Recruiters from the company had contacted me every six months to a year for the past six or seven years. Finally, I was in a career position where I could realistically interview with them, so I agreed.

The first step was a phone interview. The recruiter suggested a significant amount of study material. I skimmed "Programming Interviews Exposed," but I don't believe it made much of a difference at any point in the interview process. I feel that you either know your CS fundamentals or you don't, and cramming from a book at the last minute won't significantly help. Perhaps I'm mistaken.

This is my best tip for interviewing: don't immediately dismiss your first answer because you think it's "too obvious." It very well might be the correct answer, and you could end up lost searching for a better one that doesn't exist. If you suspect a better approach, simply state, "There might be a more optimal way to do this, but I'm just brainstorming," and then explain your current thought process. If a superior method exists, they will guide you. I made this mistake twice during my interviews.

The initial phone interview lasted 45 minutes and covered two questions: one coding and one conceptual. It was quite straightforward. The coding question involved a basic task, such as implementing a binary search with minor modifications.

Despite common narratives, I found the in-person interview not particularly difficult, though I likely benefited from a fortunate selection of interviewers. A friend shared that many highly intelligent individuals he knows did not pass this stage, which helped me to not take it personally if I didn't succeed either. This perspective allowed me to relax, focus on doing my best, and see what happened. I wasn't particularly nervous, and the interview felt more like a discussion of interesting problems with potential colleagues. I believe being relaxed was instrumental in securing the job, so if possible, try to stay calm.

Following that, the process became quite lengthy. By this point, six weeks had elapsed since my initial contact with the recruiter. Within three days of the in-person interview, I was informed I had passed the hiring committee. However, I then waited an additional FOUR AND A HALF WEEKS for the offer. This totals 2.5 months. The recruiter was very pleasant and apologized for the delay, but I believe the company needs to expedite its process. It was a frustrating experience to know I had passed the hiring committee and was likely hired, only to face continuous delays due to various procedural checkpoints.

When the offer finally arrived, it was substantial, and I accepted it immediately.