Brutally Honest Advice on Cracking Big tech in 10 Mins

Summary

Raj, an AWS Solutions Architect, shares his journey from a fresh immigrant with no connections to landing his dream role at Amazon. Drawing from his experience in conducting over 300 interviews, he reveals the framework for acing tech interviews, emphasizing technical depth, behavioral storytelling, and executive communication. Raj discusses how to go beyond basic answers, demonstrate impact, and tailor communication for different audiences. He stresses the importance of preparation, sharing practical tips on how to stand out in interviews and make a lasting impression through strategic thinking and business-focused communication.

Takeaways

• 😀 Believe in yourself and your abilities, no matter your background or education. Raj started with no connections and a third-tier degree, yet reached the top in AWS.
• 😀 Technical depth is crucial, but you must also provide real-world examples and demonstrate the impact of your work to stand out.
• 😀 For technical questions, go beyond the basics. Provide depth and context by sharing examples from your own experience and the outcomes you achieved.
• 😀 Behavioral questions are about how you approach problems. Highlight your problem-solving skills, leadership, prioritization, and business impact, not just what you did.
• 😀 Use the STAR format to structure your answers for behavioral questions, making your responses clear and impactful.
• 😀 Quantify everything! Whenever possible, include numbers to demonstrate the scale and success of your contributions (e.g., revenue increase, time saved).
• 😀 Focus on the business outcomes in your communication. Tech skills are important, but executives care more about how your work impacts the business.
• 😀 Master the art of executive communication. Speak their language and focus on business goals, not just technical details.
• 😀 Prepare for interviews by studying common questions, writing answers down, and continuously refining your responses with real-world examples.
• 😀 Personal connections and networking are key. Don't just present technical skills—build relationships by demonstrating value and showing how you can contribute to the bigger picture.

Q & A

What is the importance of providing in-depth examples in a technical interview?

In-depth examples show not just theoretical knowledge but also how you've applied that knowledge in real-world situations. This helps you stand out by demonstrating practical problem-solving skills and a deep understanding of the subject matter.

Why is it crucial to go beyond simply answering behavioral questions in an interview?

Behavioral questions assess how you approach complex problems and make decisions. Going beyond just what you did allows you to showcase your thought process, leadership skills, and the impact of your actions on the business, making you a more compelling candidate.

How can you differentiate yourself in technical interview answers?

You can differentiate yourself by including hands-on experience and specific examples from past projects. This not only shows depth but also reveals how you've applied your knowledge to real-world challenges, such as handling scaling issues or optimizing systems in production.

What is the STAR method, and how can it be used in behavioral interviews?

The STAR method stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. It's a structured way of answering behavioral questions by providing context (Situation), explaining what was required (Task), detailing the steps you took (Action), and quantifying the impact (Result). This ensures your answers are complete and demonstrate value.

How do you tailor your communication for non-technical interviewers?

When speaking to non-technical interviewers, focus on the business impact of your work rather than technical details. Use language that highlights outcomes, such as cost savings, performance improvements, or revenue growth, and avoid overwhelming them with technical jargon.

Why is executive communication an important skill in tech interviews?

Executive communication is vital because many decision-makers in tech companies are non-technical. Being able to communicate your technical achievements in terms of business outcomes allows you to connect with these decision-makers and demonstrate how your work can impact the company's bottom line.

What is a common mistake candidates make when answering technical questions?

A common mistake is providing answers that only cover the basics without delving deeper into nuances. Interviewers want to see a deep understanding of the subject, so candidates should explain concepts in detail and highlight how they’ve solved similar challenges in real-world projects.

How can you use behavioral questions to demonstrate leadership?

You can demonstrate leadership by showing how you approached challenges, prioritized tasks, and made decisions that benefited the team or company. For example, highlighting instances where you led initiatives that resulted in significant improvements, such as increased revenue or system scalability.

What are the key elements of a strong behavioral answer?

A strong behavioral answer includes a clear and structured explanation of the situation, what your specific role was, the actions you took to address the challenge, and the quantifiable results of those actions. It should also explain why those actions mattered to the business.

Why is preparing for interviews by documenting project wins important?

Documenting project wins while they are fresh in your memory ensures you have concrete examples ready for your interview. This helps you to quickly and effectively quantify your impact in areas such as time, cost savings, or performance improvements.