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    Inside the Coding Challenge: A Hiring Manager’s Perspective

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    At Hired, we often have opportunities to share assessment insights with employers who review them to evaluate potential hires. It’s less common that we have the chance to share those with candidates. That’s why we dedicated a full webinar session to offer engineering talent some coding challenge tips from hiring managers.

    Related: Code Your Career: Staying Competitive in the Developer Job Market (VIDEO)

    What is a coding challenge? 

    Coding challenges assess your technical skills as part of the interview process. They are an excellent way to flex your coding muscles and solve a problem similar to one the company may be facing.

    Related: What are the Best Programming Languages to Get a Software Developer Job? (Video)

    Results overview: what hiring managers look for in coding challenges

    In this blog, you’ll hear from: 

    Prakash Patel, Engineering Manager at Hired

    Sumit Pal, former Sr Engineering Manager at Hired

    Related: Ace Your Engineering Manager Interview: A Comprehensive Guide to Prepare 

    Let’s walk through hiring manager expectations for assessments and the interview process.

    Sample Result 1 

    This is an example of a solution a candidate proposed that looks straightforward. They’re running the eval function doing a quick return. While this solution works and passes all the test cases, unfortunately, they didn’t read the directions completely.

    There is a note in the yellow box explaining you are not allowed to use any built-in function that evaluates strings as mathematical expressions, such as eval. The candidate didn’t read the instructions completely and for that reason, we had to pass on them. 

    Sample Result 2 

    What you see here is a little behind-the-scenes. As candidates are going through the interview process, they often run into these kinds of challenges. You might be presented with several test cases but you have to be aware of more test cases behind the scenes. You’ll be presented with a few test cases your code needs to pass through to be accepted but we might be checking for additional items:

    Are we checking for empty strings? 

    Are we evaluating for certain edge cases where we might have incredibly long strings? 

    In this case, we’re building out a basic calculator. The solution here is obviously very thorough. It passed all the test cases here. 

    However, we don’t only look at the percentage or a particular grade or if all the test cases passed. We take a look at the code too. We were able to identify that this code is unfortunately not written by the engineer. This was taken from an online search and brought to our platform. It hits all the benchmarks, but it’s not genuine.

    Sample Result 3 

    This is an example of someone implementing comments. This code is similar to the previous example. The candidate took an online submission and claimed it as their own.

    For that reason, we disqualified them. In this type of solution, engineering managers and hiring managers consider: 

    Have candidates used appropriate variable names? 

    Is there an appropriate structure to the code? 

    Are there functions called appropriately? 

    What does the runtime look like for the code? 

    Obviously, it’s an idealistic solution they copied over, but we will notice aspects like good comments. 

    In this case, you’ll notice that while there are comments, they don’t add value. BC II and BC III, aren’t helping a hiring manager understand your thought process or the code you’ve written. 

    Sample Result 4 

    Here we have several different functions. While it’s not perfect, you’ll notice there are some comments missing. There are some generally good structures with several functions being defined. Many of the edge cases are handled here and overall it is a good solution, despite missing comments.

    Sample Result 5 

    This is really well-structured code going in-depth with the comments. There is a healthy balance of too many comments and not enough. This leans a little bit on the higher side but these comments are more helpful. 

    They guide the hiring manager in understanding the thought process. They also help the candidate keep track of how they handled this scenario. Overall, it has a cleaner and more useful presentation for the hiring manager. 

    SQL-Based Questions

    Sample Result 6 

    This question intends to assess your confidence and comfort with SQL-based questions and data problems. This example presents an easy SQL question. 

    The candidate tried to solve this problem using the “group by” statement and “order by” clause. It worked sufficiently for this problem statement but it would immediately fail once we start getting three or more records for each gender. We encourage candidates to read the problem statement first which is really important in a very simple SQL problem. 

    Also, we encourage candidates to not start writing solutions immediately. Think through the problem and all possible age cases. Consider how your solution might handle null values once you start getting the records. 

    Sample Result 7 

    This SQL problem can be solved with different approaches. In this example, the candidate tried to use the max aggregate function and a subquery. 

    To further improve answering SQL questions, I recommend candidates consider adding human-readable aliases. Additionally, putting your queries in a readable format before you submit them is really important. 

    Data engineering interview process

    Data engineering interview processes are robust. We take a similar approach in sending out an assessment. Once the candidates complete it, we take it back to the team and review it. Then, we provide feedback to the candidates on where they could improve. 

