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Learn moreViktor Karpov is a renowned figure who has made significant contributions to his field. His achievements and experience make him an outstanding professional. Throughout his career, Viktor Karpov has worked on numerous projects that have earned him recognition and respect from his colleagues. His expertise covers a variety of areas, allowing him to effectively solve complex problems and find innovative approaches. Thanks to his knowledge and skills, Viktor Karpov continues to inspire others to achieve high results and develop in their chosen field.
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On Twitter, @codingintervie2 profiles a web developer with experience since 2011. He currently works at Amazon and previously worked at Yandex. He runs a Telegram channel where he thoroughly analyzes algorithmic problems relevant to interviews. He also streams these problems on YouTube, helping users better prepare for tech interviews.
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The first time I received an invitation to an interview in Europe, I decided to go out of curiosity, without planning to stay there long. However, over time, I got used to the new environment and interviewed at companies such as Facebook and Amazon. As a result, I received a job offer from Amazon and stayed in the UK.
To get a job at a large international company, you need to follow several key steps. First, define your goals and choose the field you want to work in. This will help you focus on the necessary skills and qualifications. Then, update your resume, highlighting your achievements and experience that match the employer's requirements. Remember to tailor your resume to each specific vacancy.
The next step is to actively search for vacancies. Use specialized job search websites and platforms, as well as social media like LinkedIn. Network with professionals in your industry and participate in networking events to expand your opportunities.
Prepare for the interview by researching the company and its culture. Practice answers to common questions to present yourself confidently. Also, pay attention to your communication skills and self-confidence.
After the interview, be sure to send a thank-you note emphasizing your interest in the position. If you are offered a job, carefully review the terms of the contract and don't hesitate to ask questions.
By following these steps, you will significantly increase your chances of successfully landing a job at a large international company.
Step 1: Get an interview invitation
There are two effective ways to successfully ace an interview at large companies like Amazon or Facebook. These tips will help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of landing your desired position. First, thoroughly prepare for the interview by researching the company and its corporate culture. This will help you better understand what qualities and skills the employer values. Second, highlight your achievements and experience that align with the job requirements. Use specific examples from your career to demonstrate your competencies. By applying these tips, you will significantly increase your chances of successfully interviewing at these tech giants.
A referral is the process by which a company employee recommends your candidacy for an open position. Unlike simply submitting a resume, which may go unanswered, a recommendation significantly increases your chances of being noticed by a recruiter. A resume with a recommendation appears at the top of the candidate list, which helps attract more interest from employers and increases your likelihood of being hired.
Requesting a recommendation is standard practice in the professional world. For the person providing the recommendation, it's effortless, but they may receive a reward if you get hired. When applying, you may be asked about three open positions you're applying for. Therefore, it's important that your experience matches the requirements of these positions. This approach increases your chances of successful employment and makes the process more efficient for everyone.
To get a referral, you need to establish contact with an employee at the target company. I worked at Yandex and had connections with people who moved to Amazon and Facebook. Although I didn't know them personally, I decided to message them on LinkedIn, reminding them that we had previously worked together and asking for a referral. As a result, I was offered a test.
Recruiters from Western companies actively use LinkedIn to search for candidates, so it is important that your profile is visible. They usually pay attention to the accounts of employees of large organizations. It is recommended not to ignore your profile and periodically check messages, even if LinkedIn is blocked in Russia. This service remains the only place where recruiters from Western IT giants can find suitable specialists. Creating and maintaining an up-to-date profile on LinkedIn will significantly increase your chances of getting hired.
Step 2. Take the test
If recruiters are interested in your resume, they will contact you. On Facebook, the communication process begins immediately in a live chat. At Amazon, HR will invite you to take a test on their specialized platform, which you can try out through a demo version. Some companies also conduct tests on third-party resources, such as HackerRank. Preparing for such tests will help you better demonstrate your skills and increase your chances of successful employment.
To successfully pass the interview, you must not only complete the test, but also solve two problems in two hours in the selected programming language. The tasks will be at the medium difficulty level on the LeetCode platform and will not involve dynamic programming. During the tasks, you will be asked to explain your approach to solving the tasks and assess their difficulty. It is important to note that the code can be run and tested, which allows us to ensure its functionality.
