How to Prepare for a Virtual Technical Interview

The Ultimate Guide to Landing and Thriving in a Slack Software Engineering Internship If you're a rising software engineering star searching for an internship that will skyrocket your skills and immerse you in an innovative, fast-paced environment, look no further than Slack. As a global leader in business communication and collaboration, Slack offers an incredible internship program that empowers students to make a real impact, work with cutting-edge technologies, and learn from brilliant mentors in an inclusive, engaging culture. In this ultimate guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to not just land a coveted spot in Slack's software engineering internship, but to make the absolute most of the experience - from acing the interview to delivering wow-worthy work to leveraging your internship for future success. By the end, you'll be ready to shine as a Slack software engineering intern. Why Intern at Slack? Slack is so much more than a messaging app - it's a platform that is revolutionizing how teams work together in every industry. As a software engineering intern at Slack, you'll have the chance to: Tackle challenging, impactful projects that process billions of events and serve millions of users Learn from and collaborate with world-class engineers, product managers, and designers Get exposed to a wide tech stack, from React and JavaScript to Java, Go, and more Contribute your ideas to innovative features and pioneer new technologies Experience a culture that champions diversity, inclusion, belonging, and doing the right thing Earn a competitive salary (around $8,500/month on average) plus awesome perks like housing stipends Attend fun events, learning workshops, speaker series, and team offsites Set yourself up to potentially return full-time and jumpstart your career Past Slack software engineering interns have shipped major product features, built internal tools and automation, optimized systems to increase reliability and performance, and lots more. Whatever team you join, you'll be working on projects that matter alongside the best and brightest in the business. For example, one intern on the Mobile Developer Experience team created an IntelliJ plugin named Skate to help Android developers at Slack stay up-to-date with the latest changes and announcements right in their IDE. They implemented a changelog parsing feature to show a "What's New" panel. The intern got to contribute to open source for the first time while building this, and since it was named after them, their contribution will be remembered. By the end of 12 weeks, interns emerge as key contributors with impressive accomplishments to highlight. Another intern worked on the Foundations team to create a service that generates device capability profiles to optimize notifications across desktop, web and mobile clients. They built a standalone service in Go, integrated it with internal systems using Kafka and protocol buffers, and saw it rolled out to improve real-time sync for millions of users. What Slack Looks For in Software Engineering Interns Slack welcomes interns from diverse backgrounds, but here are some qualities that will help you stand out: Passion for crafting quality code and eagerness to learn new technologies Experience with languages like Java, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go, or C++ Knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and software design principles Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively on a team Drive to take ownership, ask great questions, and see projects through Alignment with Slack's values like empathy, craftsmanship, playfulness, and thriving While having previous internships or specific technical skills can boost your odds, Slack values grit, growth mindset and "talent over tenure." Showcase projects where you've pushed yourself to learn, built something cool, and made your unique mark. Acing the Internship Interview Slack's interview process for software engineering interns typically consists of an initial recruiter phone screen, a technical phone interview, and a virtual onsite. The onsite interview includes 3-4 technical rounds focused on coding, system design, and discussing your past projects and experiences. Here is an overview of common question types and example questions from real Slack intern interviews: Coding and Algorithms Given a binary tree, traverse it in-order and print the values Implement a queue using two stacks Convert a number to its word representation (e.g. 123 -> "one hundred twenty three") Find the max value at each level of a binary tree Determine if two linked lists intersect and return the intersecting node Merge k sorted arrays Practice a range of data structures and algorithms questions, especially