Hey everyone! I have a technical interview coming up for a Platform Engineer role at a foreign company in the payment domain. The job description mentions needing 3 to 5 years of experience, but I only have about 2 years under my belt. Somehow, my resume still caught their attention, and I got the call.
The position requires knowledge in Istio, Kubernetes, AWS, Terraform, and CI/CD. While I've worked with these technologies, I'm not feeling super confident about how in-depth I should go or what specific areas I should focus on for my interview prep. Coming from a startup background, I have hands-on experience with most of these tools, but I'm nervous about missing out on this opportunity. I've been practicing with some mock interviews using ChatGPT and brushing up on Python scripting, but I'd love any guidance you can provide. The interviewer will be based in Brazil (I'm in India), so I'm curious about what types of questions to expect. Any suggestions for how to prepare for an interview at this level, including resources, key topics, or common questions? Thanks so much!
2 Answers
It sounds like you’ve got a solid plan with your mock interviews and scripting practice. I recommend focusing on the core functionalities of each tool and being able to explain how they integrate with one another. For example, know how Istio fits into the Kubernetes ecosystem and how Terraform can manage your infrastructure. Also, look up typical interview questions for similar roles to get a sense of what to expect. You can check out forums or blogs that specialize in tech interviews for more tailored advice. It’s totally normal to feel a bit anxious, just remember to articulate your experiences and knowledge confidently.
You're actually in a better spot than you might think! Working at a startup gives you real-world experience with these technologies, which many candidates with more years may miss out on. The fact that your resume got you the interview means they see your potential. Focus on discussing real challenges you’ve faced with Istio, Kubernetes, Terraform, or CI/CD. Talk about how you’ve debugged Istio, scaled clusters, or optimized your Terraform modules. Remember, the gap between 2 and 3 years isn’t as huge as it seems, especially in platform engineering where practical problem-solving is key. Don’t hesitate to share how you've navigated different time zones or cultural contexts if that’s relevant to your experience!
Thanks for the encouragement! I’ll focus on those practical experiences for sure.
That’s super helpful! I’ll definitely dive into some interview prep resources.