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Ask HN: How do I prepare for an interview for AMZ/GOOG/APL/FB?

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Ask HN: How do I prepare for an interview for AMZ/GOOG/APL/FB?

#1

Post by creek567 »

Hi there,

I have a CS degree and I've been working as a software dev for about 2 years now for a smaller company doing backend stuff. I want to make the switch and get a job at one of the BIG 4 tech companies (Amazon, Apple, Google or FB).

Before I start applying I want to make sure I'm ready for the technical interview since I've heard the interviews are intense and I need several months to prepare for it. I'm up for the challenge and I want to do it, but I'm not sure where to start.

Where and how should I start getting ready for a technical interview? How much time would I need to be sufficiently prepared for one?

Thanks!

EDIT: Feel free to share links to Github repos, checklists and study plans, they are very helpful too!

Re: Ask HN: How do I prepare for an interview for AMZ/GOOG/APL/FB?

#2

Post by stuffaandthings »

Do a lot of practice problems. There are plenty in the book "Cracking the Coding Interview" Use the tools you'll be expected to use for an interview with one of the top 4 companies (i.e. internet text pad, pen and paper, whiteboard) Do several problems every day and you'll be ready in a few months. Make it your 9-5 and you can be ready in a few weeks.

It's all about practice! Good luck!

Also, if you can get in touch with a recruiter at those companies, they'll give you tons of helpful tips (mostly just how to practice and what to practice)

Re: Ask HN: How do I prepare for an interview for AMZ/GOOG/APL/FB?

#3

Post by zapperdapper »

Try "Cracking the Coding Interview" by Gayle Laakmann McDowell. There's some pretty good coverage of what you might find in an interview. I think what struck me is the author has worked for at least three of the companies you listed, but never seemed to stay at any of them for very long - it makes you wonder if working for the big four is really all it's cracked up to be (pardon the pun)!

Google has also created some interview videos you can pick up on YouTube. They are (obviously) staged, but are quite interesting and informative.

Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: How do I prepare for an interview for AMZ/GOOG/APL/FB?

#4

Post by creek567 »

stuffaandthings wrote: post #2

Do a lot of practice problems. There are plenty in the book "Cracking the Coding Interview" Use the tools you'll be expected to use for an interview with one of the top 4 companies (i.e. internet text pad, pen and paper, whiteboard) Do several problems every day and you'll be ready in a few months. Make it your 9-5 and you can be ready in a few weeks. It's all about practice! Good luck! Also, if you can get in touch…

Thanks! I was contacted by a recruiter couple years ago and they sent me the practice list, but it seemed super generic and intimidating so I never replied back.

I've heard really good things about CTCI so I'll pick that up. Having a Github checklist and a study plan would be super useful (I'm sure there's other people asking this question). I wonder if something like this exists already?

Re: Ask HN: How do I prepare for an interview for AMZ/GOOG/APL/FB?

#7

Post by B4TMAN »

creek567 wrote: post #4
stuffaandthings wrote: post #2

Do a lot of practice problems. There are plenty in the book "Cracking the Coding Interview" Use the tools you'll be expected to use for an interview with one of the top 4 companies (i.e. internet text pad, pen and paper, whiteboard) Do several problems every day and you'll be ready in a few months. Make it your 9-5 and you can be ready in a few weeks. It's all about practice! Good luck! Also, if you can get in touch…

Thanks! I was contacted by a recruiter couple years ago and they sent me the practice list, but it seemed super generic and intimidating so I never replied back. I've heard really good things about CTCI so I'll pick that up. Having a Github checklist and a study plan would be super useful (I'm sure there's other people asking this question). I wonder if something like this exists already?

I would love to see the practice list.

Re: Ask HN: How do I prepare for an interview for AMZ/GOOG/APL/FB?

#8

Post by khalilch2 »

creek567 wrote: post #4
stuffaandthings wrote: post #2

Do a lot of practice problems. There are plenty in the book "Cracking the Coding Interview" Use the tools you'll be expected to use for an interview with one of the top 4 companies (i.e. internet text pad, pen and paper, whiteboard) Do several problems every day and you'll be ready in a few months. Make it your 9-5 and you can be ready in a few weeks. It's all about practice! Good luck! Also, if you can get in touch…

Thanks! I was contacted by a recruiter couple years ago and they sent me the practice list, but it seemed super generic and intimidating so I never replied back. I've heard really good things about CTCI so I'll pick that up. Having a Github checklist and a study plan would be super useful (I'm sure there's other people asking this question). I wonder if something like this exists already?

https://github.com/jwasham/coding-interview-university is what you're looking for

Re: Ask HN: How do I prepare for an interview for AMZ/GOOG/APL/FB?

#10

Post by creek567 »

expertentipp wrote: post #9

We need university curriculum for these. BSc/MSc in Technical Interviewing and all doors are open!

To be honest this should be a required course for most CS programs!

Way more useful than other theoretical classes that were required but only probably needed in grad school.

Software engineers (myself included) have this deep resentment for technical interviews, but they are part of a software developer life and the more comfortable we get doing them, the better off we are in long term!

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