Getting a Job

2.1. Getting a Job#

Securing a professional position is a two-step process: first, leveraging your resume and network to obtain an interview; and second, demonstrating your competency during that interview.

A resume serves as a claim of your skills and knowledge. However, one of the primary objective of the technical interview is to verify that you possess the expertise listed on your resume.

The interview environment typically does not allow for external aids such as AI, internet searches, or peer collaboration. You are expected to solve problems in real-time based on your personal understanding.

During a technical assessment, it is not uncommon to experience the following:

  • You may be asked to work through a complex problem on a whiteboard. This is designed to observe your logic, communication skills, and technical approach under pressure.

  • Interviewers may intentionally present a problem that is difficult to solve fully. Their goal is to evaluate your willingness to engage, your ability to think critically, and how you navigate a difficult technical conversation.

  • In the current landscape, you may be asked to clarify the extent to which AI was used in your portfolio or GitHub projects. It is important to remember that experienced engineers can often distinguish between original and generated code.

Ultimately, while academic performance provides a foundation, your professional value is defined by what you can actually do. The interview process is designed to highlight your genuine capabilities; as a result, an authentic and deep understanding of the material is your most significant asset.

2.1.1. Practice Works#

How you do in the interview will depend on your preparation up to that point. Let’s be honest, lots of students can pass a class without learning much. My advice to you is to engage with the material, think hard about how things work, and understand the value in this motto: “Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by hiting back” (Piet Hein). You should understand that if you “just want to get it done,” you are not preparing for that interview.

When we have group activities in class, this is a time for you to practice your teamwork. In the interview process, the interviewers are asking themselves, “Can I work with this person?”

In summary, you must be able to defend your resume and you must be able to work with others (be engaged).

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