Preparing for Job Interviews

What the heck are studios even looking for when hiring? 4 years ago, I was wondering that same thing as I was trying to get my first step into the industry. And recently, I got to answer that question for myself as I was given the opportunity to think about what kind of person I wanted to help me with Combat Design on Dead as Disco. Here are the things I determined were desirable qualities from candidates: 1. Subject Matter Expertise - Dead as Disco is a musical melee action game. I need to see that you understand what makes a melee action game fun to play and what the current standards for them are. Fundamentals in music theory are nice to have but you're not a composer, and music nerds are not the target audience. 2. Independence and Initiative - I don't want to hold your hand. I am hiring a Designer, not an Escort. You should be able to tell me what you think would make this game better, and why (<- very important). You understand the costs and the trade-offs for your decisions, and are able to coordinate with the right people to execute on them. 3. Communication - Design requires coordination between many disciplines at once, and it is crucial that you can effectively communicate a shared vision amongst them. Doesn't matter how, just that it is effective. 4. Skill and Experience - I don't care how many years of industry experience or whatever title you have. I do care that you know what you're doing and that you've done some of it before. That could mean building your own banger of a personal project, or it could mean impactful contribution for a studio. 5. Personality - You'll be part of a team. If you suck to be around and diminish the morale of the team, it's a no from me dawg. This was a hire for a specific role for a specific project for a specific person, so don't expect this to be applicable everywhere. But hopefully it gives you a glimpse into a few of the decisions that go into making a hire. Good luck out there.

Hard Skills Get You in the Room. Stories Get You the Offer. You have the experience. You tick the boxes. You’re making it to interviews - but not past them. It’s not because you lack skills. It’s because hiring decisions are made on clarity, not just competence. In interviews, employers assume you can do the job. What they’re evaluating is how you think - and whether you can make your value obvious. Most candidates default to this: ❌ “I improved efficiency across teams.” ❌ “I led a system upgrade.” ❌ “I managed a team of 6.” That’s a task list - not a story. What works better: ✅ “Our ops team was wasting hours on duplicate tasks. I streamlined workflows across 3 departments, cutting reporting time by 10+ hours per week.” ✅ “Legacy systems were slowing down order fulfillment. I led a migration to SAP that reduced stock errors by 40% in 6 months.” ✅ “I managed 6 team members” → “I coached a cross-functional team of 6, helping two junior staff step into lead roles — and increased delivery speed by 20%.” Effective interview answers: 🔹 Set the scene 🔹 Show your thinking 🔹 End with impact If your stories don’t show how you solve real business problems, the interviewer has to guess. And guessing doesn’t lead to offers. 📌 Want more examples of how to turn your experience into impact? Follow me for practical interview and career advice that actually works.

I've interviewed 100s of job seekers in the last 4 years. What truly sets a successful candidate apart? It's not experience. It's interview preparation. 🔖 Save my ultimate cheat sheet to crush your next interview. And here are 6 more practical tips: 1. Prepare for the "Salary Question" • When asked about salary expectations, flip it around: "I'm excited about the role and would love to hear the range you've budgeted for this position." • If pressed, give a researched range: "Based on market research, roles like this typically range from $X to $Y. Is that within your budget?" 2. Tackle the "Why Should We Hire You?" Question • Use the PAR formula: Problem, Action, Result • "Your job description mentions [specific challenge]. In my previous role, I [action you took] which resulted in [quantifiable outcome]. I'm excited to bring that same problem-solving approach to your team." 3. Handle "Tell Me About a Time You Failed" • Choose a real failure, but focus on the growth • "In my last role, I missed a critical deadline because I underestimated the project scope. Here's what I learned and how I've prevented it from happening again..." 4. Prep Powerful Questions to Ask the Interviewer: • "What would success look like in this role in 6 months?" • "How does this position contribute to the company's long-term goals?" • "Can you tell me about a challenge the team is facing and how this role might help address it?" 5. Avoid the "Where Do You Want to Be in 5 Years" Trap • Align your answer with company growth: "I'm excited about [company's future plans]. In 5 years, I hope to have contributed significantly to those goals by [specific relevant examples]." 6. Win the "Tell Me About a Conflict" Question • Use SEAL: Situation, Effect, Action, Learning • Focus on resolution and positive outcomes 💡 Also remember to: • End strong: "Is there anything about my background or qualifications you need clarification on?" • Send a thank-you email within 24 hours, referencing specific discussion points Your preparation: ✅ Shows respect for the interviewer's time ✅ Demonstrates your genuine interest in the role Be confident. Be authentic. Be prepared. Your dream job is within reach. Go get it 💪! ♻️ Find this valuable? Repost for your network. 📌 Follow Amy Gibson for practical leadership tips.