    Related: Want to Ace Technical Interviews? A Guide to Prep Software Engineers

    We evaluate submissions to determine the level. Sometimes we’ll receive candidates who may be on borderline level two or mid-level or borderline senior. We can use those submissions to help gauge what the next steps should be. 

    From there, we’ll have the hiring manager screen to understand what a candidate is looking to do in their next role. What are the interesting things they do on the side? Why do they want to work at this company? What are they looking to achieve in their career? 

    Related: Want to Ace Behavioral Interviews? A Guide to Prep Jobseekers

    Following that step, we continue with the assessment – that original take-home assessment, similar to the coding challenges completed here. We have the candidate build on an additional feature in the original assessment. We walk through the process live with an engineer (or engineers) on the team. 

    Next, we have a systems design portion. Candidates design a system and walk through different edge cases. Candidates will offer insights into why they made design decisions and made certain tradeoffs. 

    Later, we have a cross-functional interview to ensure the candidates have some comfort working with the product or design team.

    Following that, we regroup should we need to have additional discussions. We follow up on those on a case-by-case basis and come to a consensus. 

    I do want to highlight that the interview process may vary from company to company. At Hired, we have a 3-4 round process. 

    Candidates have the take-home assessment, hiring manager screen, and virtual on-site consisting of the cross-functional interview and the systems design portion. The process isn’t necessarily the same at larger organizations. You may do one take-home assessment and have another waiting for you on the other side. You may do a live coding challenge where you get on the phone and speak with the technical recruiter. 

    In those instances, I think you would approach things the same way. Make sure you think of edge cases and are thorough in your approach. It’s easy to get nervous but you have to remember to break things down and take it from there.

    Traditionally, after that first step (whether it’s an assessment or live coding challenge) is some form of an on-site. It could be a virtual or in-person on-site. Some large organizations even bring people on for an entire day. 

    As you’re speaking to the technical recruiters, ask about those processes. Usually, companies are open about informing you.

    Ready to complete your free profile and find your next role in tech? Sign up today! More

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      Want to Ace Behavioral Interviews? A Guide to Prep Jobseekers

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      No matter the role you’re interviewing for, companies want to know that you’re curious, hard-working, and most importantly, a good fit for their team. The behavioral interview is a way to gauge if your past experiences, current interests, and future goals align with the company’s needs. 

      Hired and SheCanCode are here to help you build confidence in this part of the process with our new guide. 

      What is a behavioral interview?

      Behavioral interviews specifically evaluate a candidate’s past behavior to predict their future performance in the prospective role. 

      Expect questions like, “Can you tell me about a time when you faced a conflict while working on a team?” or “Describe a situation when you had to use your leadership skills to resolve an issue.” 

      Get more insights into the kinds of questions to expect in the eBook and this blog.

      Situational versus behavioral interviews 

      Unlike traditional interviews, which focus on hypothetical scenarios or inquiries about qualifications and skills, behavioral interviews dig deep into your past experiences. 

      In a situational interview, you might be asked, “What would you do if you were given a project with a tight deadline and limited resources?” The goal is to understand how you would handle potential scenarios in the future, rather than analyzing how you’ve handled situations in the past.

      Why behavioral interviews matter

      The primary purpose of a behavioral interview is to assess whether you have the capabilities to excel in the role. These types of interviews are based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.

      By analyzing your responses, interviewers identify patterns, understand how you approach problems, deal with challenges, or collaborate with teams. They’re not looking for the “correct” answer. Instead, they want to understand how you think, operate, and react in various scenarios.

      Behavioral interviews help employers get to know who’s behind the resume and uncover the skills they know the job requires. They capture insight into your problem-solving skills, adaptability, communication abilities, leadership qualities, and other key characteristics. 

      While your technical skills and qualifications might get your foot in the door, your behavioral competencies often determine whether you’ll fit into the company’s culture and perform well in your role. 

      Behavioral interviews and the hiring process

      Behavioral interviews typically happen during the later stages of the hiring process, often during the second or third round of interviews. Typically, a hiring manager or someone who has a deep understanding of the role and its requirements conducts behavioral interviews in those stages.

      However, the timing of the interviews varies depending on the company and the specific job role. Some organizations may have a behavioral interview right off the bat. In this case, you’d likely be interviewed by the recruiter. 

      Whomever your interviewer may be, they’re seeking a well-rounded perspective on your behavioral traits and potential fit in the company.

