Did you know that the tech industry has the toughest job interviews of any sector?
And it’s not surprising to see why. Unlike a typical Q&A format, job interviews for tech roles like software engineering also involve coding challenges that test a candidate’s technical skills and abilities to cope with pressure and problem-solve.
This means that you’re going to need a lot more than the technical know-how to clear your job interviews. And this is where Speak_ comes in. Speak_ is a recruiting platform that helps software engineers, particularly members of underrepresented communities, get hired faster through its interview prep course and partnerships with companies with solid diversity and inclusion policies.
The question is: Is it worth it?
Speak_ is an interview prep service that uses cohort-based programs to prepare underrepresented software engineers and place them at top companies.
Ace your next interview with Speak_’s help.Speak_ Outcomes Review: Success by the Numbers
Since its inception in 2021, Speak_ has helped over 500 job-seeking software engineers ace their job interviews and secure employment at tech companies that include Amazon, Labelbox, GoDaddy, and many more. While some students get hired directly after the program, others usually sit through one to three interviews before they receive a job offer. To date, its interview prep program has been completed by nearly 3,000 students.
Speak_ Student Reviews
Numbers are good, but it’s always better to hear directly from professionals who experienced firsthand what it’s like to go through Speak_’s interview prep training. Below we feature reviews from Speak_ users Andrea Ovalle and Tatiana Santos.
Andrea Ovalle
Andrea Ovalle had been working as a research assistant for a cancer institute when she decided to shift careers and break into tech. Unlike other career shifters who had to start from square one, Andrea already had some background in web application and software development, having earned a graduate certificate from the Metropolitan College of Boston University.
That said, leaving a job for a career in a new industry means she needed additional support to make sure she would succeed. So, Andrea enrolled in Speak_’s two-week interview prep course, and it gave her all the help she needed to breeze through the hiring process.
“Speak_ not only offered me a well-tailored curriculum of technical exercises and interview tips but also offered me a space to talk about the arduous process of interviewing in the tech industry,” Andrea noted.
Specifically, she learned the following:
- How to get to know prospective companies, including their mission and vision
- How to communicate her technical expertise
- How to consistently practice her interviewing skills
The virtual meetings also helped her connect with other peers and share their frustrations and challenges over the job application process. As she put it, “I found value and validation in those conversations, and I very much appreciated all of their wise advice!“
Beyond that, she also found a job. Speak_ introduced Andrea to one of its partner companies, Labelbox, a data-label training data platform. And in a few weeks, she landed her first full-time tech job as an associate machine learning support engineer.
Tatiana Santos
Tatiana Santos holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in computer science and over two years of experience working as a full-time software engineer. But she wanted to reach higher—that is, land a job at a leading tech company.
With Speak_’s interview prep course, Tatiana made this dream into reality. After preparing with Speak_, Tatiana landed a full-time job at Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a software engineer. She thanked the Speak_ community for “not only preparing me for this opportunity but for encouraging me to take up space and show up authentically.”
What Can Speak_ Do for You?
Speak_ makes the above successes possible through two main initiatives: (1) its interview prep program and (2) its employer network.
Interview Prep Program
Speak_ provides aspiring tech professionals who are stuck in the employment process with a way to improve their job search skills. Do you have a degree in computer science or other engineering degrees such as mechanical, electric, and civil? Or do you have math and data science qualifications? Either way, you’re eligible to apply for Speak_’s free two-week interview prep course.
Speak_’s interview preparation program consists of two weeks of enhancing your hard and soft skills. Expect to receive curated learning materials and gain access to cohort workshops, pair programming sessions, interview assistance, and mock job interviews.
Candidate Matching with Hiring Partners
Once you’ve completed your interview prep training, Speak_ will not just match you with one of its hiring partners, it will also provide you with company-specific soft skills training to fully prepare you for the onsite job interview with the company.
Speak_ partners with leading tech companies that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, such as Amazon, GoDaddy, Socotra, Bonusly, and Robinhood. Only during the last quarter of 2022 Speak_ placed over 40 candidates at Amazon.
Is Speak_ Interview Prep Course Worth It?
The short answer: yes, it is. Speak_’s interview preparation service has already helped over 500 minority tech talents land full-time tech jobs at a wide range of leading tech companies—and counting. And all they had to do was commit two weeks of their time to the program at $0.
Anyone with a degree in computer science and other engineering degrees, knowledge of programming languages, and proficiency in fundamental concepts like data structures and algorithms can apply. There’s no reason not to try it out.
Impress employers and boost your chances of getting hired when you enroll in Speak_’s free interview prep course.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