those related to trees, linked lists, graphs, and searching/sorting. Use a whiteboard or collaborative code editor to walk through your approach. Discuss optimizations and tradeoffs. System Design Design a notification system that sends push notifications to mobile devices Architect a message search service that can handle Slack's scale Discuss how you would handle real-time messaging and presence Focus on breaking down the problem, identifying key components, and designing interfaces. Talk through your design choices and be ready to adjust based on follow-up questions. Draw diagrams to illustrate your architecture. Behavioral and Experience Tell me about a challenging project you worked on Describe a time you had to influence or persuade others What is your approach to working in a team? Why are you interested in Slack and this role specifically? Prepare several examples of projects or experiences demonstrating your technical abilities, leadership, collaboration, and interest in Slack. Use the STAR method to concisely convey the situation, task, action and result. Emphasize what you learned. The behavioral interview digs deep into who you are, how you think, and what you value. Slack looks for humble, empathetic, and growth-oriented individuals who are passionate about the product and mission. Expect questions to assess your alignment with Slack's values, ability to give and receive feedback, and approach to working with diverse teammates. Share what motivates you about Slack beyond just the technical challenges. Across all interviews, focus on clear communication, asking clarifying questions, and demonstrating curiosity and enthusiasm. Slack cares as much about how you work as what you know. Remember they want to get to know the real you, so relax and let your personality shine. Making the Most of Your Slack Internship You earned your spot - now it's time to make the coming 12 weeks amazing. Some pro tips: Set goals with your manager early on - what do you want to learn and achieve? Embrace tasks outside your comfort zone to stretch your skills - say yes to opportunities! Write clean, tested, well-documented code and ask for feedback to keep improving Participate fully in team rituals like stand-ups and code reviews to stay in the loop Get to know your fellow interns and colleagues through chats, social events, ERGs Leverage Slack's learning stipend for books, courses, or conferences to accelerate your growth Share your work and learnings with your team and the broader intern/Slack community Clarify expectations for a successful internship so you can aim for a return offer Don't forget to enjoy the ride - explore the city, make new friends, geek out over the latest Slack features. The internship will fly by but the memories, relationships and skills you build will last far beyond. From Intern to Dream Job: Leveraging Your Experience Whether you boomerang back to Slack or springboard to another top tech company, your software engineering internship will open many doors. You'll come away with: A robust portfolio of projects that demonstrate your technical and professional chops Glowing references from your manager and team to vouch for your potential A tight network of fellow interns and Slack employees to tap for future opportunities Confidence that you can excel in a fast-paced, high-performing engineering culture Improved communication, collaboration and leadership skills to thrive in any environment Hopefully a full-time offer to return to Slack when you graduate! Start thinking ahead to how you'll tell the story of your Slack internship in future interviews, on your resume, to your classmates and professors. Reflect on the challenges you faced, the triumphs you had, the lessons you learned. Those experiences and accomplishments will be the fuel that powers your career long after you leave Slack's shiny offices. Key Takeaways Landing and thriving in a Slack software engineering internship takes determination, passion and a commitment to continuous learning. In summary: Slack offers paid, autonomous internships tackling high-impact projects on small teams Strong candidates have solid CS fundamentals, collaboration skills, and Slack value alignment The interview process tests coding skills, system design, and behavioral fit through technical screens and virtual onsites Successful interns take ownership, ask for help and feedback, and engage with the Slack community The internship provides a launchpad to incredible career opportunities in tech Ready to shoot for the stars as a software engineering intern at Slack? The opportunity is yours to seize. Bring your curiosity, coding chops, and commitment to crafting your best work, and there's no limit to what you can achieve in your 12 weeks at Slack. This is your moment - let's get after it!