      But don’t get too nervous – Hired and SheCanCode are equipping you with everything you need to ace your next behavioral interview!  More

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      Ace Your Engineering Manager Interview: A Comprehensive Guide to Prepare

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      Engineering Manager interviews may feel the most challenging in the tech industry. They require you to have a well-rounded balance of technical, people, and business skills. 

      Just remember, you wouldn’t have come this far if it weren’t for your leadership ability and experience driving company success! This interview is your opportunity to demonstrate your capabilities and your passion for guiding other engineers to bring results. 

      Hired Engineering Manager Prakash Patel reflects on his experience, saying: “My success is measured by the performance of my team and my individual reports. My goal is to develop technical excellence across the company as an EM. I enjoy driving project execution but I make sure my individual reports receive exciting, diverse responsibilities in a way that infuses the company’s culture with our team.”

      To help you, we’ve collaborated with our partner Educative to fully prep you for your next Engineering Manager interview. 

      What this Engineering Manager Interview Guide Covers

      1. How to prepare for Engineering Manager interviews

      We start by breaking down the typical EM interview process to give you a better sense of what to expect.

      2. How to perform well during Engineering Manager interviews

      We help you understand the purpose and expectations of each area so you can put your best foot forward.

      3. Sample interview questions

      Get a sneak peek into potential interview questions in this chapter. We offer examples of technical people management, and behavioral questions you may encounter.

      4. Helpful resources

      By now, you’re well on your way to impressing interviewers. Use this compilation of articles and courses for a deeper dive into refining your interview skills. More

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      8 Final Round Interview Questions You Should Be Prepared for as a Tech Jobseeker

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      Be ready for common final round interview questions with this guide

      Congratulations – you’ve made it through the hiring process and you’re preparing for final round interview questions to secure your dream job! This is a big deal – it means you’ve impressed the hiring team with your skills, experience, and potential. However, it also means the stakes are higher and you need to prepare thoroughly to stand out from the other candidates.

      If you’re a jobseeker in tech, you know how competitive the industry can be. Final round interviews often consist of more challenging questions designed to assess your technical expertise as well as your soft skills, cultural fit, and problem-solving abilities. This final round interview is your chance to really showcase your skills and experience, and to demonstrate why you’re the best candidate for the job. 

      In some cases, the hard skills assessment period is over and the final round is more about determining team fit, or more appropriately, “add.” It’s to determine between the finalists which one will bring the most value to the team, or be the addition it needs. You may also discover this round is focused on selling you on the role. 

      To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of top final round interview questions for tech jobseekers, along with tips on how to answer them.

      1. Tell Me About Yourself

      You’ve probably already answered this classic question in early stage interviews, but be prepared to respond again, especially if you’re meeting new people in the final round. We’ve written an article about how to answer ‘tell me about yourself’ question for tech talent with some great tactics. 

      As a bonus, use this final round interview opportunity to further personalize your response. Revise your answer using what you’ve learned about the role and the team so far.

      2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

      This classic interview question is often used to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. However, in the final round, the interviewer may be looking for more specific examples and how they relate to the job requirements.

      When answering this question, it’s essential to focus on the strengths that are relevant to the job and the company culture. For example, if you’re applying for a software development position, you could mention your strong coding skills, attention to detail, and ability to work well in a team.

      For your weaknesses, avoid generic answers like “I work too hard” or “I’m a perfectionist.” Instead, be honest about an area where you could improve but also show how you’re actively working on it. For example, you could say, “I tend to get nervous when presenting to large groups, but I’ve been taking public speaking classes to improve my confidence.”

      3. What experience do you have in this particular area of tech?

      Interviewers ask this question to see how well you understand the specific area of tech the company is focused on, and how you might be able to contribute to the team. To answer a final round interview question like this, highlight any relevant experience you have, and talk about any specific projects or accomplishments to showcase your skills in this area.

      4. How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends, technologies, and developments in your field?

      In tech, staying up-to-date with the latest trends and developments is crucial. Employers want to know you’re committed to continuing your education and staying current with industry changes. The interviewer wants to know if you have a passion for learning and if you’re proactive about keeping your skills relevant.

      When answering this question, show that you have a growth mindset and that you enjoy exploring new ideas and technologies. Talk about any industry events you’ve attended, online courses or certifications you’ve completed, or any side projects you’ve worked on to expand your knowledge. 

      For example, you could say, “I’m passionate about keeping up with the latest trends in software development. I regularly attend tech conferences and meetups, read industry blogs and newsletters, and take online courses to expand my knowledge. 

