What I Learned From 100+ Data Engineering Interviews - Interview Tips

[@SeattleDataGuy]

If you want to keep up with data technologies and get advice on how to set up your data stack, then sign up for my newsletter - seattledataguy.substack.com/

[@LukeBarousse]

Interviews in general are just stressful AF, thanks for sharing these tips to help, Ben!

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Yeah, I am glad this was helpful!

[@BJTangerine]

Great to hear your interviewing style is to be more like a fellow team collaborator rather than a pure interviewer/interviewee relationship. I remember an interview which was like this in that the interviewer even threw out the template interview questions and just asked me questions he had off the top of his head, the interview was really much more like a conversation with a lot of back and forth, comments on what I said, further clarifying questions based on a point I raised, etc. And we're always glad to receive a video from you continuing to raise more insight into the data engineering interview, thanks a mil!

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Yeah I try to do my best when interviewing people. I try to help people move forward rather than get stuck.

[@suneilgoel3144]

dude you are such a nice guy. appreciate it!

[@SeattleDataGuy]

thank you!!

[@miguelalcorta3558]

Incredible video - This is super helpful in understanding the paradigm in modern data engineering interviews!! Thank you for the post :)

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Glad I could help!

[@day77012]

This was so motivating , I was feeling so low since just couple days back I had amazon phone screen and I wasn’t able to clear it, I thought it went well overall, but today got an email saying they aren’t moving forward and they do not provide feedback as per their policy🙄, but I will prep hard and try again

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Amazon is a hard one! I have also failed an amazon interview. It's a great interview process to go through and helps you realize how much you need to study.

[@day77012]

@@SeattleDataGuy thanks for the reply, do you provide any coaching for interview prep through interactive video sessions as well ?

[@greatwisdom2867]

Some other recruiter can provide the feedback, if you find one.

[@SeattleDataGuy]

@@day77012 I might at some point, but currently I haven't included it into my services.

[@mayankminawat]

I think you are only referring to the product analytics DE role when you say at the end that there are no algorithm based leetcode questions. The DE role with infra team/org is all about leetcode questions with algorithmic implementation of binary search, bubble sort etc

[@SeattleDataGuy]

You know what, thinking back about 3 years ago when I did interview myself at facebook I interviewed for both types of DE roles and I would agree with this.

[@matthewhoang5034]

I have a data engineering interview tomorrow thanks for the tips video!

[@SeattleDataGuy]

hopefully you got the job!

[@matthewhoang5034]

I did!

[@SeattleDataGuy]

@@matthewhoang5034 that is awesome!

[@georgejetson9801]

Another great video. With your consulting work, do people still want you to code in an interview? I don't think I've had an interview like that in 10 years. Now, it's a discussion of whatever problems they're having and I come up with a proposal.

[@SeattleDataGuy]

I think I had it once for linkedin. But I was working at facebook at the time so I had to turn down the project so I never got to the interview.

[@SeattleDataGuy]

"I think I would have had to for Linkedin"

[@lingxu9697]

If I ever run into you in a Starbucks, I will come and say hi, and thank you for all the amazing videos in person.

[@SeattleDataGuy]

You're too kind!

[@kshitijpathak8646]

Great Video! Can you please elaborate on how to solve sql questions without using lag/lead functions. It would be helpful, if you could provide one sql question ( or share few links) and solve it without using lag/lead (or without any aggregated functions). Thanks for such Incredible contents!

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Yes, I plan to do this soon.

[@Retrosenescent]

11:28 Why do they ask you not to do that?? 12:05 what is an operational question? Can you give an example?

[@SeattleDataGuy]

1. its almost like using a .sort() in python. It's great that you know it but it doesn't show you understand it. 2. This would be a question like, "If we have a dictionary with user as the key and a value that has a country field and a field that represents the visits over the last thirty days in a array of 1s and 0s representing days they visited([0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0....]), how would you calculate the average visits per user by country"

[@carlitos4505]

Must Python really be the main language for Data Engineering? My main tools for data engineering/data analysis is SQL for doing data pulls, Java and Pentaho for ETL and metadata injection stuff, and R for data analysis. I currently work as an entry-level data engineer/data analyst and I love the tools I'm currently working with. But if Python really is the main language for this kinds of stuff for big tech companies, then I should switch to Python, right?

