Practice C++ mock interviews to get a job at Startups, Big Tech, etc.

Negotiate collaboratively. Base salary is hardest to negotiate (strict internal bands), Equity is easier, sign-On Bonus is easiest because it comes from a one-time expense pool. Use 70/30 rule (listen 70% of time, ask diagnostic questions). Give a conditional commitment ('If we bring base to $X / add $Y sign-on, I am ready to sign today') but only do this if you are 100% prepared to follow through. If the recruiter or hiring manager goes to bat with their comp committee, gets approval for your exact request, and you backtrack or ask for more, backing out can destroy trust before you even start the job. If you read only one book on negotiation, make it Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. Two of the most relevant tactical takeaways for salary discussions from the book: Use precise, non-round numbers: A specific number, like $182,500 or $183,400, are more likely to be the result of careful calculation and research. Round numbers (like $180,000) look like guesses and are easier to negotiate down. Manage ranges strategically: If you must give a compensation range early on, know that the employer could very much anchor towards the bottom of the range. If your true target is $185k, make sure it’s included on the lower side of your range.

The online assessment is the SOVA test. It takes 1 hour and 15 mins and include personality questionnaire covering some questions on behavioural preferences. and a numerical / verbal and logical reasoning assessment. To prepare, I find it very useful to do practice with dedicated websites / GMAT questions. Do the test in a very quiet place with no disturb / pause and in a single session.

When I went through it, there were five rounds: Online Screening -> Coding -> Design & Architecture -> Bar Raiser -> Hiring Manager. Each round had a specific focus. What stood out was how comfortable the interviewers made me feel. Most impressive aspect: evaluated holistically across all rounds during a structured debrief led by the bar raiser, where all interviewers come prepared with notes.

The system design interview for a Technical Program Manager (TPM) at Google is less about architectural depth (i.e. knowing in details the features of latest and greatest platforms) and more about having a structured, methodical approach to problem-solving and technical program management. At the end of the day, as a TPM, you'd be interacting with PMs and SWEs, and should understand design decisions and trade offs, and have a reasonably educated POV. The expectations change with seniority.

While other companies focus on "Product Sense" (can you build an app?) and "Execution" (can you move a metric?), Anthropic is essentially looking for a Safety-Conscious Systems Architect. Instead of testing how you’d grow a user base, Anthropic tests how you’d govern a model. They care less about "Growth Loops" and much more about "Redlines," meaning they want PMs who can define exactly when a model becomes too dangerous to ship, even if it’s profitable. The Technical "Why": You aren't just managing APIs; you’re managing Evals. They’ll grill you on how to measure "harmlessness" versus "helpfulness" without neutering the model’s intelligence. Constitutional Intuition: They test your ability to translate human values into model constraints. It’s less about "User Experience" and more about "System Alignment." Agentic Friction: With their focus on "Computer Use," they want to know if you can design the "Human-in-the-loop" guardrails that prevent an autonomous agent from going rogue on a user’s desktop.

Systems Thinking is Non-Negotiable: Stripe PMs are expected to think in systems — how products interact with each other, how incentives compound, how seemingly small changes ripple through ecosystems. Technical Depth is Expected: Even for non-technical products, PMs are deeply embedded with engineers and are expected to understand architectural tradeoffs, API design principles, and backend implications. Customer Empathy Meets Business Precision: Stripe deeply values user-first thinking and expects PMs to anchor decisions in business impact. High Ownership Culture: PMs at Stripe often operate like mini-GMs. To stand out: Structured, First-Principles Thinking; Show System-Level Awareness; Technical Curiosity; Demonstrate High Standards.