      Recently, I implemented a new cloud-based infrastructure in our company that reduced our costs and improved our scalability.”

      Interview Tip: 

      Don’t forget to include hobbies or volunteer activities here. If you help coach a high school robotics team or provide a nonprofit with web development support, for example, it’s great to share.

      Related: Hired’s 2023 State of Software Engineers report

      5. How do you approach problem-solving in a tech environment?

      Tech jobs are all about problem-solving, and employers want to know you have a solid approach to tackling challenges. When answering this question, talk about any specific problem-solving techniques you use. This might include breaking down problems into smaller parts. Perhaps it’s using data to inform your decisions or collaborating with team members to brainstorm solutions.

      Related: Want to Ace Technical Interviews? A Guide to Prep Software Engineers

      6. How do you handle working under pressure or tight deadlines?

      Chances are your work environment will be fast-paced and high-pressure at times, so demonstrate you can handle these kinds of situations. When answering this question, discuss any experience you’ve had working under tight deadlines, and how you managed to stay focused and productive in those instances. You might also share any strategies you use to manage stress, such as exercise or meditation.

      7. Can you walk me through a project you worked on from start to finish?

      Employers want to see how you approach projects from beginning to end, and how you collaborate with others along the way. In your answer, highlight your specific contributions to the project. Be sure to mention any challenges you faced and how you overcame them. You can also tell your interviewer about any lessons you learned from the project and how you might apply them to future projects.

      Related: Interviewing with the CTO? 3 Strategies to Help Prepare

      8. Why do you want to work for this particular company?

      Show you’re genuinely interested in the company and the work they do. When answering this question, do your research beforehand. Highlight specific aspects of the company that appeal to you. This could be the company culture, their mission or values, or specific projects or initiatives they’re working on. 

      Don’t be afraid to reference previous interviews in which you gained new insights. This shows how engaged you’ve been throughout the interview process and that you’ve connected with the team. 

      Final round interview questions? You’ve got this!

      Before we close, let’s review a great quote from author Thea Kelley. She said, “Interviewers are sick of robotic, canned answers people have read in books. So think through and prepare your own answers—ones that are both authentic and strategic.” We hope this article has given you food for thought. And, provided you with some material to contemplate as you organize and prepare some response options.

      Making it to the final round of a tech job interview is a major achievement. By preparing for common final round interview questions and practicing a bit, you’ll go into the interview feeling ready as ever. Remember to highlight your relevant skills and experience, and to showcase your passion for the industry and the work you do. With a little preparation and a lot of confidence, you will land the tech job of your dreams. Good luck! More

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      My Learnings from Helping 1000 Software Engineers Negotiate Job Offers

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      As the Founder and CEO of Rora, I’ve helped thousands of tech professionals negotiate job offers over the past five years. A common theme across these conversations is that the negotiation process is shrouded in secrecy – leading job candidates to feel anxious, awkward, and afraid. 

      That’s why I’ve written the below guide – which will share negotiation strategies to help software engineers best position themselves to negotiate one offer or several.

      Why salary and job offer negotiation matters

      When people think about negotiation, it’s common for the focus to be financial. After all, not negotiating can cost you over a million dollars over the course of your career. It’s natural for getting the highest compensation possible to be your top concern. 

      Negotiating just a $5,000 increase at your first job can actually lead to a $1M difference in lifetime earnings when you take into consideration how investments compound, and how your future pay will also be higher because of higher bonuses and raises, etc.

      The chart below shows the difference negotiating a $5,000 increase in your first year can have 45 years down the line, assuming you receive a fixed annual raise each year.

      However, the process of negotiating impacts your career in more ways than just financially. Taking time to go through this process and ask the right questions gives you a chance to learn about the company and negotiate a scope, role, and mentorship that will set you up for successful growth. We’ve seen this countless times throughout our work with software engineering clients.

      What we’ve seen

      One of our clients – a Senior Software Engineer – accepted an offer but, within one year at the company, he was reorganized to different teams (and managers) four times. He quit soon after hitting the one-year mark. 

      In another unfortunate situation, an engineer interviewed for what he believed was a machine learning engineer role, complete with an interview process to match (with complex technical ML questions throughout). Upon starting his new role, he discovered that he’d spend his days doing little more than running SQL queries – it was a bait and switch. 

      What do these stories have in common? They’re prime examples of how negotiation – or the lack thereof – has a massive impact on your career. In these cases, deeper digging as part of the negotiation process would have uncovered aspects of the role that weren’t a fit and allowed the candidate to move on to something better (or ask for more money to make it worth their while). 

