How to prep for a 9 min intro interview?
I’m in the interview process with a robotics company that asked me to prep a 9min self introduction that can include anything. I’m in the process of drafting my self intro. My intro consists of lightly touching upon 10 robotics/SWE experiences, then wrapping up with why I want to join the company and how my skillsets align with the company’s trajectory.
I realized that summarizing 10 experiences makes each experience a little superficial. On the other hand they each contribute a little to my story of how I’ve been involved in robotics over the years, so what’s the best way to go about this?
![Senior Software Engineer [E5] at Meta company logo](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffirebasestorage.googleapis.com%2Fv0%2Fb%2Ftech-career-growth.appspot.com%2Fo%2Fcompany_logos%252Fmeta.jpeg%3Falt%3Dmedia%26token%3Da7a5bcc0-e178-4b5b-b71e-09bf6c6aefae&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
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Discussion
(2 comments)- 0
3 months agoTech Lead @ Robinhood, Meta, Course HeroThis is effectively a weirdly formatted behavioral interview, so I highly recommend checking out the behavioral interviewing course (in particular, go through the 3 keys): [Course] Master The Behavioral Interview As A Software Engineer
I think your overall strategy is good. Right now, you are covering 2 of the 3 keys:
- Why you're excited about the technical/product space
- Why you're excited about the company
Now you're missing the 3rd key of showing that you're passionate about working in a synergistic, supportive team. If one of your experiences is an example of stellar teamwork, you will demonstrate that.
Lastly, 10 experience is way, way, waaaaay too much for 9 minutes. I would trim it down to 2-3. Heck, you can literally do just 1 if you talk about it with enough depth and charisma (e.g. "This is my favorite robotics experience which made me truly fall in love with the space").
- 03 months agoTech Lead/Manager at Meta, Pinterest, Kosei
What is the main takeaway you want when someone watches the video? I'd much prefer some engaging/memorable story instead of the list of 10 experiences. Can you pick 1-2 experiences and talk about the narrative behind them? Why you joined, and what you learned, how it shaped you?
Even better is if you share a unique insight or exceptional story. BTW, this is what Y Combinator looks for in applicants. If a founder tells a story of how they were a record holder in some hobby, that is very powerful even if it's unrelated to their startup.
Especially since your resume/LinkedIn will cover the list of experiences you've had, I'd double click on your story and motivations.
