#interview prep

I always play and think about the studio's more popular games before I interview with that studio. If I know what game I'm interviewing for (e.g. a sequel to game X), then I try to focus on the franchise and the predecessor. This process usually involves me keeping a notebook and pen nearby and writing observations down while I play relevant to the job that I'm interviewing for (e.g. systems, technical, combat, etc.). I make sure to review my notes later while preparing for the interview and cross-reference everything I observed with the job description. My goal is to have intelligent and reasoned opinions on their shipped game design choices.

I don't do a lot of playing the game after I accept the job offer. Once I'm locked in to go work there, my mindset is to be a knowledge sponge because I know there will be so many new things to learn when I start. We've mutually decided we want to work together, so I focus on that.

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ok i've got a behavioral interview coming up so decided to make this quick guide on how i prepare for these if it helps anyone else trying to land internships or full-time jobs in the tech industry!

the process

1. ⭐ Introduction (10-15 min)

The interviewer wants to know more about you, your career goals, skills, and how you align w/ the company's mission.

Like a compelling essay, you want a strong hook or opening statement. The first question asked is often "Tell me about yourself" and this should be a brief elevator pitch (30 seconds) that highlights your current status (student, major, study area), your relevant experience, why you're interested in the company/why you're a good fit for the company, and what you're looking for (in a job). Practice this in front of a mirror if you have to!

Doing company research is really important for the whole interview! You want to look informed and interested. You can use sites such as:

Twitter Linkedin Glassdoor company website (blogs/news/about/careers page) any press releases/news articles to find info about what the company is focused on or what they care about most.

Find things that are genuinely interesting to *you* and write it down on a separate notepad to remember it

Review the job posting you applied to and review where you meet their expectations (your strengths) and be aware of your weaknesses (be ready to answer like "I'm working on improving my..." or "I hope this company can give me more experience in..")

Top questions: Tell me about yourself, why do you want to work for us, what are your strengths? Why should we hire you?

2. ⭐ Situational Questions (15-30 min)

This is where you use the STAR method to craft your responses to questions about your communication, work ethic, and collaboration style

STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result

Here's a guide + sample questions that you can encounter in any type of interview!

Also, prepare 5-6 solid situations that you can use to anchor your STAR responses. These can come from your resume, where each project can be something you can tie back to another soft/technical skill the company is looking for.

For example, for my hackathon experiences, i can relate it to any collaboration / communication / time crunch / meeting deadlines question. for my research experience, i can relate it to analytical skills / experimental / problem-solving questions.

For me, I put all my projects/experiences on a google doc, and then I write additional bullet points on things I did, problems I solved, challenges, skills I gained, etc. It's kind of like a super expanded resume. It's a great reference at a glance! Reflecting on your experiences/projects is very important as well, whether large or small.

3. ⭐ Closing (5 - 10 min)

This is your opportunity to end on a strong note, re-iterating what makes you a good fit for the company and asking questions that show you've done your research on the role/company!

What are good questions? Questions that aren't easily answerable on the company site, questions that will help YOU make a decision if you want to work for them

Here's some good ones: What is your current work from home / hybrid / in-person policies? What are the most exciting challenges facing your company in the next 6 months? What's the next step in the interview process / when can I expect follow-up? Is there support for junior / entry-level developers (such as mentorship)? How does the company support work-life balance? Can you share any recent projects / initiatives the company has taken on that you're excited about?

Here's some to AVOID: Avoid asking about salary / benefits unless you absolutely need this information before moving forward, Avoid asking questions you can google easily or know by reading the job description, avoid questions that are clearly outside of your interviewers area of expertise

phew, maybe i shouldve broken this into multiple posts, for now this is a quick overview, hope this helps!

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additional (free) resources:

interviewbit - variety of questions listed for behaviorals

tech interview handbook - more details on preparing for STAR and example responses

handshake blog post - list of questions you can ask at the end of any interview

exponent's blog post - FAANG interviewing, focusing on company values, finding peer-to-peer mock interviews

9/5/21 // 14.27

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thank you!! i’m really excited and i cannot wait to start working this summer! it was a two hour interview with four different people so it was super intimidating at first but i’m really happy with the results!! i feel so lucky 

good luck on your interviews! i’m sure they will go great but here are a few tips i picked up while preparing for mine! 

have good lighting: i bought a lamp that had five lightbulbs specifically for this - just make sure your face is well lit and that there’s no glaring light behind you (from a window or otherwise) 

practice with zoom on: forcing yourself to practice on zoom is a great way to see what facial expressions you are making and get more comfortable in front of the camera 

remember to smile: as someone with a resting b*tch face this was very difficult for me lmao - but just keep that in the back of your mind as you prepare and practice (but don’t think about it too much or you won’t hear what the interviewer is saying lmao) 

you can fidget off camera: i had a pair of earrings i was toying with the entire interview and it helped me remain calm throughout the process.