The AI Explosion and the Rise of AI/ML Internships Artificial Intelligence (AI) is experiencing a massive surge in popularity and adoption across various industries. With rapid advancements in machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, the demand for skilled AI professionals is skyrocketing. As a result, many students are curious about the availability and prospects of AI/ML engineering internships. The exciting news is that internship opportunities in this field are indeed increasing, providing aspiring AI/ML engineers with valuable hands-on experience. Colleges Embracing AI Education Recognizing the growing importance of AI, colleges and universities are actively incorporating AI education into their curricula. Leading institutions are introducing dedicated AI majors and programs to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in this field. University of Pennsylvania's Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Artificial Intelligence The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) has taken a significant step forward by announcing a new Bachelor of Science in Engineering program focused on Artificial Intelligence. This groundbreaking program, set to commence in the fall of 2024, is a collaborative effort between the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering and Computer and Information Science. Students enrolled in this program will have the opportunity to specialize in various concentrations, including: Robotics Vision/Language Machine Learning Data/Society Health/Systems UPenn's AI program aims to provide students with a comprehensive education in AI, covering fundamental concepts, practical applications, and ethical considerations. Penn State University's Master of Artificial Intelligence Program Penn State University (PSU) has also recognized the growing demand for AI education and has launched a new Master of Artificial Intelligence program at its Great Valley campus. This innovative program is designed to equip students with cutting-edge skills and knowledge in key areas such as: Machine Learning Deep Learning Computer Vision Natural Language Processing The program caters to both recent graduates and working professionals, offering flexible scheduling options and the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners through the Penn State Nittany AI Alliance. PSU's commitment to providing a comprehensive AI education positions its graduates for success in the rapidly evolving field of AI. Opportunities for AI/ML Internships For undergraduate students aspiring to pursue careers in AI/ML, internships provide invaluable hands-on experience and exposure to real-world projects. The good news is that the competition for AI/ML internships may be less intense compared to more established fields like software engineering. As AI is a relatively new and expanding domain, there is currently a gap between the workforce demand and supply, creating a window of opportunity for motivated students to secure internships. Preparing for AI/ML Internships To increase your chances of landing an AI/ML internship, it's crucial to develop a strong foundation in relevant skills and technologies. Here are some key areas to focus on: Programming Languages Python: Essential for AI/ML development R: Useful for statistical computing and data analysis Java or C++: Relevant for certain specialized applications Machine Learning Libraries and Frameworks scikit-learn: Widely used for general machine learning tasks TensorFlow and PyTorch: Popular frameworks for deep learning Keras: High-level neural network API Data Manipulation and Analysis NumPy: Fundamental for numerical computing Pandas: Powerful library for data manipulation and analysis Matplotlib and Seaborn: Essential for data visualization Version Control and Collaboration Git: Industry-standard version control system GitHub: Platform for code hosting and collaboration Big Data Technologies Hadoop: Distributed storage and processing framework Spark: Fast and general-purpose cluster computing system Cloud Platforms AWS (Amazon Web Services) Google Cloud Microsoft Azure Mathematics and Statistics Linear Algebra Calculus Probability and Statistics Machine Learning Concepts Supervised and Unsupervised Learning Deep Learning Architectures Natural Language Processing (NLP) Computer Vision Database Management SQL for Relational Databases NoSQL Concepts Development Tools Jupyter Notebooks for Interactive Development IDEs like PyCharm or Visual Studio Code Soft Skills Problem-Solving Abilities Communication Skills Teamwork and Collaboration Showcasing Your AI/ML Skills To stand out in the competitive landscape of AI/ML internships, it's essential to showcase your skills and passion for the field. Here are some effective strategies: Build a portfolio of projects demonstrating your AI/ML capabilities Contribute to open-source projects related to AI/ML Participate in AI/ML competitions on platforms like Kaggle Network with professionals in the field through conferences, meetups, or online forums Pursue relevant online courses or certifications to expand your knowledge Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your AI/ML skills and projects Seizing the Opportunity As more colleges introduce dedicated AI majors and programs, the demand for skilled AI professionals continues to rise. This presents a fantastic opportunity for students passionate about AI/ML to secure internships and gain valuable industry experience. By developing a strong skill set, showcasing your capabilities, and proactively seeking opportunities, you can position yourself as a competitive candidate and embark on a rewarding career in the exciting field of Artificial Intelligence. Discover AI/ML Internships with OfferPilot Looking for AI/ML internship opportunities? Look no further than OfferPilot! As a comprehensive job feed, OfferPilot aggregates a wide range of AI/ML engineering positions from various companies. Whether you're seeking internships or full-time roles, OfferPilot provides a centralized platform to explore and apply to AI/ML opportunities that align with your skills and aspirations. With OfferPilot, you can access a curated list of AI/ML internships, saving you time and effort in your job search. The platform offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to filter and search for specific roles based on your preferences. Take advantage of OfferPilot's extensive database and discover exciting AI/ML internships that can kick-start your career in this dynamic field. Start your AI/ML internship journey today with OfferPilot! Visit our job feed to explore a wide range of AI/ML opportunities and take the first step towards a rewarding career in Artificial Intelligence.

