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.

Transcript

1. Lessons Learnt: Over 70 Interviews in Just 5 Weeks Josh Michielsen jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
2. About Me 2 jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev • Background: Web Design, Software Dev, Sysadmin, DevOps • Previously Senior DevOps Engineer @ Bankwest • Relocating to Cambridge, UK on Dec 3rd 2018 • Meme dog owner
4. 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 | j@mickey.dev
5. 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 | j@mickey.dev
6. 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 | j@mickey.dev
7. 7 Reviewing the Data Status Progression: • 39 unique companies jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
8. 8 Reviewing the Data Status Progression: • 39 unique companies • 20 rejected by me before an offer jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
9. 9 Reviewing the Data Status Progression: • 39 unique companies • 20 rejected by me before an offer • 8 rejected me jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
10. 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 | j@mickey.dev
11. 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 | j@mickey.dev
12. 12 Reviewing the Data SECOND INTERVIEWS 23 FINAL INTERVIEWS 9 FIRST INTERVIEWS 39 TAKE HOME ASSESSMENTS 8 TOTAL INTERVIEWS 79 jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
13. 13 Reviewing the Data SITE RELIABILITY DEVOPS SENIOR LEAD 23 % 56 % 63 % 25 % Seniority Role Type jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
14. 14 Honourable Mentions jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
15. 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 | j@mickey.dev
16. 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 | j@mickey.dev
17. 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 | j@mickey.dev
18. 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 | j@mickey.dev
19. 19 What Makes My Blood Boil • Bro culture • Take home assessments with no relevance to the role jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
20. 20 What Makes My Blood Boil • Bro culture • Take home assessments with no relevance to the role jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev
21. 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 | j@mickey.dev
22. Thanks! Questions? jmickey | jmickey_ | jmichielsen | j@mickey.dev