      In fact, we’ve seen exactly that situation: clients who initiate the negotiation process sometimes realize that the company or role they’re interviewing for is the wrong fit and continue their search, often finding a better, higher-paying role within a couple of months. 

      3 steps to an effective negotiation 

      Companies have a vested interest in hiring the right person, but they also have a financial interest in adhering to a budget. After helping over a thousand software engineers negotiate higher and better offers, I want to share three negotiation steps for productive experiences.

      Step 1: Build leverage

      Leverage your BATNA

      Your first step is to build leverage. Put simply, this is providing proof of the value you bring to the table and why the company would benefit from giving you what you’re asking for. Common examples of leverage are having competing job offers, having a very niche expertise, or not actively looking for a new job (so in order to take a new role it’d need to be particularly great).  

      What jobseekers frequently fail to do is increase their leverage, or BATNA. 

      What does BATNA mean? 

      It stands for your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement.

      The best BATNA is the confidence in security outside of this one job offer. That could be in the form of self-employment or other employment security. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and start your own business from scratch just for negotiating power! It does mean, however, that your strongest negotiating power comes from having a financial and professional identity outside of a full-time job: 

      a side hustle

      freelance work

      advisor engagements

      mentorship

      volunteer commitments

      part-time work

      For example, one of our clients had been laid off and – a few months later – received an offer for a more senior role than she’d previously had. However, during the negotiation process, she picked up on some red flags along the way. Because she had ongoing freelance work on the side (even though it wasn’t paying what a full-time role would), she was comfortable enough to turn down the offer and keep looking. Seven weeks later, she received a higher offer from a better company she was much more excited to join. 

      It’s also imperative to build self-confidence: your thoughts create leverage and, over time, self-worth. Holding your standards high creates financial value. If you believe in your skills and talents and that you deserve what you’re requesting, you’ll be set up for more success.

      Related: Try Hired’s salary calculator

      Be open to possibilities 

      That said, you do need to keep your options open. It may seem exhausting to remain constantly on the lookout for your next job, but knowing you’re not tied to any one option will give you stronger leverage. Spend some time researching companies you’d like to work for and people you’d like to work with. 

      Keep track of the companies and people to stay in touch with – a simple spreadsheet should suffice – and check in with them annually. It may feel awkward or “disloyal” to your current company, but remember that your career comes first and you’re under no obligation not to explore. 

      Also, make sure not to decrease your leverage. Don’t schedule your first interviews at your top-choice companies; start with companies you’re less excited about to get some practice. At the same time, avoid glorifying companies: no company or role is perfect, and it’s always worth having options. 

      Consider the companies you’re interested in and then explore their competitors, too. Give a chance to companies that you’re less enthused about; it’s great to have a backup plan and it’s worth building your confidence by talking with companies that are interested in you.

      Finally, don’t let lifestyle creep cut into your leverage. You hold leverage by not needing to accept a wrong-fit job, so be sure you’re spending and saving wisely. While it may be tempting to spend more as you make more, be realistic and practical. When your savings and financial runway allow you to be choosy about jobs and only accept the best, you’ll be glad you did.

      Leverage the company’s BATNA

      Next, you’ll need to think past your own BATNA and dig into that of the company. This will help you better suss out how much leverage you have to negotiate. In general, jobseekers don’t do enough due diligence to understand the BATNA of the companies they’re considering and it does them a disservice when it comes to negotiating. 

      How do you do this? Ask your recruiter or potential future teammates these questions throughout the process:

      Why is this role open? 

      Did someone leave? If so, why?

      How long have they been trying to fill it? Is it urgent?

      Is the hiring manager currently back-filling this role?

      Are there any other candidates at the offer stage? How do they compare to you? 

      What are the company’s highest priorities and needs, both immediately and in the long term, that you are most equipped to help with? 

      What do they need that you don’t bring to the table? 

      You have greater leverage when the company believes their BATNA to be weak and you know yours to be strong. Their BATNA may seem weak if the role has been open a long time, is urgently needed, and you bring the necessary experience and skills to achieve their goals – and their other candidates don’t measure up. The more you know about their situation, the more leverage you have. 

      Step 2: Create and invest in building social capital

      Most engineers underestimate the impact of power and influence in negotiating a job offer. They want their skills to stand for themselves. Plus, companies design their hiring and compensation practices specifically to prevent influence – as it inherently leads to biased decisions – but power and influence play a role regardless. This shows up in a few ways.