[@SeattleDataGuy]

It really does depend. Zack has a great video about Scala for example. But obviously every company has different tool sets. In general, most people know more than just python. Like I have programmed in Java, Python, C# and Scala (to name a few). So I never really understand picking one language.

[@mirli33]

Can you please give some example of data modeling you have face in your interview?

[@SeattleDataGuy]

I have been asked to model a college with students, courses, classes, professors, also a parking lot(kind of like the classic programming question), an airport/flight data warehouse, uber, for interviews of course.

[@ryandavis280]

thanks. having a hm interview for a DE position at Expedia tmr. I'm a MS business analytics new grad & this would be my first time interviewing for DE.

[@SeattleDataGuy]

How did it go!

[@ryandavis280]

@@SeattleDataGuy the hm interview went great! waiting to be scheduled my loop interview

[@Quantumvp]

I believe this is a general aspect, this will always be relevant unless they hire candidates based off of their personality and driven along with the skills, wether your intermediate or amateur

[@gideonblinick6581]

Great video! What do you mean by "operational" questions (as opposed to algo questions)?

[@SeattleDataGuy]

It's more like operational data structures questions. Like there is no trick to the question. No specific know how that you have to have pulled from some random chapter in data structures and algorithms. Just understand how you would normally work with a dictionary and an array.

[@gideonblinick6581]

@@SeattleDataGuy thanks! is leetcode a good way of prepping for those questions? would be great to see a video specifically on this.

[@marknguyen5269]

Should we build an endpoint product to seeking for position in FAANG> ? as ( Data Engineer )

[@SeattleDataGuy]

As a data engineer, do you mean like build a project? It may or may not help. What I have noticed is there tends to be certain trends in hiring based on experience, school and work background.

[@xmnemonic]

"companies want to hire you." how times have changed...

[@SeattleDataGuy]

big oof...i am so confused by this period of time...facebook is firing people but I recently saw DE jobs for instagram

[@xtremeNarutoPK3]

where can I get that 'in data we trust' poster? :D

[@SeattleDataGuy]

I keep meaning to make into some swag. I had it custom made

[@seanwayland]

what should you do if you cant understand the accent of the interviewer ?

[@JimRohn-u8c]

What are some of these companies issues with window functions

[@SeattleDataGuy]

This is a good question

[@violetjellyfish2089]

I love window functions❤

[@Oliver-tk4ii]

You should still know about stacks, priority queues, etc in python

[@davidlay1782]

Having lost my teaching job after 40 years (Engineering Physics), I am looking at jumping back into industry as someone who, in one capacity or other, will write code. My skills are ancient (assembly language after building computers around the Motorola 6800, BASIC, then later C++, Visual BASIC, HTML-- I have even operated a Univax that took up a whole gymnasium sized room), and now I am learning Javascript and Python. I get the sense industry is looking for young people, not an old guy like me. How do you think I should approach this, if at all?

[@rl1271]

How the fuck do you lose a teaching job? That’s like losing a government job

[@DrVickieChannel]

Teach on KZbin. Start your own thing. You have more credibility. Thank me later.👍

[@TuffHaeTuff]

Is it possible for QA to become a data engineer?

[@CarbonsHDTuts]

Thank you Ben this helps a lot

[@MrAltin311]

Hello, I really enjoy your videos. I am starting as a career path Data Engineer AWS and wanted to ask whats the best laptop( Macbookpro, Dell, Lenovo etc) and laptop configuration ( RAM, SSD etc) to buy that is also future proof. Thank you 😊

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Hahaha that is a question. I am having issues with my new mac book pro with the M1 chip. There are a bunch of technologies that are not built to run off of the chip....K8s has some issues, confluent etc etc..

