Hiring Pipeline (End-to-End)
This folder is a practical walkthrough of how hiring typically works for software/data/ML/infra roles, and what to optimize for at each stage.
If you already know your target lane, jump to 02-Role-Roadmaps/00-Role-Chooser.md.
What gets evaluated (high level)
Across most “high-signal” companies, your interviews are not graded on vibes; they are graded on signals and risk reduction:
- Can you solve problems clearly and correctly?
- Can you communicate tradeoffs and reasoning?
- Can you build/operate real systems (reliability, security, cost)?
- Will you be effective with ambiguous requirements and imperfect information?
For a concrete rubric commonly used across big tech coding interviews, see Tech Interview Handbook’s rubric overview: https://www.techinterviewhandbook.org/coding-interview-rubrics/
Recommended order
- ATS + shortlisting (resume, referrals, targeting)
- Recruiter screen (scope alignment, compensation, process)
- Online assessment / quiz (if used)
- Phone screen(s)
- Onsite/virtual loop (coding, system design, role-specific, behavioral)
- Debrief / hiring committee
- Offer, negotiation, and closing
Cross-links to existing detailed playbooks
This repo already contains deeper playbooks; these new docs are an opinionated “front door”:
- Interview loop overview: 00-START-HERE/02-Interview-Loop-At-A-Glance.md
- Recruiter screen: 03-INTERVIEWS/01-Recruiter-Screen-Playbook.md
- Coding interviews: 03-INTERVIEWS/02-Coding-Interview-Playbook.md
- System design interviews: 03-INTERVIEWS/03-System-Design-Interview-Playbook.md
- ML system design: 03-INTERVIEWS/04-ML-System-Design-Interview.md
- SQL/data interviews: 03-INTERVIEWS/05-SQL-Data-Interview.md
- Behavioral interviews: 03-INTERVIEWS/06-Behavioral-Interview-Playbook.md
- Take-home interviews: 03-INTERVIEWS/07-Take-Home-and-Project-Interviews.md
- Interview day operations: 03-INTERVIEWS/09-Interview-Day-Operations.md
- Offer negotiation: 08-CAREER/04-Offer-Negotiation.md
Sources used for this section
- Amazon Jobs “How we hire” overview (process + role-specific prep links): https://www.amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/interviewing-at-amazon
- Tech Interview Handbook “Software engineering interview guide”: https://www.techinterviewhandbook.org/software-engineering-interview-guide/
- Tech Interview Handbook “Coding interview rubrics”: https://www.techinterviewhandbook.org/coding-interview-rubrics/