
I have used interviewing.io both as an interviewer and an interviewee and found the experience to be really great! [Aline Lerner](https://twitter.com/alinelernerLLC), the CEO and co-founder of interviewing.io and her team are passionate about revolutionizing the technical interview process and helping candidates to improve their skills at interviewing. She has also published a number of technical interview-related articles on the [interviewing.io blog](http://blog.interviewing.io/). interviewing.io is still in beta now but I recommend signing up as early as possible to increase the likelihood of getting an invite.
@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ When hiring fresh grads, I know that many of them will not have as much experien
Now that you are aware of how recruiters screen your resume, here are 10 actionable ways you can do to improve your resume.
### 1. Cover letter
### Cover letter
I've often received resumes with no cover letters, and I am perfectly fine with it. If you ask me, it is better to have no cover letter than to have a bad cover letter, especially if your cover letter is a "templated" content. An effective cover letter needs to highlight the fit between the job requirements and your skills/experiences. Do not just tell me what you have done in your cover letter; Tell me how it is a fit for what I am looking for.
@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ Some small nitpicks:
- Make sure that the cover letter is addressed to the right person (either the name of the recruiter if it is known, or to a generic hiring manager) and company.
- Run a spell check.
### 2. Length of resume
### Length of resume
Your resume should be kept to 1 page or a MAXIMUM of 2 pages. Include only your most recent and relevant experiences.
@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ Information nobody needs to know:
Ideally, keep it short, concise, but as detailed as possible.
### 3. GPA does matter
### GPA does matter
Everyone wants the cream of the crop. In the absence of a standardized test, GPA serves as that indicator. **While GPA may not necessarily be a good indication of how well you can code, a high GPA would definitely put you in a more favorable position to the recruiter.**
@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ In a different scenario, some students have low GPA, but it might be due to some
Also, when you list your GPA/results, try to benchmark it. Instead of simply listing 4.6, write 4.6/5.0 (First Class Honors or Summa Cum Laude). To the recruiter, 4.6 does not mean anything if he/she is not familiar with your grading system.
### 4. Be clear about your objectives
### Be clear about your objectives
Are you looking for a summer internship/full-time employment? What position are you applying for? Read the job description and know the job you are applying for!
@ -94,18 +94,18 @@ Are you looking for a summer internship/full-time employment? What position are
- Make sure the description is comprehensive. Avoid writing "Software engineering intern - write code". You are better off not writing anything.
- Based on my experience, most fresh grads do not have extremely relevant job experience (unless you are lucky to have scored a really rewarding internship). For developer positions, I think it is ok to not have any job experience and just list projects.
### 5. Reverse chronological order
### Reverse chronological order
Always list your resume in reverse chronological order - the most recent at the top. Recruiters are more interested in what you have worked on recently than what you worked on 3 years ago. Chances are, you probably forgot the details too anyway.
### 6. Make sure you are contactable
### Make sure you are contactable
- Get a proper email account with ideally your first name and last name, eg. "john.doe@gmail.com" instead of "angrybirds88@gmail.com".
- If you are using your school's .edu email, try to have an alias like "john.doe@xxx.edu" instead of "a002342342@xxx.edu".
- Avoid emails like "me@christi.na" or "admin@[mycooldomain].com" -- because it is very prone to typo errors.
- Make sure the number you have listed is the best way to reach you. The last thing you want is to miss the call from the recruiter because you typed the wrong number, or you are not available on that number during office hours (most probably the times the recruiter will call).
### 7. Layout/Formatting/Design
### Layout/Formatting/Design
- Be consistent about the way you format your resume. Italics, underline, bold, and how they are used.
- Keep to a single standard font (avoid fancy fonts like Comic Sans or whatever) and do not have too many varying styles/font sizes/color
@ -119,19 +119,19 @@ Always list your resume in reverse chronological order - the most recent at the
- It's important to note the layout of your resume. If you choose to quickly upload your resume via an auto-fill program, understand that the program will read your resume from top to bottom, left to right. This is good to keep in mind when developing the layout of your resume.
- Try to keep white space down to a minimum. This will also help reduce the length of your resume to one page. Reduce margins and paddings reasonably.