[@MrAltin311]

Thank you for responding, I was about to but a Macbookpro 14 with the M1pro chip, if that is not a good choice, what do you suggest?

[@iamcreasy]

Why those companies are discouraging from using lead/lag/sum over partition? Is the alternative better?

[@SeattleDataGuy]

I think there might be two reasons. One, for a while there, some systems didn't provide that functionality and the other is just to see if you can figure it out

[@rachelzhang5709]

0:03 you mean meta?

[@SeattleDataGuy]

How embarrassing, as a founding member of meta...I should know better

[@LukeBarousse]

😂🤣

[@lalligood]

Interviewing is a skill that requires practice. The best way to practice is to interview then take notes. Iterate & refine your questions/answers. Speaking of interview questions, I have found making a spreadsheet--yes, a spreadsheet!--of questions (containing a worksheet relevant to each person/phase of the interview process that I am in) that I want to have answers to before I accept an offer from a prospective employer.

[@SeattleDataGuy]

I totally agree! I also put together a spreadsheet so I totally know that feeling. It's a great way of tracking things and seeing where you can grow.

[@ifeoluwadaranijo6926]

Hello data guy, I have a code interview for a DE role in next 3days, may you suggest what I should focus, it is not data structure and algorithm

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Sorry just getting to this. how did it go!/

[@ifeoluwadaranijo6926]

Got the job

[@joemamma4444]

@@ifeoluwadaranijo6926 how was the challenge?

[@jedidja8020]

Why do you not have to use LAD or LEAD?

[@kangthaniya2702]

I don't have a IT degree. Can i become a data engineer ??

[@SeattleDataGuy]

It is possible. But you will need to learn programming and some other IT skills

[@kendrickf-d6695]

The best way to interview is to hire me evertytime, viola😂

[@SeattleDataGuy]

boom!

[@awadheshsingh7299]

Anybody alse notice that the lava is shaking a lot?

[@andrewmaxwell9399]

Hey man, may i ask a question? I have an ETL experiences with 2 etl tools and multiple RDBMS (on premise), and i wanted to shift into Data Engineering roles that works usually combining ETL Tools+Python and its libraries/frameworks, am i considered as new graduates or industry professionals? Since i don't have any experiences with Python ? And does it usually means i have to take "paycut"? let's say i make $500 a month as ETL Developer, and i wanted to shift to Data Engineer roles , does it means i will be getting paid like $300 a month since i don't have DE experiences? I really need some guidance... Thankyou :)

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Hopefully you don't have to take a paycut. I would try to dove tail your experience into a higher position. For python experience, I would start working with it and use it for a few projects at your current company.

[@andrewmaxwell9399]

​@@SeattleDataGuy Thankyou for the guidance, i've already interviewed by some of the companies, they sent me a "test" to make a pipeline in python pandas, and i created a "crappy one" but hey it works and makes me pass through the "test" section lol I was just doing procedural style, without OOP or def function. Then when i said to them i don't have any python exeperiences, and tell them how i work with the test with "how to do this to do that in python pandas" after that i don't hear anything from them again . But yeah, still it's an achievement for me that i can even pass through the test :)

[@doublemind1192]

7:17

[@farPositive]

Nice shirt though! 😃

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Thanks! But why though?

[@farPositive]

@@SeattleDataGuy Haha.. Now even I have to think why!? Think I commented as soon as I started watching.. It's like irrespective of the content.. Now it can be changed to 'too' :)

[@snap.storieshub]

do the interviews include stuff related to distributed computing and streaming?

[@SeattleDataGuy]

For facebook? Sort of, but more abstractly

[@albi7894]

I noticed you don't even mention Scala. Isn't it the best language to use spark with?

[@SeattleDataGuy]

Generally yes. But the next question is, which companies will you need to use scala at. Linkedin, Netflix and Airbnb yes, Amazon, Facebook and Google, no. I believe Zach wilson covers scala vs python in one of his videos. I believe at this point python+SQL is still the more popular language for DEs to use