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Time for that interview, and if you’re an embedded software engineer, doing great on an interview is all about studying the right things before the interview.
Navigating an embedded software engineer interview can feel intimidating, particularly when you’re unsure of the process. Fear not! Equipped with appropriate preparation, your
Interview Basics:
1. Know Your Company
This tip emphasizes the importance of familiarizing yourself with the company where you’re interviewing. For publicly traded companies, a wealth of information is readily accessible online. However, even privately held firms leave traces of information out there. Make an effort to understand vital details like the company’s key locations, employee headcount, financial health, and core products. This knowledge will not only boost your confidence but also show your genuine interest in the company.
2. Strengths and Weaknesses
Expect the inevitable question about your weaknesses and prepare accordingly. Strive to align the role’s demands with your skill set, portraying yourself as a fitting candidate. Present weaknesses that aren’t detrimental to the job, such as minor skills that aren’t central to the role. It’s also beneficial to share areas of weakness where you’ve made significant improvements, like refining your presentation skills, for instance. This approach underscores your growth mindset and commitment to personal development.
'Ready to ace your Embedded Software Engineer interview and land your dream job? Our expert tips and strategies will help you stand out from the crowd and impress your interviewer. Don't miss out on this must-read blog post! #embeddedsoftware #interviewtips #careergoals' (247 characters including spaces and hashtags)Click To Tweet3. Specific Questions
You will, no doubt, be asked questions specific to your field. You know the questions you hate the most and struggle with. Make a list of these questions, come up with great answers, and practice with a friend or family member. If you nail these questions, the rest is easy.
We will get into more detailed questions later but here are some examples.
- What is Flow Control?
- “How would you design (enter something technical here)”? – This question is not really about the specific item to be designed, it’s about how you approach and manage the design phase of a project.
- What is your typical debugging approach?
Create a Work Portfolio
A work portfolio serves as a comprehensive showcase of your professional experience, accomplishments, and skills. This collection, which can be digital or physical, presents tangible evidence of your capabilities to prospective employers.
In the case of a digital portfolio, ensure it’s readily accessible during the interview or consider bringing a physical copy as a backup.
If you haven’t curated a portfolio yet, start accumulating quality examples of your work ahead of the interview. Remember, your portfolio should reflect the pinnacle of your professional prowess, so focus on quality over quantity.
Market Yourself
Imagine having to compete for your next job in front of all other applicants. Prepare a succinct, compelling three-minute pitch as if you were presenting in front of your competitors.
This is your chance to champion yourself. Demonstrate that your skills and abilities can outperform those of any other candidate.
Stay ready with illustrative examples and be prepared to create on the spot if the interviewer requests. So, have you practiced enough for your interview?
Body Language Matters
Eye contact, sitting straight, not frowning, hand gestures, and nodding your head in response to questions, all of these impact how your interviewer sees you. Treat the interview as a regular conversation. Remember, sometimes it’s not what you say but how you present yourself physically.
The Five Stages of the embedded interview
1st round involves a written test on aptitude, real-time OS, and embedded concept
2nd round involves a written test on C objective questions, Real-time OS, and C programming
3rd stage is the face-to-face technical round. It involves questions on RTOS and C programming basics; bitwise operations-related concepts in C and around 3 to 5 programs to check your problem understanding and solving skills
4th stage of the HR round is about terms and conditions that include the instructions regarding the rules and regulations of the company to be followed
HR will take the signature if you agree to their terms and conditions
5th stage of the technical round with the manager is about checking your technical skills. This is an important stage wherein you are asked several technical questions and judged accordingly. A few common questions asked by the interviewer to an embedded system
Now you must be thinking about the correct answers. Let us take a look at it.
Common Technical Questions For embedded Software Engineers
What is interrupt latency? How can you reduce it?
It is the time taken to return from the interrupt service routine post handling a specific interrupt. Interrupt latency can be reduced by writing minor ISR routines.
Can structures be passed to the functions by value?
Yes, it can be passed. However, it has several disadvantages.
What are the qualifiers in C?
Volatile- it is about instructing the compiler that a variable will change
Constant- it is about instructing the compiler that a variable will not change.
Can you have constant volatile variables?
Yes, we can have constant volatile variables
What are the 4 types of inheritance relationships?
4 different types of inheritance relationships are Single, Multiple, Multilevel and Hybrid.
What are the different storage classes in C?
Auto, Register, Static and Extern or Global
Interview Checklists
Be Prepared to Answer
- Projects or initiatives where you were successful
- Projects or initiatives where you failed
- Your top 5 skills
- Why do you like engineering
- Why do you want to work at the company where you are interviewing
Make Sure You…
- Turn off your cellphone
- Dress appropriately for the interview
- Look your interviewer in the eye
- Have a firm handshake
- Have high energy
- Your keywords that highlight your experience and fit the job description
Make Sure You Don’t…
- Undersell yourself
- Chew gum
- Forget the question
- Yawn (or doze off) during the interview
- Forget the details of your resume
- Forget the name of the interviewer(s)
- Arrive late
You can certainly expect these questions in most of the interview sessions. Make sure you are aware of these
