Do You Have It in You to Get Into a FAANG Company?

A job at a FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) company is a dream come true for most engineers. Known for their consistency in keeping employees happy with fluid work environments and amazing perks, FAANG companies top the list of the most coveted engineering jobs in the world almost every year. But this also means that it’s extremely difficult to nail a technical interview at these top companies.

Here’s what this article entails: 

1. The Rampage of Resumes
2. The Need for Structured Learning
3. Where to Start For Structured Learning
4. About Interview Kickstart
5. Interview Kickstart training techniques

• 5.1 An Extensive Curriculum
• 5.2 1 x 1 Help from Actual Interviewers
• 5.3 Live Mock Interviews with Actual Hiring Managers
• 5.4 PROFILE BUILDING
• 5.5 SALARY NEGOTIATION

THE RAMPAGE OF RESUMES

If a FAANG company is on your wish list, then you must move strategically. Each of these tech giants receives roughly about 50,000 resumes every week, out of which thousands get rejected in the first round alone. Even if you do get a callback, your chances of getting hired are a minuscule 0.2%. There is also the unwritten three-strike rule you must take into consideration; it’s unlikely that Tier 1 companies will consider your resume after a third attempt.

So, it’s absolutely necessary that you go prepared!

THE NEED FOR STRUCTURED LEARNING

Technical interviews can be extremely tricky—the questions asked may not be related to your current role, problems posed may be too complicated, and you may feel pressed for time while you race against the clock. Most engineers are at a loss when prepping for a tech interview given the vastness of the topics and the fast-paced nature of the technical world. So, how does one prepare to nail a tech interview?

The key is to go about it via a structured path designed for success. Think of it as learning how to swim; you might spend weeks in the swimming pool, trying to stay afloat or you could learn it in a couple of days under an experienced trainer. The result may be the same, but the latter (an organized framework with accountable coaching) tends to produce phenomenally faster and better results.

This is where Interview Kickstart comes in!

A school exclusively designed to help you become fundamentally better engineers, Interview Kickstart extensively focuses on Algorithms, Data Structures, and Large-Scale System Design. Founded in 2014, its one-of-a-kind methodology is taught by actual Hiring Managers and Tech Leads from top Silicon Valley companies like Google, Facebook, Uber, LinkedIn, Amazon, Netflix and many more. The learning pathway is designed to help you succeed and the timeline is flexible based on the time that you have available for prep. It can be done in as short as two months.

Here’s how Interview Kickstart ensures their training techniques hit the mark every single time:

AN EXTENSIVE CURRICULUM

Interview Kickstart’s comprehensive curriculum covers the specific areas you need to touch upon to get through technical interviews at Tier 1 companies—data structures and algorithms, large-scale system design, soft skills, negotiations and more.

1X1 HELP FROM ACTUAL INTERVIEWERS

Get trained by the top instructors in the Bay Area. The intensive programs give you the chance to get technical coaching, homework assistance and solutions suggestions from actual Hiring Managers and Tech Leads from coveted companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Uber, LinkedIn, Dropbox, Box and many more.

LIVE MOCK INTERVIEWS WITH ACTUAL HIRING MANAGERS

Get the real-time interview experience through 45-minute mock interview sessions conducted by Hiring Managers and Tech leads from Tier 1 companies; you get a chance to answer questions, solve problems and gauge the time constraints and mental pressure involved.

Interview Kickstart’s mock interviews have a three-tiered feedback reporting system which includes a grading rubric, a detailed feedback form and a recording of your mock interview. This structured report ensures that you get honest and precise feedback from instructors regarding the areas you should improve upon. This process lets you improve slowly and steadily with each mock interview.

PROFILE BUILDING

Attend live workshops and personal branding sessions to understand how you can make your resume and LinkedIn profile stand out in the span of the 5 seconds that interviewers take to skim through them. You can also get on-point suggestions from senior technical recruiters on how to position yourself and how to talk to recruiters.

SALARY NEGOTIATION

Master the art of salary negotiation and get the offer you truly deserve based on reliable data. Find out whether your offer is in the ballpark of the offers that the company regularly makes and get a clear picture of the leveling system of salary in all the companies in the Bay area, whether big or small.

The next time you have a coding interview around the corner, do not panic. Interview Kickstart is there to help. All you have to do is sign up, show up and level up.