That’s why the Rails Bootcamp team recently traveled across town to the Redfin HQ and met with Bridget Frey, VP of Engineering. Here’s some notes on what says prepares an applicant for a strong interview.
Learn how to break down a problem in a dialog
Some people naturally internalize their problem solving—this is the opposite of what is needed when working on a team. The types of problems that they solve at Redfin are really hard—even if you’re really smart you can’t solve it alone. Hiring managers want to see that a candidate is collaborative, they can dialog, and they can break down tough problems in a way that allows engagement.
Solid knowledge of data structures and algorithms
It’s really important that you have a fundamental knowledge of data structures (like trees, graphs, etc…) and how to use them. Many of these are specific to the languages you’ll be using at the new company—so you should make sure to be read up.
Learn the “Canon of the language”
For every language there are books that are considered the “canon” of that language. It’s important to be really familiar with the language and data structures—it shows that you’ll be able to discuss and interact on day one. At Redfin they read Effective Java, Effective JavaScript, and JavaScript—the Good Parts. She also recommends reading books on basic data structures and algorithms, such as Algorithms.
Review the code of experienced engineers
Find the best engineers, and study their code. Reach out and ask them questions—you’ll learn a ton.
We go to great lengths to connect our bootcamp students with the best in the field and we coach each student on how to prepare themselves to be highly qualified for their next set of interviews.
