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An inside look at how Reforge hires software engineers.
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Going through job interviews and learning about hiring processes of top companies is one of the best ways to build a roadmap for your career.
If you’re an engineer looking for career guidance - lucky you! Reforge has shared their philosophy of hiring engineers and the interview process for SWEs and Engineering Leads. If you don’t know Reforge, it’s a platform that offers selective growth-focused programs for experienced professionals in tech, often referred to as the Harvard of tech education.
Reforge's hiring process stands out not just for its meticulousness but also for its ability to differentiate between roles, ensuring that the right candidate fills the right position. When it comes to software engineers and tech leads, the distinctions become even more pronounced. Here's an insightful peek into their method and the underpinning philosophy.
Reforge places a premium on understanding the depth and breadth of a candidate's abilities, but beyond this, they value the potential for growth, adaptability, and alignment with the company's ethos. They believe in hiring not just for the present but for the future. The essence of their process is to identify not just the “what” but also the “how” of a candidate’s past roles, projects, and challenges.
1. Technical Review
For software engineers, technical review revolves around their hands-on experience, the complexity of the projects they’ve tackled, and their problem-solving approach.
For tech leads, while technical proficiency is essential, there's an added emphasis on decision-making, setting technical direction, and weighing technical trade-offs. Leadership in addressing challenges and guiding teams through technical terrains becomes paramount.
Tips for Candidates:
Prepare by revisiting past projects, especially the challenges faced and how they were overcome.
For potential tech leads: Reflect on occasions where you influenced technical decisions or mentored team members.
2. Performance Management, Team Management & Managing Change
For software engineers, the focus might lean towards their adaptability to change, team collaboration, and their response to feedback.
For tech leads, the lens shifts to conflict resolution, performance management, leading teams through ambiguity, and fostering individual growth within the team.
Tips for Candidates:
Reflect on instances where you navigated through change or handled conflicts.
For aspiring tech leads: Consider how you've nurtured growth in team members and how you'd manage varied performance levels.
3. Execution Focus, Managing Priorities, Communication
While software engineers need to showcase their track record in delivering results and handling project responsibilities, tech leads are expected to exhibit skills in pushing back on features, handling urgent requests, and ensuring smooth team communication.
Tips for Candidates:
Highlight projects delivered within tight timelines.
For tech leads: Prepare examples of when you balanced stakeholder expectations with team capabilities.
4. Cross-Functional Partnership, Product / Design Focus
Software engineers should be able to demonstrate collaboration with other teams and a basic understanding of product design implications. In contrast, tech leads must showcase adeptness in bridging technical and non-technical realms, often playing the mediator and translator.
Tips for Candidates:
Brush up on instances where you collaborated with teams outside of engineering.
For tech leads: Reflect on times you've bridged gaps between tech and non-tech stakeholders.
Reforge's nuanced approach to hiring, especially when differentiating between software engineers and tech leads, underscores their commitment to organizational harmony and excellence. For candidates, understanding these nuances and preparing accordingly can make all the difference.
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