### 8. Listing your skills
### Listing your skills
It is useful to list your relevant skills in a quick summary section for easy reading/matching. However, many people make the mistake of listing as many skills/programming languages in the resume as possible. This may get you through the ATS scoring, but it definitely would not leave a good impression on the recruiter - the actual human reading your resume and deciding whether to call you up for an interview!
Ideally, if your resume is good enough, the recruiter should already know what you are proficient in. The skills section is just a quick summary/reiteration. **Listing a bunch of technologies you claim you know without actually showing how you have worked with them is pointless.**
### 9. Projects
### Projects
- Ideally, 1-2 lines about the project, 2-3 lines about your role, what technologies you used, what you did, your learning, etc etc. These can be Final Year Projects, Research projects, projects for a particular class, freelance projects, or just personal projects (ie. GitHub stuff).
- Ideally, 2 to 3 projects that align with your interests/position you are applying for.
- Avoid using titles such as "Project for [module code]". Sorry, the recruiter has no idea what class is represented by the module code. Ideally, you want the project section to demonstrate your personality and skills, and be the talking point during the interview.
### 10. Online profile/other interests
### Online profile/other interests
Here's the news - Recruiters do search for your name! Definitely pre-empt that by Googling/Facebook-ing/searching yourself on all forms of social media to see what turns up. Make sure your privacy settings are restricted so your online profile shows only the image you are trying to project.
@ -7,20 +7,27 @@ You can rephrase the question like this:
"Tell me about your journey into tech. How did you get interested in coding, and why was web development a good fit for you? How is that applicable to our **\_** role or company goals?"
### The Elevator Pitch
## The Elevator Pitch
The Elevator Pitch is an indispensable tool for you as you move forward in your career. An Elevator Pitch is just that -- you pitch yourself to an executive that you want to impress and only have a short elevator ride to do so. Whether you're at a job fair with hundreds of other candidates and you have limited time or you are simply explaining who you are to a potential connection or client, it is important to be able to clearly and accurately describe your knowledge and skillset quickly and succinctly. Here are some tips to develop a good Elevator Pitch:
- Sell yourself
- The whole point of this is to get you a job or make a connection that benefits your career.
- Tell them who you are, who you work for (or school and major), and what you do.
- KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
- Tell them some highlights from your favorite / most impressive projects.
- Do not delve into the depths of how you reverse engineered a game and decrypted a packet to predict when to use your DKP on a drop. Tell them the executive summary: "I reverse engineered X game by decrypting Y packet to predict Z." If this catches their interest, they _will_ ask further questions on their own.
- Why do _they_ want _you_?
- This is where you use your knowledge of the company, knowledge of their technology stack(s), your unique talent that they want, etc. in order to solidify your ability to contribute to their company.
- PRACTICE!
- Lastly, you must practice your pitch! Having a great, succinct summary of your skills only helps if you can actually deliver it rapidly! You should practice keeping a quick but easy-to-follow pace that won't overwhelm them but won't bore them. It's a precarious balance, but can be ironed out with practice.
### Sell yourself
- The whole point of this is to get you a job or make a connection that benefits your career.
- Tell them who you are, who you work for (or school and major), and what you do.
### KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
- Tell them some highlights from your favorite / most impressive projects.
- Do not delve into the depths of how you reverse engineered a game and decrypted a packet to predict when to use your DKP on a drop. Tell them the executive summary: "I reverse engineered X game by decrypting Y packet to predict Z." If this catches their interest, they _will_ ask further questions on their own.
### Why do _they_ want _you_?
- This is where you use your knowledge of the company, knowledge of their technology stack(s), your unique talent that they want, etc. in order to solidify your ability to contribute to their company.
### Practice!
- Lastly, you must practice your pitch! Having a great, succinct summary of your skills only helps if you can actually deliver it rapidly! You should practice keeping a quick but easy-to-follow pace that won't overwhelm them but won't bore them. It's a precarious balance, but can be ironed out with practice.
Having an Elevator Pitch on hand is a great way to create a network and happen upon new job opportunities. There will often be times when you can't prepare for an interview or meeting, and it is incredibly handy to have a practiced pitch.
Yangshun Tay
5 years ago