A huge congratulations to Mr. L on landing multiple Software Engineer offers from top tech companies! His big smile on the offer day was the most rewarding moment for me as a coach.
Mr. L eventually joined Instacart, a prestigious Silicon Valley company that transforms millions of people’s daily life. This is no small feat in the challenging job market these days. He is in Canada, where the tech job market is even 2x worse than the US. Navigating today’s high-tech job hunting can feel like finding your way through Tokyo blindfolded. It’s not just about sending out resumes and hoping for the best or doing hundreds of Leetcode problems. The entire process is about strategy, planning, working hard, and working smart. Acing the interviews is not only about problem solving, it’s also about presenting a full picture of who you are to the employers.
Stand Out by Working Hard and Smart
Albert Einstein famously said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
Mr. L had a stellar academic background and genuine passion about solving hard problems through software. His previous companies were fortunate to have him and he did amazing work. However, Mr. L knew he could do more. After observing his capable peers struggle in today’s tough job market, he realized he needed to work smarter. So, he added one more crucial ingredient to his job search journey: me, as his "personal career GPS."
The Journey: Job Search and Interviews
Together, we identified the gaps (both technical and non-technical) and created a plan. Mr. L put in consistent and hard efforts, e.g., word by word refinement of the resume and cover letters, mock interviews and deep dive analysis, addressing a lot of feedback, and so on.
What truly elevates his performance to the next level is the upgrade of his mindset and mental models that separate high performers from the rest. Landing the offer is not the ultimate goal. Succeeding and thriving on the role is. Mr. L even went beyond by applying the frameworks and mindset to his personal life and experienced pleasant surprises. That showed he truly internalized and generalized the learnings. That made my day!
The Results: Multiple Offers and the Perfect Fit
The result was impressive, yet not surprising. Not one, not two, but multiple offers from top companies within 3 months! Mr. L found himself in the enviable position of choosing between several excellence opportunities. His hard work paid off. Ultimately, he picked a hot Silicon Valley company, Instacart, that not only aligns with his career goals but also offered a competitive compensation package and a flexible work setup.
Final Thoughts
Landing your dream job isn’t magic or luck. It’s the result of your smart, hard, consistent, and deliberate work. Are you ready for your job hunting journey like navigating the giant maze of Tokyo? Remember to bring a “personal GPS” with you.
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