      The individual you typically negotiate with (likely a recruiter or HR professional) is intentionally separate from the person you’ll actually work for (your manager). While this may help reduce bias (companies don’t want a manager with a strong bias toward a candidate to push for that candidate to be paid outside of what the company deems fair), it also disempowers the candidate by forcing the negotiation to be distributive rather than integrative. 

      It’s true that managers don’t usually have much control over the compensation offered, but the common refrain of “your compensation is up to HR” is a misconception. That said, the argument for higher pay can’t come from the recruiter themself; to have an effect, it needs to come from the hiring manager or leadership team. 

      A manager who is especially excited about a candidate can influence a lot more than HR or Recruiting. This includes the leveling of the role, where in the pay band (or outside of the band) an offer falls, whether the role is designated as critical, if a signing bonus is offered, deadlines, and more.  

      The significance of deadlines

      On the topic of deadlines, it’s important to be aware that the hiring manager defines offer deadlines. If a manager wants to extend your deadline for needing to make a decision, the recruiter will wait. 

      One of the most common ways recruiters create pressure and out-negotiate candidates is by setting false deadlines. In reality, timelines for interviews, offers, and start dates are much more negotiable than most candidates realize. 

      Not long ago, an engineer we worked with received word from a third-party recruiter that she needed to respond to a job offer right away – and that because she hadn’t responded yet, it showed a lack of interest in the company. 

      Rather than get caught up in the pressure, the candidate reached out to the hiring manager, who happened to be both on vacation and completely unaware of the alleged deadline. The hiring manager encouraged the candidate to take another week or two to think everything over, allowing her to close out another interview process and make the most informed decision about which opportunity was best. 

      If a company isn’t willing to be flexible and give you the time you need to think things over – what’s it going to be like to work there? This is an area where self-confidence and leverage come strongly into play: if you know your worth and what you’re willing to accept, you can push back and get what you need. 

      Step 3: Make a strategic ask

      Think beyond the money

      The biggest wins often come from non-monetary asks. Don’t focus on just your annual compensation, but on your compensation five years from now – or even further out. 

      Think like Louie Bacaj. A former engineering leader at Jet.com, Louie has published his earnings over time. At first glance, it looks like a consistently steady increase, but if you look closer you can see some strategic decisions that kept his pay stagnant – or even slightly reduced – in the short term, but ultimately led him to a huge opportunity with a high payoff. 

      For example, when he joined Jet.com in 2015 he actually took a step down in pay – and made a lateral move in terms of title. However, he had learned that the new role would give him management experience and he was really excited about joining a startup on the ground floor. Within two years, he’d surpassed his previous earnings and had more than doubled them within four years. 

      As counter-intuitive as it may be for me, as someone who owns a negotiation company to say: sometimes, the non-monetary aspects of a role – and where it will take your career – are worth a temporary step down in pay. 

      Level up

      Another non-monetary area to consider in your negotiations is level. This may require additional interviews but often pays off! 

      Recently, an engineering leader was offered a Senior Engineering Manager position at a Series B startup but asked to be considered for a Director-level position. After four more interviews, she received a Director offer. Not only did she end up with a $50K/year pay increase, but she also got the satisfaction of knowing she was joining at the right level. 

      Avoid a bad fit

      We’ve also had clients identify bad or wrong-fit jobs through the negotiation process, saving them from the stress of finding out once they’ve already started. One client negotiated with a CEO who was increasingly uncommunicative, so the client rejected the offer – and found out soon after that the person he’d report to would be leaving the company. 

      Collect career capital

      Career capital – the skills, connections, and experiences that set you up for future success – should also be an area of focus. Just like Louie Bacaj, you may find that while a role isn’t a massive increase in compensation, it brings connections or credentials that will help you grow (and maximize your earning potential) in the future. 

      Freedom in flexibility

      Of course, you shouldn’t forget flexibility. The ability to work remotely (or even part-time)  can have an impressive impact on your mental health and family life – or give you time to focus on that side hustle and keep increasing your BATNA! 

      It all comes back down to leverage; this applies to how you should (or shouldn’t) evaluate a career option. Two important variables to assess here are:

      The role scope/opportunity for you to make an impact 

      The company’s opportunity for growth and impact 

      The best career choices are those that offer the chance to make the highest impact or provide the opportunity to be paid to learn. Over time, this leads to financial gain.