The Ultimate Guide to Landing and Thriving in a Mastercard Software Engineering Internship If you're an aspiring software engineer looking for an internship that will jumpstart your career, look no further than Mastercard. As a global leader in payment technology and innovation, Mastercard offers a world-class internship program that immerses students in real-world projects, cutting-edge technologies, and a collaborative, inclusive culture. In this ultimate guide, we'll take you through everything you need to know to not only land a coveted spot in Mastercard's software engineering internship program, but to thrive and make the most of the experience. From understanding what Mastercard looks for in candidates to preparing for interviews, making an impact as an intern, and leveraging the experience for future opportunities, we've got you covered. Why Intern at Mastercard? Mastercard is more than just a credit card company - it's a technology powerhouse that is shaping the future of payments and advancing financial inclusion worldwide. As a software engineering intern at Mastercard, you'll have the chance to: Work on impactful, global-scale projects that process billions of transactions securely and efficiently Collaborate with and learn from brilliant engineers, product managers, and business leaders Gain exposure to a wide range of technologies, from APIs and web development to artificial intelligence, blockchain, and more Contribute your ideas and skills to innovative products and platforms Experience a culture that values diversity, inclusion, innovation, and social impact Earn a competitive salary (around $29/hour on average) along with perks like housing stipends Participate in fun events, community service, speaker series, and professional development workshops Potentially land a full-time return offer and launch your career at an industry-leading company Past Mastercard software engineering interns have worked on projects like building APIs for validating card numbers, integrating with Jenkins pipelines for CI/CD, implementing core backend services in Java and Spring MVC, creating frontend experiences in React, and more. You'll be treated as a full member of an agile team and go through the entire software development lifecycle from design to deployment. In one intern's account, their main project was building a "PanBinVal" API for clients to validate card numbers. This involved learning Spring Boot for the API framework, Jenkins for CI/CD, and Luhn's algorithm for the validation logic. The intern also got to contribute to other projects across teams. So you can expect to not only dive deep on your main project but also collaborate cross-functionally. What Mastercard Looks for in Intern Candidates Mastercard welcomes a diverse range of candidates for software engineering internships, but there are some key qualifications and skills that will help you stand out: Current enrollment in a bachelor's or master's degree program in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field Strong programming skills in languages like Java, Python, JavaScript, C++, etc. Solid grasp of data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented design principles Familiarity with web development technologies like HTML/CSS, REST APIs, databases/SQL Experience with common development tools and practices like Git, Agile, testing frameworks Excellent problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills Passion for technology and eagerness to learn Leadership experience, personal projects, or prior internships are a plus While relevant coursework and technical skills are important, Mastercard also values unique perspectives and strong soft skills. Showcase projects where you've taken initiative, worked collaboratively, overcome challenges, or made an impact. Acing the Interview Process The interview process for Mastercard's software engineering internship is highly competitive, but with the right preparation you can set yourself up for success. Here's what to expect: Online application in early fall (typically August-September) 60-minute online coding assessment with 1-2 technical questions 30-45 minute behavioral and technical phone screens Virtual onsite interview with 2-3 technical rounds and a behavioral round To prepare for the coding assessment and technical interviews, practice a wide variety of data structures and algorithms questions on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, etc. Focus on medium-level problems related to arrays, strings, trees, graphs, dynamic programming, and other common patterns. Here are some examples of actual coding questions asked in Mastercard interviews: Given a list of strings, determine if they can be chained together to form a circle. Each string can be chained with another if the last character of one matches the first of the other. (Graph problem) Implement a function to check if a Binary Search Tree is balanced. (Tree traversal) Calculate the angle between the hour and minute hands of a clock. (Math/geometry) Generate all valid IP addresses from a given string of numbers. (Backtracking) Find the longest palindromic subsequence in a string. (Dynamic programming) To do well on these, make sure you brush up on core CS fundamentals like time/space complexity analysis, object-oriented programming, databases, and operating systems. Crack the Coding Interview and Elements of Programming Interviews are great resources. Be ready to talk through your approach out loud, explaining your thought process and discussing tradeoffs and optimizations. Use a whiteboard or collaborative code editor to practice this skill. Review key concepts in your strongest programming languages and be prepared to implement solutions quickly. For system design interviews, practice