After the testing is complete, we await the results. The response came the same day, and I was immediately invited to an interview.
Step 3: Complete the online interview
The next step of the selection process is a phone interview. At the appointed time, we met via Amazon Chime, which is Amazon's equivalent of Zoom. I wrote the code in a service similar to collabedit, in which the code editor was available on both screens, so the interviewer could observe my actions. During the interview, I was asked to solve LeetCode-style problems and answer questions related to a specific programming language.
The test lasts 40 minutes. If you successfully answer the basic questions in the first 20 minutes, the remaining time is allocated to more difficult problems. Questions may be JavaScript-related, such as whether the slice method creates a new string and explaining why strings in JavaScript are immutable. Success in the interview requires not only problem-solving but also the ability to delve into related topics. At the end of the interview, you will have the opportunity to ask your own questions.
If you are successful in the online stage, you will be invited to an in-person interview.
Step 4. Complete the onsite interview
I received a response within seven days and was invited to an interview at the Edinburgh office. Due to the pandemic, this is usually done via Zoom with 4-5 sessions. However, I was lucky that my interview did not take place during the lockdown period, so I was able to travel to Europe at the company's expense and have an offline interview.
At this stage, it is recommended to set aside several months for preparation. I already had another interview scheduled in London for January, so I asked to schedule an onsite interview for the same dates. This will avoid unnecessary travel to and from the UK. Proper time management and planning will help optimize your job search and reduce travel costs. Onsite is a process that involves assessing and analyzing a website for optimization and improvement. During onsite, specialists conduct comprehensive research, including a content audit, site structure analysis, and technical checks. This helps identify weaknesses that may negatively impact a website's visibility in search engines. Furthermore, onsite helps identify keywords and phrases that are likely to attract the target audience. The main goal of this process is to improve website performance and enhance its search rankings, which in turn leads to increased traffic and higher conversions. An effective onsite includes regularly monitoring metrics and adjusting the promotion strategy, which helps keep the resource relevant and competitive.
A Travel Team representative will contact you with an invitation, which will allow you to obtain a tourist visa without the need to provide proof of income and other documents. I visited the visa center with only my passport and invitation. In this letter, the company guarantees coverage of the visa fee, as well as other expenses, including tickets and a hotel. This approach simplifies the visa process and makes it accessible to a wide range of travelers.
The company offers reimbursement of food and beverage expenses up to £50 per day. Upon your return, simply keep your receipts, and you will receive a refund for food purchased at the airport or at Starbucks. This is a great way to save on travel and enjoy delicious food while traveling.
It is recommended to arrive the day before the interview. I once had a connecting flight for an interview. I planned to arrive in the city the day before, but the flight was delayed. In the end, I landed at five in the morning and went straight to the office without enough sleep or preparation. This negatively impacted the outcome—I didn't receive a job offer. On the contrary, when I flew to England early, both interviews went well. Preparation and rest before an interview are key to success.
I had plenty of time: on Monday, I interviewed in London, and on Tuesday, I met with a former colleague who lives there. On Wednesday, I arrived at King's Cross station and caught the train to Edinburgh.
To successfully pass interviews, it is important to have a deep understanding of system design, be able to solve algorithmic problems and write code in the chosen programming language without the help of an editor. If you've forgotten some functions, it's not a big deal. The main thing is to be able to explain what solutions you planned to use and why you chose them. However, if you don't remember how to create loops or don't know about the map method in collections, this could negatively impact your chances. Preparing for interviews requires not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills, so it's important to practice regularly and refresh your knowledge.
At the start of each interview section, 5-10 minutes are typically devoted to questions about leadership principles. For example, they might ask about the most difficult bug you've ever solved. According to the Ownership principle, a developer must consider not only their specific task but also the overall state of the project. Thus, a complex bug could arise, for example, due to a malfunctioning integration between two systems. It's important to demonstrate the ability to think holistically and understand how your work impacts the entire project.
The interview is conducted in a format where one participant asks questions and the other acts as an observer. This can be somewhat confusing for newcomers. The process consists of five sections, each lasting 45 minutes and involving different interviewers. Lunch is included during breaks, creating a comfortable environment for participants.
