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Lessons Learnt: Over 70 Interviews in Just 5 Weeks

Lessons Learnt: Over 70 Interviews in Just 5 Weeks

5 weeks, 39 unique companies, and over 70 remote interviews. In this talk Josh will be sharing some of the lessons he learnt, and mistakes he made while searching for a job in the UK. He will present some interesting data on the interviews, discuss what he did right and wrong, the pain points he suffered, what he enjoyed, and finally - offers some advice for hiring managers and job seekers alike.

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Josh Michielsen

November 28, 2018
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  1. Lessons Learnt: Over 70 Interviews in Just 5 Weeks Josh

    Michielsen jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  2. About Me 2 jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]

    • Background: Web Design, Software Dev, Sysadmin, DevOps • Previously Senior DevOps Engineer @ Bankwest • Relocating to Cambridge, UK on Dec 3rd 2018 • Meme dog owner
  3. 4 Agenda 1. Context: Why? 2. Methodology 3. Reviewing the

    Data 4. Honourable Mentions 5. Lessons Learnt 6. Things That Make My Blood Boil jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  4. 5 Context • Relocating to Cambridge, UK on 3rd December

    2018 • Joining Condé Nast International as Senior Software Engineer, Infrastructure & Operations • About 1 hour from London by train • Long-term partner completing a PhD at Cambridge Uni • Fully-funded! • Moved to Cambridge in March 2018 • Started PhD October 2018 • Cancer Research UK “Grand Challenge” jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  5. 6 Methodology • Applied for DevOps Engineer, Platform Engineer, Site

    Reliability Engineer roles • Looking for: Cloud, Kubernetes, Golang, Scale • Single 3-page CV • Standardised Cover Letter • Didn’t fill out applications with long, fluffy questionnaires • Interviews between 6PM and 1AM • Phone and teleconference • Recruiters limited to 2 companies jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  6. 8 Reviewing the Data Status Progression: • 39 unique companies

    • 20 rejected by me before an offer jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  7. 9 Reviewing the Data Status Progression: • 39 unique companies

    • 20 rejected by me before an offer • 8 rejected me jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  8. 10 Reviewing the Data Status Progression: • 39 unique companies

    • 20 rejected by me before an offer • 8 rejected me • 6 ”ghosted” me jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  9. 11 Reviewing the Data Status Progression: • 39 unique companies

    • 20 rejected by me before an offer • 8 rejected me • 6 ”ghosted” me • 5 offers! jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  10. 12 Reviewing the Data SECOND INTERVIEWS 23 FINAL INTERVIEWS 9

    FIRST INTERVIEWS 39 TAKE HOME ASSESSMENTS 8 TOTAL INTERVIEWS 79 jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  11. 13 Reviewing the Data SITE RELIABILITY DEVOPS SENIOR LEAD 23

    % 56 % 63 % 25 % Seniority Role Type jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  12. 15 Lesson: Time Management • Use a calendar service –

    e.g. https://calendly.com • Saves a lot of time going back and forth scheduling an interview • Schedule your breaks! There were nights where I didn’t have time to eat jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  13. 16 Lesson: Time Management • Use a calendar service –

    e.g. https://calendly.com • Saves a lot of time going back and forth scheduling an interview • Schedule your breaks! There were nights where I didn’t have time to eat • Stick to you schedule • Don’t feel bad for keeping interviewers on time • Don’t accept interviews outside your time window • Don’t forget to consider the time required to speak with recruiters jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  14. 17 Lesson: What’s Important • What I considered important changed

    over time • In the beginning: • Limited search to Cambridge & remote • Priority on salary followed by tech • It didn’t take long for that to change • Extended to London • Priority changed to culture, then tech, then salary • Diversity, inclusion, and flexibility took precedence jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  15. 18 Other Lessons • “Trust your gut” • I was

    able to reject companies quickly by trusting my initial reaction after an interview • Saying no! • Be honest and upfront • Ewww, startups… jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  16. 19 What Makes My Blood Boil • Bro culture •

    Take home assessments with no relevance to the role jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  17. 20 What Makes My Blood Boil • Bro culture •

    Take home assessments with no relevance to the role jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]
  18. 21 What Makes My Blood Boil • Bro culture •

    Take home assessments with no relevance to the role • Take home assessments that require more than 8 hours of work • Long, fluffy questionnaires in application forms • Won’t discuss salary upfront • No/low investment in the process by engineers • Companies that require on-site interviews • And then expect you to pay to get there! jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | [email protected]