breaking down complex problems and talking through your architecture and API design choices. Some sample questions include: Design a system for restaurant reservations Architect a Twitter-like social network Discuss how you would build a real-time dashboard for credit card transactions Focus on things like data models, API contracts, modularity, scalability, reliability, and security. Draw diagrams to illustrate your design and talk through how the components interact. On the behavioral side, prepare several examples of projects or experiences where you've demonstrated relevant skills, leadership, and collaboration. Interviewers may ask about: A challenging project you worked on and how you overcame obstacles A time you had to influence others or resolve a conflict How you approach working in a team and managing stakeholders Why you're passionate about technology and interested in Mastercard specifically Practice concisely communicating these stories using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Convey what you learned and how you grew from each experience. While the interview process is rigorous, it's also a great opportunity to showcase your potential and learn more about Mastercard. Remember to stay curious, be yourself, and let your passion for technology shine through. Making the Most of Your Mastercard Internship Congratulations, you landed the internship! Now it's time to make the most of your 12 weeks as a Mastercard software engineer. Here are some tips: Set clear goals with your manager and mentor early on. What do you want to learn or accomplish? Check in regularly on your progress and growth. Dive into your project and take ownership. Ask questions, offer ideas, and don't be afraid to tackle challenging problems. Your team is there to support you. Write clean, well-documented, and tested code. Follow your team's best practices and style guides. Participate actively in agile ceremonies like stand-ups, planning, and retros. Communicate proactively. Get to know your fellow interns and colleagues. Set up coffee chats, attend social events, and join employee resource groups. Building relationships is key for learning and future opportunities. Take advantage of Mastercard's speaker series, tech talks, and training sessions. They're a great way to explore new topics and technologies. Give back through community service events and mentoring opportunities. Mastercard values making an impact beyond the office. Take care of yourself! It can be tempting to work around the clock, but set boundaries, take breaks, and spend time exploring your internship location. Clarify what a successful internship looks like with your manager. Set yourself up to earn a return offer by delivering excellent work, being a strong team player, and demonstrating leadership. As your internship wraps up, update your resume and LinkedIn with your experiences and skills. Keep in touch with your new network. Reflect on your achievements and learnings to define the next steps in your career journey. From Intern to Full-Time: Leveraging Your Experience Whether you earn a return offer from Mastercard or decide to explore other opportunities, your software engineering internship experience will be a valuable launchpad for your career. You can leverage it to: Strengthen your resume and portfolio with real-world projects and technical skills Boost your confidence in your abilities to collaborate, problem-solve, and create impact Expand your professional network for references, advice, and potential job leads Clarify your career interests and goals based on your hands-on experience Demonstrate your leadership and growth potential to future employers Potentially secure a full-time role at Mastercard or a similar top tech company As you navigate the full-time job search and interview process, draw upon the experiences, skills, and relationships you built during your Mastercard internship. Continued learning and preparation will also serve you well, so keep practicing coding problems, exploring new technologies, and refining your professional skills. Key Takeaways and Resources Earning a software engineering internship at Mastercard takes preparation, passion, and persistence. To recap: Mastercard offers a paid, project-based internship program that exposes you to cutting-edge technologies, innovative products, and an inclusive culture Successful candidates typically have strong technical skills, leadership experience, and a passion for problem-solving and collaboration The interview process involves a coding assessment, phone screens, and virtual onsite interviews focused on technical and behavioral skills As an intern, you'll work on real-world projects like building APIs, backend services, web applications and more while learning from experts Leverage your internship to strengthen your skills, network, and career prospects for future opportunities Here are some key resources to support you in your Mastercard internship journey: Mastercard's university and internship programs: https://careers.mastercard.com/students/ Preparing for coding interviews: Cracking the Coding Interview, Elements of Programming Interviews, LeetCode, HackerRank Brushing up on software design: System Design Primer, Grokking the System Design Interview Learning more about Mastercard's business, culture and technology: Mastercard blogs and press releases, informational interviews with employees Remember, a Mastercard internship is not just a line on your resume - it's an opportunity to grow as an engineer, create real-world impact, and launch an exciting career in technology. By following the advice in this guide and bringing your unique skills and perspective to the table, you can make the most of this Priceless opportunity. We can't wait to see what you'll build!