Algorithms are an important topic, so two sections are dedicated to their study. Leadership Principles will be discussed for 5-10 minutes at the beginning of the interview. After this, candidates will be able to solve problems from the intermediate level of LeetCode, which will demonstrate their skills in programming and algorithmic thinking. Preparing for these questions will help them better understand the requirements and expectations of the employer.
It is recommended to write down the solutions with a marker on the board, having discussed them with the interviewer beforehand. This will help better structure your thoughts and facilitate the communication process. Discussion allows you to clarify requirements and expectations, which contributes to a more effective presentation of your ideas.
Front-end. At Facebook, front-end tasks focus on algorithms such as depth-first tree traversal and stack manipulation. At Amazon, the task was to develop a JavaScript component that could be integrated into other websites. The discussion also covered important aspects such as namespace management in CSS, library versioning, and browser caching techniques. These topics are key to the effective development of front-end applications and optimization of the user experience.
System design is an important aspect of design that requires a detailed representation of the system. A separate section on systems design allows you to demonstrate experience in developing large systems that have been successfully deployed. In this process, you encounter various scaling issues, learn to collect and analyze metrics, and understand how the code functions on real servers. This knowledge is critical for evaluating architectural decisions and optimizing system performance. The ability to effectively design systems at the architectural level can significantly increase the chances of success in the development and implementation of complex software solutions.
It is important to understand that the network cannot guarantee complete reliability. Delays may occur during data transmission, and dependencies can sometimes fail. In this part of the material, you demonstrate your practical experience and a realistic approach to the situation.
Questions related to systems design are often open-ended. For example, imagine that you are launching a startup and are acting as the CTO. What steps will you take to ensure the successful functioning of your company? What will your project look like in five years, when the number of clients has increased a hundredfold? What happens during Black Friday, when the system load increases a hundredfold? There are no right answers to these questions, and the discussion can go on forever, as everything depends on your knowledge and level of expertise. It is important to consider the scalability of the architecture, load resilience, and the system's ability to adapt to changing market conditions.
Understanding the requirements of high-load systems and APIs is a key aspect of successful design. It is important to understand which tables will be required in the database for the system to operate efficiently and where bottlenecks may occur. For example, when developing a hotel booking service, it should be taken into account that the server load will increase significantly during the summer compared to the winter season. This requires careful planning of the database architecture, which should include tables for storing information about users, hotels, reservations, and payments. It is also necessary to think through the system's scaling mechanisms in advance to cope with peak loads and ensure high service availability.
Share your experience solving real-world problems and patterns in your field. For example, if you're a front-end developer, describe how you implement infinite scrolling without overwhelming the user's device after extended use. This may include performance optimizations to avoid app freezes or sluggish performance during long scrolling sessions. It's also important to consider how you minimize the size of client-side code downloads to avoid exceeding 10 megabytes of JavaScript, especially for users with limited internet connections, such as 3G. Share specific technical solutions, such as using lazy loading, optimizing images and code, and leveraging modern tools and libraries for increased efficiency. Your expertise can help other developers avoid common pitfalls and improve the user experience.
Lunchtime and Informal Networking. After the four sessions, participants are given an hour for lunch. This is a great opportunity to network with other developers, share experiences, and ask questions about the team in a relaxed atmosphere. This approach helps establish useful connections and improve team dynamics.
The final part of the interview includes a behavioral interview, which is a conversation with the hiring manager about your soft skills and previous experience. Be prepared to discuss your past projects, delve into technical details, and provide specific examples of your work. We recommend using the STAR method: describe the situation, define the goals you set for yourself, talk about your actions and results. This will help you structure your answers and demonstrate your achievements.
It's not just what you did that matters, but also how you evaluate the results. For example, you developed an architecture, but the team didn't accept it. In this case, simply trying to guess the right solution is useless. It's better to recall and analyze the steps you took in similar situations and the mistakes you made. I recommend using an excellent template for preparing for behavioral interviews at Amazon and other companies. Each principle is accompanied by a sample STAR answer to help you prepare and showcase your skills more effectively.
Step 5: Wait for an offer or feedback
Daylong interviews can be mentally and physically exhausting. After such a stressful experience, it's helpful to spend the day walking around the city to relax and recharge. It's also important to wait for a response from the employer and the offer to understand the most appropriate next step.
