Pragmatic Engineer once explained in a favorite video of mine that when you interview, you should think of the interviewer a someone on your side. They want to succeed, and it actually makes them look good if you do.
To Pragmatic Engineer’s audience, I would ask this: Have you considered the possibility that maybe they are not?
Obviously this is a broad generalization, and surely SOME of them are. Maybe they want to coach you before your interview. Maybe they like you from the beginning. Maybe the decision to pass or fail you is out of their hands, and they have nothing but your best interests at heart and feel nothing but respect for your efforts to put yourself out there, try something new, and dare to dream of working at their company.
But it should not be taken as a given. Have you ever not passed a technical interview, then requested feedback? What did you receive? Was it helpful notes, encouragement, and a step-by-step series of actionable steps you could take to one day interview again? Or, was it unhelpful, half-assed feedback?
Or did they never respond with any feedback at all?
Outside of the interviews, outside of these corporations, some rare software engineers attempt to guide others to success. They avoid gate-keeping, and instead offer their secret tips to you for the low, low price of $15 a month or a one-time payment of $169.95. Their tips are to use AI. Just prompt AI. You are so lucky that these chosen few, by the grace of God, had the decency to provide everyone with a bank account some useful advice. This advice is critical considering many companies do not do the same.
PlayfulProgramming
And with all this promotion of the latest model it requires to vibe code a finance app that doesn’t connect to your bank accounts, one website is offering its services. The website is free, as God intended. It doesn’t do freemium/premium bullshit, it doesn’t pretend to slash your $80 payment to $30, and it isn’t populated by a bunch of AI slop that could have been shitted out with the free version of ChatGPT. It’s a website by writers who actually know things, build things, and genuinely want to help others improve at their craft.
https://playfulprogramming.com
Disclaimer
I am not affiliated with this website in any way. If I were, I imagine they would be appalled by my choice of language.