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Java Edition: Candidate's Journey At Mindera - UK

A photo of Tabby Alexander, Talent Acquisition Lead for software engineering company Mindera.

Tabitha Hillyard - Talent Acquisition Lead

2022 Aug 5 - 1min. Read

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Team of software developers working in the same room

Mindera Offices in the United Kingdom (Leicester, UK).

Every human’s genome is unique in its own special way. So, since we are all different, why should our interview process be the same for Java, Node and iOS Developers? The answer is: it shouldn’t. At Mindera, our hiring process is flexible and changes depending on the skillset you are applying for. This allows us to dive deeper into the intricacies of specific technologies you work with. So, what can you expect from your Java interview journey at Mindera UK?

We have 4 steps till Offer:

  • First Call
  • Take Home Challenge
  • Technical Discussion
  • Cultural Interview

First Call

We start by getting to know you a little better. One of our in-house Technical Recruiters will call you to understand more about you, your experience and your motivations. They will give you a glimpse into life at Mindera and what you can expect upon joining. This is your opportunity to ask us anything you like. If it’s a match, we will send you our coding challenge that you can complete in the comfort of your home - so grab a cuppa before you begin to code!

Take Home Coding

The aim is to give you a task to think through, implement and test as close as possible to your usual coding standards. We don’t want to take up too much of your time, so please only spend an hour on it (although we don’t set a hard limit). We definitely value quality code over quantity, so there is no need to make sure that every requirement is completed - try not to forget some tests, though!

The beauty of the take-home test is you are not forced to use an unfamiliar online IDE you have never used before. Instead, choose the IDE that suits you best at a convenient time and focus on solving the problem with clean, maintainable, structured, tested code. You can even reference online documentation if you forget some Java Methods.

How to prepare for the Code Challenge?

You can submit this as either a zip file containing the project or share a link to a GitHub/GitLab repo.

Top Tips!

We’re looking for a good layout and functional structure within your code. There is no time limit, but we wouldn’t want you to spend longer than an hour on it! The quality of your code and how you approach a problem are more important than whether you finish the task. Feel free to share your ideas with us in a README file. This is particularly important if large parts of the code are missing - you can let us know what you would have done with more time. We are looking for a clean and unit-tested code.


Technical Interview

Our Technical Interview is conducted via Google Meet and involves 2 of our engineers.

We will invite you to join us to review your code, where we will ask you to talk through your decisions and share your understanding of the solution submitted. This would be similar to doing a quick peer review on a project.

Next, we work through a number of open-ended exercises relating to the web and systems design. The nature of the exercises allows you to play to your strengths and really demonstrate your experience. When working through these exercises, we focus more on understanding your thought process and trade-off than the end design. Some common topics that frequently get discussed:

  • REST API’s
  • Distributed System Design
  • Different Data Stores
  • Cloud Technologies
  • Microservices
  • CI/CD

Top Tips!

Do not focus on prepping with books, but on the experiences you have had so far, the technologies you have used and why you have used them. It is important to understand the trade-offs each decision has. Get used to making your ideas visual. We will use an online tool like JamBoards or Google Draw to explore your designs - the more comfortable you are with this, the better.


Cultural Interview - last but not least!

We see ourselves as a group of friends who solve challenges together. You’ll be part of a team where everything is everyone’s job. This is why our Cultural Interview is equally as important as your technical skills. We need to make sure you vibe well with us, and we vibe with you!

We use Google Meet for our interviews; you will be joined by some members of our People Team who will find out more about you and how you like to work. This is your chance to be open and honest about your expectations and how you see yourself fitting into our ever-evolving world.

Top Tips!

Take a read of our Handbook if you haven’t already. This is your opportunity to get to know us better, so come prepared with plenty of questions. There are no right or wrong answers, so just be yourself!


FAQs

What do I need to do to prepare for interviews?

The best thing you can do is bring your A-game! We want to see what you can do and what it would be like working with you. Don’t be afraid to admit not knowing something; we would rather spend time discussing the things you know well. Read our blog and take a look at our Handbook to make sure you understand our self-organised model and us.

Will you give me feedback?

Yes! Feedback is how we learn and grow. We appreciate the hard work you have put into meeting us and showing your expertise, so we give feedback at each stage of the process.

How are teams made up at Mindera?

This varies slightly between projects. Typically, we operate in complete Agile Scrum teams with a Product Owner bridging the communication between Mindera and the client, Backend/ Frontend/Mobile Developers, and Quality Assurance Engineers. We are 100+ people in the UK and over 1,000 globally. We work with over 50 clients, and project teams differ in size.

How often do I need to travel to the office?

We offer remote working, hybrid or office based in Leicester - the choice is yours! We know how valuable face-to-face interaction is, so we encourage you to come in and share a bit of yourself with us! We also run a team building day once a month for Java devs to get together in our office and talk all things…well…Java related!

What sectors do Mindera’s partners work in?

We have partners in diverse industries, such as Energy, Finance, Gaming, Retail, Travel and Transportation. We develop software for Fashion, Crypto, Banking, Education, Hospitality, and many other business sectors.

How frequently would I be required to travel to client locations?

It varies for each client! It could be once a month or less, either to the client site or our office in Leicester (East Midlands). What’s important is that you get together when possible and when it makes sense.

Do I have a say on what projects I will work on?

We usually have a project in mind when you are first joining Mindera. However, if you feel strongly about (good or bad) any sector, let us know. We will certainly take this into consideration.

How long do I stay on the same project?

There is no set time limit, though we encourage you to give the project a real chance before expressing your interest to change. This is because we believe it takes a good 12 months to fully embed yourself with the people, product and technology. If you really want to change projects, chat with us, and we can work something out.


We're looking for Java Developers

Did you like this article? You can learn more about our hiring process by heading to our Careers page.
Don't forget to check our open vacancies and apply today.

This article was written in collaboration with Luke Punnett (Java Developer).

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A photo of Tabby Alexander, Talent Acquisition Lead for software engineering company Mindera.

About Tabby

Talent Acquisition Lead

Tabitha loves to sing, travel and go to the theatre. Since 2014, she's been building teams that develop products. Inspired by the world of talent and technology, Tabitha is passionate about helping people achieve their career goals.

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