Many companies don't provide feedback on your strengths and weaknesses after the interview. However, in some cases, the interviewer shares feedback from previous selection stages. Thanks to this, I was able to identify my weakness - poor communication. Post-interview feedback is important for professional growth and helps you understand areas where you need to improve your skills.
By receiving an offer, you can increase your salary by approximately twenty percent. If you have a counteroffer with bonuses, this opens up additional opportunities to secure favorable terms. Such strategies will not only help improve your financial performance but also increase your value in the labor market.
Bonus: How to Prepare for an Interview
A lot depends on luck in an interview, but preparation and practice can significantly increase your chances of success. Regularly practicing problem-solving and continually refining your skills will help you confidently ace your interview and make a positive impression on your employer. Don't forget the importance of self-analysis and studying typical questions that may arise during an interview. The more you prepare, the higher your chances of a successful interview.
Open LeetCode and create a spreadsheet to record the number of problems you solve and the time you spend solving them each day. This will help you determine how many hours per week you need to devote to practicing to deepen your understanding of the topic. This approach will help you effectively manage your time and track your progress in solving problems.
Once you successfully complete 10-20 problems without prompting, you will be able to solve the entire class of problems. It's unlikely you'll be able to prepare for an interview in one week, but with diligence, it can be done in 3-4 months. Regular practice and a systematic approach to problem-solving will help you confidently master the necessary skills and increase your chances of successfully passing an interview.
I have developed an effective method for working with problems based on the Pomodoro Technique. I set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on solving a problem. If I manage to complete it in that time, I move on to the next one. If I can't complete it, I turn to a hint, take a ten-minute break, and work for another 25 minutes. When a topic becomes too easy, I switch to more complex problems. If I still can't complete it in 25 minutes, I look up a solution to the problem and then complete a similar problem to consolidate my knowledge. This method helps me manage my time effectively and increase my productivity.
When discussing system design problems, it is important to avoid searching for other people's solutions online, as there are no definitively correct answers to such questions. Instead, rely on your own experience and knowledge to formulate your answers. If you rely on ready-made solutions, you may feel insecure and confused the first time you encounter a problem, especially if it is presented in English. Prepare in advance so that you have your own solution when the interview begins.
In a behavioral interview, it is important to be sincere and not try to make up answers, as this can lead to confusion. You should familiarize yourself with the company's leadership principles and prepare several stories from your work experience that illustrate these principles. This will help demonstrate your skills and approach to problem-solving, which is a key aspect of a successful interview.
Should you work for a Western company?
If your goal is to increase your income, moving to Europe may not be the best solution. In Russia, the standard of living is often more favorable due to low taxes and prices. To significantly increase your earnings in Europe, you need to be a highly qualified specialist or hold a management position. A more sensible move might be to find a remote job with a Western company, which would allow me to start a solo business and earn the same $10,000 a month while remaining in Russia.
I don't see any significant differences between Yandex and Amazon. Although Amazon is larger and its internal processes may seem more complex, especially during the pandemic, the approaches to work at both companies are similar. Yandex and Amazon value their employees and strive for open dialogue. Employees have the opportunity to provide feedback, express preferences, and suggest changes. Both companies are interested in retaining specialists, as the costs of recruiting and training them are quite high.
I was targeting large companies because they allocate significant funds for relocation. This is especially important when moving with a family and children. I might consider working for a smaller company in the future, but for now, it's not my priority. Some specialists dislike corporations because of their internal tools and frameworks. I know people who left Yandex for this very reason.
In small companies, communication is more informal: employees might shake the CEO's hand. Complex corporate policies and relationships are absent, but career advancement opportunities are also limited. Large companies like Yandex have multiple teams with diverse goals and objectives. Over time, it becomes clearer how this complex structure is structured and how one can advance within it.
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How to get a job at an IT giant? The experience of a developer from Tula who found a job at Amazon can serve as a useful reference point for job seekers. In this article, we'll cover key steps and tips to help you successfully ace your interview and become part of a large company. It's important to prepare for technical questions, understand the corporate culture, and be prepared for questions about your skills and experience. Don't forget the importance of networking: attending professional events and connecting with colleagues can significantly increase your chances of success. Success in finding a job in such companies requires diligence, determination, and a willingness to continually learn.