      Take smart risks

      In our experience helping thousands of people negotiate, the data shows less than a 1% chance of losing your offer from negotiating. To further reduce that More

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      Invest in Your Success: The Ultimate Salary Negotiation Workshop (VIDEO)

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      Attendees of this webinar left with the need-to-know points from Hired and Pathrise’s Ultimate Guide to Salary Negotiation and their very own salary negotiation script to help them face their next negotiation with courage. Now, we bring you this discussion and interactive strategy session on demand! Keep reading for the first point the experts want you to take away from the guide.

      You’ll hear from:

      Read the beginning of the conversation here and scroll down to access the full webinar. 

      Let’s review the first key takeaway from the guide. 

      Meagan

      Research is really the most important thing for a salary negotiation. In my opinion, research should be done before you even start the interview process. You may have a number in mind based on your previous salary and that’s really a great jumping-off point. But doing your research can actually help you validate if that number is reasonable and help you achieve it as well. 

      Companies entering the process with a salary range in mind will consider a number of factors that determine where you fall within that range. 

      One of these factors is industry. If you’re doing your research on what average salaries are, don’t just look for the average salaries for anyone serving in your role across the board. Make sure you’re doing research on the type of company you’re interviewing with and the industry they’re in – not just what the average salaries are at that company. 

      Also, include their competitors. See what the average salaries are for a similar role at those companies to see how they stack up. There really can be different averages just depending on if you’re looking at fintech, health tech, all of those things. 

      Seniority is another one. Check out what the average salaries are, not just for the role that you are in because roles are different at different companies. You may be leveled at Software Engineer II at your current company but that could be considered a Senior Software Engineer at another company. 

      Related: Code Your Career: Staying Competitive in the Developer Job Market (VIDEO)

      Make sure that you’re doing this research to determine if you put your best foot forward and make yourself stand out in the interview process, where do you think you could be leveled? That can actually change a lot based on not just your previous performance and work history, but how you perform during the interview. Make sure you’re feeling confident going into all those conversations. 

      The last thing I’ll call out is location. The graph references some average salaries in different cities. No matter where the company is located, the salary is actually based on your home location. This is particularly important with so many of us being remote right now. 

      When you’re analyzing the average salaries for a company, keep in mind they may have employees in cities with very different cost of living than your own. Ask that question maybe during the conversation: where’s most of the team located? 

      If you’re looking for more information on calculating cost of living since it can be a little tricky, you can actually read and reference our 2022 State of Tech Salaries report and use one of the online tools suggested in the Salary Negotiation Guide to calculate and compare cost of living.

      Related: Hired’s Salary Calculator

      Alex

      Cost of living is important to consider for your personal finances, but it’s not going to be an effective argument for your negotiations. Companies factor in location when determining pay bands, but they don’t actually look at the cost of living. They look at the cost of labor. 

      Cost of labor refers to how much it takes to hire and retain employees with the qualifications to do a job in a certain industry in place. The formula itself is not important, but you do need to understand that since they are looking at the cost of labor, doing research on the market rate for your role, level, and location is what’s actually important. 

      When you go into the negotiation, be ready to point to a source on the market rate. Don’t worry about showing how much it would cost for you to live in a particular area because the fact is, honestly, employers don’t actually care about that.

      Other key topics from the conversation include: 

      More key takeaways from The Ultimate Guide to Salary Negotiation 

      How to create a salary negotiation script  More

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      The Ultimate Guide to Salary Negotiation

      by

      What You’ll Learn

      Which factors contribute to your salary

      What not to say during a salary negotiation

      How to negotiate beyond base salary

      About this Guide

      Whether you’re looking for a new job or simply hoping for a raise within your current company, salary negotiation is a skill that can not only help you secure higher pay, but positively impact how your work is valued as your progress through your career. To ensure that you’re not only prepared but ready to land the salary you deserve, make sure to arm yourself with the right information.  More

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      Want to Ace Your Technical Interview? A Guide to Prepare Software Engineers

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      Whether you’re early in your career or a seasoned full stack, back-end, or front-end engineer, technical interviews may be stressful if you feel unprepared. While the most important piece of these interviews is, of course, your technical skills, we have some strategies to help you put your best foot forward. 

      After all, going in with confidence and preparation is the best way to ease those nerves and let your skills shine through. So, what is it you’re getting yourself into? 

      Technical interviews put a (fun?) spin on the typical job search process. In many ways, they let you, as an engineer, do what you do best! Take them as your opportunity to “walk the walk” instead of just “talk the talk.” 

