... connections to land one
dream job after another.
And that, my dear readers, is how you get a job at the world’s
greatest tech companies.
Life at Infi nite Loop and Microsoft Way
Even their addresses are ... companies
are much more alike than they are different. Software companies are
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How to Prepare...
... get to evaluate them and their company.
These informational interviews are very common across tech
companies, both for external applicants and for internal candidates
wishing to transfer teams.
CH003.indd ... doing so. They showed guts in talking to
me, and I appreciate that. And they get early feedback on how they
can start shaping their career so that, in a y...
... that’ll make your recruiter
salivate.
References
“One time I called a candidate’s reference and she said that the
candidate had been fi red for theft a fact the candidate had not
revealed to ...
weather buoy data and generate XML
for Fusion Chart to visualize data.
■
■
4. These descriptions are
very vague—I can’t
get a good handle on
what exactly he did.
What was...
... candidates hate getting rejected. Moreover,
enthusiastic candidates are more likely to work hard at a job and stay
at the company. Companies look for enthusiasm, and researching
the company, ... guard.
Dealing with Rejection
For each offer a company gives out, a company rejects an average of
5 to 10 candidates. That means that, as a candidate, you can ex...
... in my head. Can I ask for a calculator, or is
there anything else I can do?
~W. P.
Dear W. P,
You probably can’t ask for a calculator, but there are ways
that you can get better at these questions, ... company is a great match for that.
This is also a great time to fl ex all the research you’ve done
about the company.
Here’s a great response for an engineerin...
... list can dramatically increase memory usage.
Algorithms. A recursive algorithm often takes up dramati-
cally more space than an iterative algorithm. Consider, for
example, an algorithm to compute ... expectations as far as time, memory usage, and the
like? What data type is the array supposed to have?
2. What do you need to test for? Make a list of everything
that needs...
... rigid because it’s so visible. When
companies state exactly how many vacation days are awarded for
each year at the company, it’s diffi cult to bend the policy, even for
exceptional candidates.
Some ... important to know what you’re get-
ting yourself into. Discuss with your manager and your
teammates what time they usually arrive at work and leave,
and in what sit...
... 2 years 1 year 1-2 years 2+ years
What: Software engineer at
major company
Software engineer at
start-up
Program manager/director
at (hopefully) same start-up
MBA at top- tier school
What I ... graduate students in your fi eld and talk to them about
what they did before.
3. Extracurriculars. Extracurriculars can be a great way to
set yourself apart and prove that you’...
...
weather buoy data and generate XML
for Fusion Chart to visualize data.
■
■
4. These descriptions are
very vague—I can’t
get a good handle on
what exactly he did.
What was the goal?
What ... reference and she said that the
candidate had been fi red for theft a fact the candidate had not
revealed to me,” recounted Matthew, a serial tech entrepreneur.
“Another ti...
... Résumé
match, it may mean that you didn’t prepare adequately, or it may
mean that you just had bad luck.
In the unfortunate case that a company does not extend you
an offer, the important thing at ... communicate and respond to ques-
tions determines how a company reads such attributes. The eager
candidate can and should prepare for the interview to help...