I've ran 50+ graduate interviews / assessment centres. The difference between those who get offers vs rejections is clear... Most candidates blend together: - Their answers sound the same - They list responsibilities and tasks - They lack enthusiasm They don't stand out (or score highly). Those who get hired tell great stories. Only 2% of applicants make it to interview stage. And you'll compete against 5 - 10 other candidates with similar qualifications. You need to be memorable. Storytelling is your hidden advantage. Last week, Ximena in our cohort secured a job offer and final stage interview for top companies in healthcare and AI. And negotiated a 20% increase in salary from the offer. She used to get rejected constantly.  But we worked on her storytelling approach. The framework that changed everything: 1️⃣ Build Your Story Collection ↳ Prepare 5-7 real experiences that showcase different skills. ↳ Match each story to common interview questions. ↳ Keep them under 90 seconds each. 2️⃣ Structure For Impact ↳ Situation: Brief context (10 seconds max). ↳ Task/Challenge: What made it difficult? ↳ Action: What YOU specifically did. Detailed. Use keywords. ↳ Results: Quantify your impact. ↳ Learning: What it taught you (this is to keep in the back pocket). 3️⃣ Make It Impossible To Forget ↳ Use specific numbers and details. ↳ Name the exact tools or methods you used. ↳ Include one unexpected element that makes you memorable. 4️⃣ Practice Until It Feels Natural ↳ Record yourself telling each story. ↳ Cut anything that doesn't add value. ↳ Practice with different phrasing until it flows. Generic answers don't work. Stories create connections. Connections = Job Offers. In our UK graduate mentoring program, storytelling techniques have helped hundreds of students land their dream jobs. Even when competing against candidates with better grades or more experience. Your CV gets you to the interview. Your stories get you the job. Are you a UK student or graduate struggling with interviews? ⬇️ Comment "STORY" below for access to my free Job Search Masterclass. ♻️ Repost to help job seekers in your network 👋 Follow Dan Mian for more career tips

I got placed at Microsoft. From a Tier-3 college. No connections. No campus drive. No IIT/NIT tag. Just consistency, late nights, and a strong belief that “maybe I can.” Let me share how you can do it too: 1. Accept the Reality – Then Break It No big names visit our campus. But skills > college tag. Once I accepted this, I stopped complaining and started preparing. 2. DSA is Your Best Friend Pick a language (C++/Java/Python) and go all in. Solve problems on LeetCode, GFG, or wherever you’re comfortable. Consistency > Speed. 3. Build Projects that Speak for You Projects are your real resume. Build something useful. Host it. Document it. These helped me stand out during shortlisting. 4. Make Your Resume Count Keep it one page. Add only what matters. Good projects + decent DSA stats + relevant skills = shortlist ready. 5. Apply Everywhere. Literally. Off-campus is tough. But possible. LinkedIn, company sites, career pages, hackathons – leave no stone unturned. I applied to 100+ places. Microsoft was just 1 of them. 6. Prepare Smart for Interviews Mock interviews helped me a lot. I practiced calm communication, explained my thinking, and always asked questions. Basics of OS, DBMS, OOPs – revise them. 7. Rejections Will Come. Let Them. I got rejected in final rounds. Ghosted after interviews. Ignored by HRs. But I didn’t stop. One YES cancels out all the NOs. Microsoft was that one YES. To every Tier-3 college student reading this: You don’t need a tag. You need a roadmap. You don’t need luck. You need effort. If I can do it — you can too. Let’s break the bias. Let’s build our own path. For tech content: https://lnkd.in/gdAPeuCj #Microsoft #PlacementJourney #Tier3College #OffCampusPlacement #DSA #CareerTips #StudentMotivation

