Mastering the Software Engineering Interview from Coursera

You’ve hit a major milestone as a computer scientist and are becoming a capable programmer. You now know how to solve problems, write algorithms, and analyze solutions; and you have a wealth of tools (like data structures) at your disposal. You may now be ready for an internship or (possibly) an entry-level software engineering job. But can you land the internship/job? It depends in part on how well you can solve new technical problems and communicate during interviews. How can you get better at this? Practice!

With the support of Google’s recruiting and engineering teams we’ve provided tips, examples, and practice opportunities in this course that may help you with a number of tech companies. We’ll assist you to organize into teams to practice. Lastly, we’ll give you basic job search advice, and tips for succeeding once you’re on the job.

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome & What is a Software Engineering Interview?

Welcome to our course on effectively communicating your technical abilities. This course focuses on landing a technical job and excelling in a technical role. To succeed in job interviews, you’ll need to be able to confidently articulate your ability to solve challenging problems and come up with new solutions under potentially stressful conditions. After getting a technical job, the role of communication increases even more. You’ll need to work with other members of the team, communicate technical challenges and successes, and potentially sell the value of your work to those outside the company. Our goal is that by the end of this course each and every one of you understands the importance of technical communication, and has received constructive feedback on areas of potential improvement. In achieving this goal you will also learn about algorithmic thinking on the fly, how to evaluate a good interview answer to a difficult technical problem, and how “soft” skills impact interview outcomes. In this module, we’ll begin to see what a technical interview looks like, from the perspective of a major tech company. We’ll then focus on how to best get the interview in the first place. If you're not in the job market right now, you might want to skim the videos in this module and skip ahead to the Resume Critique (for insights about how to present yourself in writing) or the Introductions assignment (on effectively presenting yourself in person).

Welcome & What is a Software Engineering Interview?: Lesson Choices

Live coding: the technical phone interview and beyond

Now that you’ve gotten warmed up, it’s time to practice your coding skills. One of the things you’ll almost certainly be asked to do during a technical phone interview is to code up a solution to a problem in a shared text document (e.g. Google doc) while you are on the phone with the interviewer. This experience can be intimidating, unfamiliar and humbling if you are not prepared, so this week we will give you lots of practice and tips for getting through this part of the interview with flying colors.

Explaining what you've already done

This week, we’re going to focus on how to speak about your experiences working on projects and how to speak about the technical problems you’ve experienced and how you’ve solved those problems. We’ll introduce the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Results) model for presenting your work, and discuss how to and how not to present the problem you worked on and the solution you developed. We’ll also discuss the communication skills that are critical to this task. It’s a fun week with lots of examples (both good and bad), which ends with an assignment where you will present your own work on video and submit this video for peer review.

Explaining what you've already done: Lesson Choices

Algorithmic thinking on the fly

As we saw in week 2, coding on the fly can be a difficult task! In this final week of the course we’ll revisit the skill of live problem solving by looking at how to solve more challenging algorithmic problems (and write the code associated with the solution) on the whiteboard. You’ll recognize these problems as “classic” interview problems you’ve probably heard a lot about, designed to test your problem solving skills as well as your analysis and coding abilities. Don’t worry, we’ll teach you how to approach them with confidence through a 6-step process to addressing technical questions (hint: you don’t have to produce the perfect solution on the first try!). We’ll show you how to use this process in a number of examples. But of course, there is no substitute for practice, so we’ll set you up with how to train and evaluate yourself.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops technical communication skills, namely soft skills that are essential for on-the-job success

Examines different types of technical interview questions, including behavioral, whiteboard, and phone interviews

Teaches the STAR method for presenting work experience and problem-solving skills in a clear and concise manner

Develops skills in algorithmic thinking and live problem-solving using a systematic approach

Taught by instructors from Google, providing insights and practical tips from industry experts

Emphasizes the importance of job search strategies and interview preparation, providing a holistic approach to career development

Reviews summary

Well received software engineering interview prep

According to students, this course offers valuable preparation for software engineering interviews. The lectures are informative and engaging, and the assignments are practical and helpful.

The assignments in this course are practical and helpful for interview preparation.

"The assignments are very helpful in practicing for coding interviews."

"The assignments are well-designed and provide a good challenge."

"I found the assignments to be very helpful in preparing for my interviews."

Learners find the lectures in this course to be informative and engaging.

"The lectures are very informative and well-organized."

"I found the lectures to be very engaging and helpful."

"The instructor does a great job of explaining the concepts in a clear and concise way."

Many students find this course helpful for preparing for software engineering interviews.

"This course is a great way to prepare for software engineering interviews."

"The assignments are very helpful in practicing for coding interviews."

"I would highly recommend this course to anyone who is preparing for a software engineering interview."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Mastering the Software Engineering Interview with these activities:

Review basics of algorithms

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Refresh your understanding of basic algorithms and data structures to prepare for the course.

Browse courses on Algorithms

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Review notes or textbooks from previous courses.
Solve practice problems on sites like LeetCode or HackerRank.

Review Cracking the Coding Interview

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Read this classic book to gain insights into coding interviews and practice your problem-solving skills.

View Cracking the Coding Interview: 189 Programming... on Amazon

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Read through the chapters on algorithms and data structures.
Solve the practice problems at the end of each chapter.

Organize course materials

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Get organized for the course by compiling all materials in one place.

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Create a folder or notebook for all course materials.
Gather and organize notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams.

Six other activities

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Attend study sessions

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Join study sessions with peers to discuss course topics and practice problem-solving.