      We’ve collaborated with our partner Educative to bring you tips to level up your technical interview game.

      What this Technical Interview Guide for Full Stack, Front-end, and Back-end Engineers Covers

      1. How to prepare for technical interviews

      Technical interviews take many forms and are known by various names. We break them down. We also give you a multi-week plan to give you plenty of time to work through examples and study up using suggested resources.  

      2. What employers look for in technical interviews 

      We review some of the major concepts and skills interviewers assess specifically for front-end developers, back-end developers, and full stack developers.

      3. Common technical interview mistakes to avoid 

      After spending time reviewing what you should do, we warn you on what to avoid. Find the top three technical interview no-nos in this chapter. 

      4. Helpful resources 

      By this time, you’re well on your way to nailing your next technical interview. Use our compilation of links to more resources to continue studying with a narrower focus.

      5. After the interview

      In this section, we coach you through this post-interview phase, including how to use it to your advantage and other best practices. 

      Ready to download your comprehensive Technical Interview Guide? Here you go! More

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      FAQs from Jobseekers: Approaching the Technical Interview with Confidence (VIDEO)

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      Technical interviewing takes skill and is actually a skill in itself. In this AMA-style discussion (now on-demand!), experts helped jobseekers problem-solve their way to nailing their next technical interview. Keep reading for candid and actionable advice from the experts.

      You’ll hear from:

      Sophia Koehl, Partnerships, Hired

      Omkar Deshpande, Head of Technical Curriculum, Interview Kickstart

      Nate Becker, Candidate Experience, Hired

      Read the beginning of the conversation here and scroll down to access the full webinar. 

      What are the fundamentals of a technical interview? 

      Nate

      I think it’s important to note this is a multi step process. It’s not a one and done situation. I would read and reread the job description, do some research on the company, and review the fundamentals of your own technical specializations. For the more personal side, practice talking about your professional background. I recommend Interview Kickstart’s Technical Interview Checklist. 

      Consider the stages of the interview ahead of time. First, you have a phone screen, a sort of a “tell me about yourself and why are you applying.” Then, there’s usually a take-home assessment, which is preliminary and usually done through a test coding platform or a shared doc. From there, you’d have an on-site or in-person evaluation where your programming skills are assessed in real time by an interviewer. 

      If you are on the Hired platform, you could take advantage of assessments to showcase your skills to employers. A lot of the companies on our platform prioritize candidates who have taken these Hired assessments. Keep in mind that this doesn’t replace a coding interview and is more of a preliminary screen. 

      Omkar

      In an ideal coding interview, you are given a problem, or an unseen question. The interviewer wants to see whether you can design an algorithm or a recipe that correctly solves the given question by relying on fundamental computer science principles and problem solving strategies. Your solution also needs to run fast, take the least possible time, and use very little space.

      Once you have designed a correct and efficient algorithm, you have to implement it in the programming language of your choice with a high probability that the code would run correctly the first time you execute it. They’re testing your problem solving ability and your coding fluency. Both of these depend on knowledge of computer science fundamentals. That’s how I look at the structure of a coding interview. 

      Why is it worthwhile to spend more time on interview prep instead of jumping straight into applying and interviewing?

      Nate

      It would be to your advantage to consider the state of the market. Look at the time we’re in right now. This is a great time to take advantage of the downtime and prep. Take the time now to land an interview you really want. It may benefit your career in the long run to invest time and energy up front. When I say timeliness, I’m talking about the recent layoffs folks have been experiencing and the impact of that. Really consider if you have free time and do the prep work. We have a great eBook on layoffs and how to bounce back better than ever.

      Omkar

      The reality is that competition is high. People share frequently asked questions online on platforms like Leetcode. Everyone knows what questions are likely to be asked and they’re not easy to solve. Prep is necessary, otherwise you’re going to stumble on the spot. 

      There’s a misconception that interview prep is a waste of time because you basically have to memorize the solutions to those frequently asked problems. If you prep the right way, it’s an opportunity to relearn the fundamentals of computer science. Preparing properly increases your chances of getting multiple offers and thereby a significantly higher salary.

      When you start a new job, you have that confidence in yourself because you cracked the interview based on your understanding of computer science principles. You become a better engineer as a result of preparing in the right way.

      Other key topics from the conversation include: 

      Which programming language to use for a technical interview 

      How to create a study plan

      Technical interviews at FAANG companies vs smaller companies

      How to present your tech experience 

      And more!  More