My Framework to Explain the Data Project in Interviews Usually, candidates explain their projects in the wrong order. They talk about dashboards… tools… visuals… and forget the story behind the project. Interviewers don’t want the tools. They want your thinking. Here’s the simple 5-step framework I use 👇 1️⃣ Context Set the background. What was the situation? Who was the stakeholder? What was happening in the business? Example: “Sales team wanted to know why monthly revenue was dropping.” 2️⃣ Problem What was the exact question you were solving? Make it one line. Example: “Identify which regions, categories, and products caused the decline.” 3️⃣ Approach Explain HOW you solved it. Mention tools, logic, and decisions — but keep it simple. Example: Cleaned + joined 3 data sources Used SQL for analysis Built Power BI visuals Applied segmentation to compare YoY trends 4️⃣ Insights What did you discover? This is the core of your value. Example: “Found that 80% of the decline came from 2 regions due to delayed deliveries.” 5️⃣ Impact End with the result. What changed because of your work? Example: “Fixing delivery issues improved monthly revenue by 12% in 6 weeks.” 💡 Bonus Tip Don’t explain your project like a developer. Explain it like a business partner. That’s what gets you selected. P.S. Most freshers explain their projects in random order. This framework helps you sound structured, confident, and business-focused - even with simple projects.

The Interview Q&A Trap: What You Say vs. What They Really Hear Ever wonder why a seemingly perfect interview ends in rejection? The truth lies in the gap between your words and the interviewer's interpretation. Every interview question carries a hidden agenda – here's how to decode and ace them: 🔹 "Tell me about yourself" Rookie Response: A wandering biography starting from college What They Hear: This person can't prioritize information 💡 Winning Approach: "In my current role at Tech Corp, I lead a team that increased revenue 40% through automated solutions. Previously at StartupX, I built the analytics system that became their core product. These experiences align perfectly with your need for a data-driven engineering manager." 🔹 "What would colleagues say about you?" Rookie Response: "I'm a team player who works hard" What They Hear: Generic platitudes, no concrete value 💡 Winning Approach: "My last performance review highlighted how I mentored three junior developers to promotion. My manager specifically noted that my technical guidance helped reduce our bug rate by 60% while keeping team morale high." 🔹 "How do you handle stress and deadlines?" Rookie Response: "I stay late and work harder" What They Hear: Poor time management, potential burnout risk 💡 Winning Approach: "When our biggest client needed an emergency platform migration last month, I broke down the three-week project into daily sprints, delegated effectively, and maintained hourly stakeholder updates. We delivered two days early without team burnout." The Key to Interview Success Remember: Interviewers aren't just evaluating your answers – they're assessing your problem-solving approach, communication style, and strategic thinking. Every response should demonstrate value while addressing their underlying concerns. Master this translation process, and you'll transform from just another candidate to their obvious choice. #CareerGrowth #InterviewSuccess #JobSearchTips

"Trust me, I interview really well..." But possibly not as well as you may think. Gary had missed out on several roles before we started working together. He insisted the problem wasn't his interview. Still, I suggested we walk through the process in detail because I suspected he was drawing a conclusion common among high-performers: 🚨Assuming past performance predicts future results.🚨 Over-confidence is just one of the mistakes I've seen my clients make in the interview process. These are common to high-performers, and here's what to do instead: 1️⃣ Overconfidence ↳ Assuming your track record speaks for itself, and not speaking directly to your qualifications for the job. 💡 The Fix: Prepare stories that paint the picture of your achievements and how they related to this role. 2️⃣ Failure to Notice Red Flags ↳ Overlooking warning signs, especially if you've been with the same employer for years. 💡The Fix: Notice details in the interview. How do you feel? Are you making assumptions based on where you work now? 3️⃣ Failing to do Deep Preparation ↳ Skipping the company and industry research and going with standard interview answers that may be outdated. 💡The Fix: Ensure you are up to date on your industry and master current interview trends (case questions, technical assessments, and behavioral questions). 4️⃣ Offering Generic Answers ↳ Leaving important details out of your answers, assuming people won't understand or aren't interested. 💡The Fix: Give data, define acronyms, and ask if you've provided enough detail. 5️⃣ Lack of Self-Awareness ↳ Avoiding any discussion of mistakes or vulnerability for fear it will make you look bad. 💡The Fix: Go in prepared to discuss challenges you've faced and have examples of a growth mindset. 6️⃣ Relying on Technical Skills ↳ Focusing too much on technical work, at the expense of your work style and collaborative skills. 💡The Fix: Prepare some stories that demonstrate what kind of a colleague you are. 7️⃣Focusing Too Much on Your Own Objectives ↳ Neglecting the interviewer's perspective in favor of your own priorities. 💡The Fix: Don't ask questions about what's in it for you until you've established a good rapport and have moved toward the end of the process. 8️⃣ Counting Too Much on References ↳ Giving your references, who may be "important" people, too much credit for being able to influence a decision. 💡The Fix: Confirm that the reference you've used for years is still a good one. Prepare your references with exactly what you want them to highlight about you. Do you interview high performers? What would you add to the list? Share your thoughts below 👇 ♻️Repost to help others in the interview process 🔔Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for career & job search advice 📌For more tips, tactics and trends on navigating the current job market, subscribe to The Career Rebellion. https://lnkd.in/eEdhDCb3

