Hi! Thanks so much for doing a public AMA! Hopefully these aren't duplicates, I just read through the others quick!
1. What was it in the 14 other "Phone Screenings" that held you back from proceeding to the next rounds?
2. This is a tough question but did you go the route of really boosting your OSP project on your resume and in interviews? Or did the company fully know in interviews it was an OSP project and not a real job and was supportive of that?
3. Did you get a midlevel or senior role? I noticed Codesmith ramping down their language about 95% of people getting midlevel and senior jobs.
4. Would you consider your new company a FAANG company, or do you see it as a starter job?
u/holygosu wrote (the comment Michael replied to):
1. Most of the time I would get to the next round, but I had difficulty with take homes or even my nerves during live technical interviews. I remember my first one I was so nervous I forgot that I can't reassign a const :(. But going to the next round and doing take homes really
u/michaelnovatireplied·
Yes thank you! Have a good day!
u/holygosu wrote (the comment Michael replied to):
I personally did not, but some of my cohort mates have put CodeSmith on their resume and have gotten some positive feedback.
Ultimately, it's up to you, and it's very possible to just create two resumes and see which one gets your more inbounds or not.
u/michaelnovatireplied·★ FEATURED
A lot of top tier entry level recruiters are familiar with Codesmith's OSPs as well and they just read it as bootcamp grads. I work with a bunch of FAANG recruiters and it's not the greatest reputation wise because they perceive this as deceitful, fall for it once, and then warn all the others to watch out for it.
I think excluding it for smaller and more remote companies out side of Silicon Valley would work very well.
So +1 to having two resumes. Don't hide anything with top tier companies, much better off being yourself and telling your story.... Codesmith is very intense and it's more impressive you went through it than the 4 weeks you spent on your OSP.
u/holygosu wrote (the comment Michael replied to):
Hmm I would rank myself as definitely middle of the pack or slightly below middle? I actually was going to quit CodeSmith after week 2, the amount of anxiety and stress I was going through not being able to keep up caused one of my friends to say and I quote, "You're pale but you
u/michaelnovatireplied·★ FEATURED
Are all these companies smaller companies? The top tier companies are still very DS&A focused and Codesmith does hack hours daily to keep preparing for those DS&A interviews but is there even a point if most people aren't going to those companies?
Would you recommend Codesmith for someone trying to break into a top tier company only?