Whiteboarding tips from Principal Software Engineer Ian Hollier, of Azure IoT
In his 21 years at Microsoft, Ian Hollier has interviewed a lot of software developers. “I’ve interviewed more people than I’ve had hot dinners with my family,” he kidded during a recent class visit to IT 334 Algorithms.
Hollier, a Principal Software Engineer with Azure IoT, recently visited Green River College’s Auburn Center campus to conduct a technical whiteboarding workshop for junior-level students in software development.
During his workshop, Hollier walked students through example whiteboarding problems, offered a variety of interviewing tips, and suggested ways to make student resumes stand out from the pack.
Recognizing how difficult technical whiteboarding interviews can be, Hollier encouraged students to keep the following in mind:
- Know your data structures.
- Be prepared to talk about recent projects you have worked on.
- As punishing as technical interviews can seem, remember, in most cases the interviewer is there to see how you solve problems and wants you to succeed.
- When whiteboarding a problem, avoid the “tragic mistake” of standing in silence. Instead, talk out loud, ask follow-up questions, and make an effort to collaborate with the interviewer. This kind of back-and-forth reveals thought process, demonstrates the ability to communicate effectively, and shows how you go about solving a problem, which is precisely what the interviewer is trying to get at.
On behalf of Green River’s software development program, thank you Ian for carving time from your busy schedule to mentor our students. We hope to have you back in the near future!
Learn more about Green River’s bachelor of applied science in software development by visiting www.greenriver.edu/software.