How do you explain your past projects?   I have always found a consistent pattern of struggle in this question. Most of the struggle is not having a structure to present and as a result, the rambling and long winded answers.   Here is an easy framework that you can use and practice if you want to give an impactful reply that showcases your real skill set:   IPR-CTO Framework:   1. Intro (I): Go top down. First give a brief of the product then the particular project you worked upon. 👋 2. Problem (P): Here you describe the feature requirement or pain point that you worked upon. 🐞 3. Role (R): Here you describe what was YOUR role in this project. e.g. front end or back end or full stack engineer or architect or tech lead or manager. 4. Contribution ( C): Here you describe what was YOUR exact contribution to this project. e.g. I wrote a design document, implemented backend APIs and unit tests using Python and Flask. Here you can ask a clarifying question to the interviewer – let me know if you’d like me to dive deep into any particular area. Also, take a pause here to ask if the interviewer has any question(s).   5. Timeline (T): Here you describe how long the project took to complete. ⏳   6. Outcome (O): Here you describe any small or big wins as a result of the delivery of this project.   In the end, you can also share your learnings from the project, as a matter of fact, I’d encourage you to share your learnings even if not asked.     #interview #softwareengineers #interviewprep #interviewskills #jobs #interviewpreparation #teaching #dataanalyst #dataengineer #datascientist

Here’s a detailed guide to preparing for Google technical internship interviews Recruitment Process 1. Technical Interviews: You'll have two 45-minute technical interviews with a Google engineer. These interviews involve solving coding and algorithmic problems using a virtual whiteboard. 2. Committee Review: After your interviews, an independent committee reviews the feedback to ensure the hiring process is fair. 3. Project Search: If you're a fit, you'll discuss potential projects with engineers. If no suitable project is found, the process may end, but they'll keep you in mind for future opportunities. 4. Offer: If everything goes well, you'll receive an internship offer. Interview Tips 1. Substantiate: Be prepared to prove the skills listed on your resume, such as Java or Python programming. 2. Explain: Talk through your thought process during the interview. Google values understanding how you approach and solve problems. 3. Clarify: Ask questions if you don’t understand the problem or need more information. Google engineers want to see how you engage with and break down problems. 4. Improve: Always think about how to improve your initial solution. Discuss different options and trade-offs. 5. Practice: Write code on paper, a whiteboard, or a coding document to prepare for the interviews. Practice coding in one of the following languages: C, C++, Go, Java, JavaScript, or Python. 6. Ask Questions: At the end of the interview, have some questions prepared about the company or work environment. Technical Preparation Coding - Languages: Google primarily uses C, C++, Go, Java, JavaScript, and Python. Be ready to code in one of these languages. - Tasks: You may be asked to construct/traverse data structures, implement system routines, distill large data sets, or transform data sets. Algorithms - Big-O Analysis: Understand the complexity of algorithms and ways to improve them. - Sorting and Hashing: Know at least one n*log(n) sorting algorithm (like quicksort or merge sort). - Algorithmic Challenges: Practice common problems and understand their solutions. DS - Familiarity: Know about trees, hash tables, stacks, arrays, linked lists, and priority queues. - Implementation: Be able to implement and understand the O() characteristics of these structures. Trees - Types: Understand binary trees, n-ary trees, and trie-trees. - Traversal Algorithms: Know BFS and DFS, and the difference between inorder, postorder, and preorder. Graphs - Representation: Know the three ways to represent graphs: objects and pointers, matrix, and adjacency list. - Traversal: Be familiar with BFS and DFS, their computational complexity, and trade-offs. - Recursion - Operating Systems and Mathematics: Understand basic concepts like processes, threads, concurrency, and basic discrete math. By following this guide and practicing regularly, you'll be well-prepared for your Google technical internship interviews ❤️ Follow Vikram Gaur #google #internship #dsa