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Find a study group or organize one with classmates.
Meet regularly to discuss course material and work on assignments together.

Practice coding live

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Improve your coding skills by practicing live coding.

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Find a coding partner or join a study group.
Practice coding problems together and discuss solutions.
Use online platforms like CodinGame or HackerEarth for live coding challenges.

Attend coding workshops

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Attend workshops related to the course topics to gain practical experience and learn from experts.

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Find coding workshops offered by universities, companies, or online platforms.
Register for workshops that align with your interests and learning goals.
Attend the workshops and actively participate in the activities.

Develop a personal portfolio

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Create a portfolio of your technical projects to showcase your skills to potential employers.

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Gather your best coding projects.
Create a website or online portfolio to showcase your projects.
Include a resume, cover letter, and any other relevant materials.

Create a technical blog

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Write blog posts about technical topics to solidify your understanding and share your knowledge.

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Choose a topic related to the course material.
Research and write a detailed blog post on the topic.
Share your blog post with others and get feedback.

Participate in coding competitions

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Challenge yourself and test your skills by participating in coding competitions.

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Find coding competitions on platforms like Codeforces, HackerRank, or LeetCode.
Register for the competitions and compete against other participants.
Analyze your performance and identify areas for improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete Mastering the Software Engineering Interview will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract knowledge and insights from data in various forms, both structured and unstructured. This course can be helpful for a Data Scientist by providing practice in analyzing problems, developing solutions, and communicating technical information effectively. The course also covers algorithmic thinking, which can be helpful in understanding the data analysis techniques that need to be used.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, test, and deploy computer software. This course may be useful to a Software Engineer by teaching how to articulate problem-solving skills and solutions under stressful conditions. An understanding of algorithmic thinking, whiteboard problem-solving, and communication strategies are also covered in this course and can be helpful to a Software Engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Database Administrator

Database Administrators maintain and administer databases, ensuring that they are running efficiently and securely. This course can be helpful for Database Administrators by providing practice in analyzing problems and developing solutions. The course also covers effective communication methods, which can be helpful in communicating with stakeholders about database issues.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

IT Project Manager

IT Project Managers plan, execute, and close IT projects. This course can be helpful for an IT Project Manager by providing practice in analyzing problems, developing solutions, and communicating technical information effectively. The course also covers effective communication strategies, which can be useful in communicating with stakeholders about project progress and issues.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Project Manager

Web Developer

Web Developers use programming languages and markup to create websites. A course that focuses on solving technical problems and communicating solutions may assist a Web Developer in improving how they approach building and designing websites. This course also provides practice in coding on the fly which can be helpful when debugging and resolving issues on a website.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Network Administrator

Network Administrators maintain and administer computer networks, ensuring that they are running efficiently and securely. This course may be useful for a Network Administrator by providing practice in analyzing problems and developing solutions. The course also covers effective communication strategies, which can be useful in communicating with stakeholders about technical issues.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Administrator

Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts plan and implement security measures to protect an organization's computer systems and networks. This course can be helpful for an Information Security Analyst by providing practice in analyzing problems and developing solutions. The course also covers effective communication strategies, which can be helpful when working with stakeholders to implement security measures.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create instruction manuals, technical reports, and other documentation to explain complex technical information. This course can be useful for a Technical Writer by providing practice in analyzing problems, developing solutions, and communicating technical information effectively. The course also covers algorithmic thinking, which can be helpful in understanding the technical concepts that need to be explained.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts study an organization's current business processes to define their needs. This course can be helpful for Systems Analysts by providing practice in analyzing problems and developing solutions. The course also covers different methods for presenting solutions, which can be useful when working with stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

Software Architect

Software Architects design, build, and maintain the overall architecture of software systems. This course can be helpful for a Software Architect by providing practice in analyzing problems, developing solutions, and communicating technical information effectively. The course also covers algorithmic thinking, which can be helpful in understanding the design principles that need to be used.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Computer Programmer

Computer Programmers write and test code that allows computer applications and software programs to run. This course may be useful to a Computer Programmer by providing practice in analyzing solutions and coding on the fly. The course also covers how to effectively communicate technical abilities, which can be useful when working with other programmers and stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Programmer

Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality Assurance Analysts test software to identify defects and ensure that it meets quality standards. This course can be helpful to a Quality Assurance Analyst by providing practice in analyzing problems and developing solutions. The course also covers effective communication strategies, which can be useful in communicating with stakeholders about software defects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst

Computer Systems Analyst

Computer Systems Analysts study an organization's current business processes to define their needs and design and implement computer systems to meet those needs. This course can be helpful for a Computer Systems Analyst by providing practice in analyzing problems, developing solutions, and communicating technical information effectively. The course also covers algorithmic thinking, which can be helpful in understanding the system design techniques that need to be used.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Systems Analyst

Information Systems Manager

Information Systems Managers plan, implement, and maintain information systems to ensure that they are meeting the needs of the organization. This course can be helpful for an Information Systems Manager by providing practice in analyzing problems, developing solutions, and communicating technical information effectively. The course also covers effective communication strategies, which can be useful in communicating with stakeholders about information systems needs and issues.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Systems Manager

Database Manager

Database Managers plan, implement, and maintain database systems to ensure that they are running efficiently and securely. This course can be helpful for a Database Manager by providing practice in analyzing problems, developing solutions, and communicating technical information effectively. The course also covers algorithmic thinking, which can be helpful in understanding the database design techniques that need to be used.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Manager