Formation

📅 Mark Your Calendar! 📅 Join us on November 6 @ 5PM PT for an insights-packed session on how to set your job search up for success in 2025. Hear from Sophie Z. Novati Novati (Formation CEO), Rahul Pandey (Taro CEO), and Jordan Cutler (Author of High Growth Engineer) as they break down career strategies to finish the year strong and prep for what’s coming in 2025. We'll explore: 👉 How to navigate job market trends & stay competitive 👉 Pro tips on interview prep & staying productive 👉 Insider tips on getting promoted & knowing when to make your next move Don’t miss the chance to hear from experts who know what it takes to succeed. 👏 Register here: https://lu.ma/6b4bhvsh

A Rising Tide Award is given to a Fellow who positively impacts other Fellows' weeks. 🏆 This week’s Rising Tide winner is Immanuella Umoren! She was nominated for going above and beyond to support a fellow’s learning during their session. 🤩 Her nominator shared: "Immanuella took the time to thoroughly explain system design concepts during our session, providing clear and insightful explanations. She also generously offered additional resources after the meeting to further support my understanding. As a result, I left the session with a much clearer grasp of how to approach and navigate system design interviews effectively." Our Fellowship is better because you're in it, Immanuella! Thank you! 💙

Preparing *well* for technical interviews relies on smart strategies and consistent improvement. Here are 4 key strategies to help you prepare more effectively: 1️⃣ Build a strong foundation Master the basics first. Many tough interview questions are built on foundational concepts. 2️⃣ Collaborate in group sessions Group sessions and pair programming help you see new approaches, improve communication, and mimic teamwork in real-world settings. 3️⃣ Seek consistent feedback Find feedback loops with mentors, peers, or online communities. Identify weak areas, work on them, and use feedback to grow — avoiding repeated mistakes. 4️⃣ Maximize learning from every problem After solving a problem, reflect on your approach. Can the code be more efficient? What went well, and what could improve? This is key to turning good into great. Prepare smarter, not harder. 💪

A Lighthouse Award is given to mentors who are recognized and nominated for positively impacting Fellows' weeks. This week's Lighthouse Award winner is... Kyle Gabriel 🎉 Kyle's nominator shared: "Kyle is an awesome interviewer! He gave extensive feedback, and I now have a specific set of things I know I can work on and improve. I like that he focused on evaluating my interviewing skills over my problem-solving skills and gave me key insights into what interviewers are looking for based on the candidate's target level." Thank you, Kyle, for everything you do for our Fellows! 🤩

Mock interviews are a great tool to get a feel for real interview conditions. They help you practice under pressure and get comfortable explaining your thought process. But they’re not a magic fix for everything. What mock interviews DO: ✅ Simulate real interview pressure ✅ Help you practice solving problems under time constraints ✅ Let you work on managing nerves ✅ Improve how you explain your thought process What mock interviews DON’T do: ❌ Teach you new technical skills ❌ Offer real-time coaching or guidance ❌ Help you correct mistakes as they happen ❌ Ensure long-term improvement without follow-up practice Mock interviews are best when you’ve already built up your skills and need to fine-tune your performance. Learn how to get the most out of mock interviews here: https://lnkd.in/eXzMpd3f

At Formation, we helped a Fellow negotiate a 30% higher offer by guiding them through compensation negotiations with a strategic, data-driven approach. Read their story and find out how you can do the same👇

A Rising Tide Award is given to a Fellow who positively impacts other Fellows' weeks. ⛵ This week, we are celebrating Jaewon Han! Joy was nominated for her excellent coding skills and inspiring a fellow during their session. 🤩 Her nominator shared: "I interviewed Joy this week in a mock, but I ended up doing tons of learning. I saw Joy methodically solve a problem with smooth coding. I saw the engineering method in practice, which gave me a lot of buy-in. I think what she did really well is that she constrained the problem effectively, something I could learn from." Amazing, Joy! Our Fellowship is made better by Fellows like you!

💡 Not all referrals are created equal. It’s a misconception that a referral is a one-size-fits-all solution to landing an interview. Referrals actually range from low-touch, automated submissions to high-touch, personal recommendations. Here’s the difference: 👉 Low-touch referrals are quick and easy; an employee submits your name in the applicant tracking system, but it’s just a small visibility boost. 👉 High-touch referrals happen when an employee personally vouches for you to a recruiter or hiring manager—this one can have a big positive impact. If you're on the job hunt, do your best to increase your chances of receiving a high-touch referral. Learn how here:

Your resume may show your experience, but your cover letter tells your story. It's your chance to explain the "why" behind your career path and make a lasting impression on hiring managers. Some tips: ✅ Tailor it to the company. Mention their mission and the role you’re excited about. ✅ Start strong with a sentence that grabs attention and shows value. ✅ Keep it short. Hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds on a cover letter. ✅ End with a clear call to action. ✅ Send it as a PDF for a polished, professional look. A thoughtful cover letter could be the difference between a 'yes' and a 'no.' More tips and an example: https://lnkd.in/eSf-ej4g

A Lighthouse Award is given to Mentors who are recognized and nominated for making an impact in the Fellows weeks. 🌟 This week’s Lighthouse is Amitabh Srivastav 🤩 Here's what his nominators had to say: "Sessions with Amitabh are always super helpful in deepening my understanding of topics we cover. He is great at making sure everyone is on the same page and uses our engineering method to help us walk through our thoughts. Love that he gives us extra material to try after our sessions to solidify the concept we're on and encourages us to ask him for help. Great mentor for any level of expertise!!" "He checked my code closely and gave helpful hints." "Teaches how to code and how to think—the most important aspect of being an engineer! :D" 🎉 Thank you, Amitabh, for creating such an amazing environment for Fellows!