Bas van Opheusden, who became a technical staff member at OpenAI in July, recently shared a detailed guide for succeeding in AI job interviews. In a post on X, he published an eight-page document packed with insights, ranging from overall interview strategies to coding techniques, as well as guidance on navigating compensation discussions.
He also revealed an error he made during his initial conversation with recruiters.
“I have had companies give extremely short deadlines, retract offers, ghost me entirely, or ‘accidentally’ fail to make an offer until after another deadline had expired,” he wrote.
Bas van Opheusden shares valuable advice:
While offering valuable advice, Bas van Opheusden said, one should start by approaching recruiter calls as strategic briefings: aim to understand the hiring manager’s priorities, the team’s dynamics, the specific responsibilities of the role, and the company’s overarching goals.
“I’ve had coding interviews 2-3 weeks later where someone would ask what role I was applying to and I didn’t know,” he wrote.
He noted that during these conversations, make it a habit to record key points, either on a notepad or a secondary screen, so nothing important is missed. “I have a dual-screen setup where I can take notes during a call, and I will move the video call window on my screen so that it looks like I’m making eye contact,” he wrote.
Prepare for unexpected twists:
Prepare for unexpected twists in the process, such as last-minute schedule changes, tight deadlines, or occasional communication gaps. When it comes to compensation, research industry standards and confidently advocate for fair terms rather than accepting rushed decisions.
In technical interviews, focus on presenting your problem-solving in a logical, step-by-step manner while clearly articulating your reasoning. Finally, ensure your workspace and tools are well-organized and free from distractions, creating an environment that allows you to perform seamlessly in remote interviews.
