Tag: facebook

Navigating Job Interviews in the LLM and ML Industry | March 22 2025, 14:05

Mimansa Jaiswal shared her experience of interviewing for researcher/engineer positions in the LLM/machine learning (ML) field last fall. Over 200 applications, 100 interviews, numerous rejections, and several offers—she decided to outline the entire process, as well as the resources she used. It’s extremely beneficial material, especially for those looking for a job in this field.

Link in the comments.

Summary (TLDR):

Startups:

Interview processes are unique and depend on the company’s development stage. Candidates may face 5–6 stages, including programming tasks (often from Leetcode), ML coding, testing fundamental ML knowledge, and cultural fit interviews. Startups may also require face-to-face interviews, multi-day work assignments, or extensive presentations. Processes are less standardized, and roles often include a wide range of responsibilities.

“Unicorns” (e.g., Anthropic, OpenAI, Scale AI):

More structured processes, but still vary from company to company. Candidates face interviews on programming (not always Leetcode-based), ML design, discussions related to LLM, and presentations. The number of stages can be substantial, especially when applying to multiple teams simultaneously.

Large tech companies (e.g., Meta, Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft):

Rigid and structured processes, often lasting from 1.5 to 2.5 months. Expect Leetcode-style interviews, ML system design, LLM research design, presentations, and behavioral interviews. Questions can be both general and role-specific.

Main interview components:

Programming tasks: knowledge of data structures and algorithms is tested, practice on Leetcode is necessary.

ML system design: evaluates understanding of system architecture and ability to develop solutions.

Presentations: candidates may present their previous work or research, demonstrating professionalism and communication skills.

Behavioral interviews: assess compatibility with corporate culture and approach to problem-solving.

Key differences by company type:

Startups are less predictable and may prefer candidates ready to take on diverse tasks. “Unicorns” look for specialists with narrow and current skills. Large tech companies adhere to formalized multi-stage processes and assess a broad spectrum of technical and soft skills. Each type of company has its unique demands and offers different opportunities, so it’s crucial to tailor preparation to the specific format.

Expected timelines:

The process can take from several weeks to several months, with possible delays during holidays or peak hiring seasons. Offers often require a quick response—usually within 7 days—requiring the ability to make swift decisions or negotiate a delay. It’s important to strategically plan overlapping processes and manage multiple timelines simultaneously.

Cultural Nuances in Chinese Piano Mastery | March 21 2025, 22:35

I recently heard an interesting thought about why there are so many Chinese on the piano scene, and why they are often associated with astonishing, virtuosic technique, but often lack emotional depth. The idea was that the Chinese language does not facilitate emotional intonation — this reflects on musical phrasing, artistic expressiveness. The tonal nature of Chinese, in which the pitch of vowels in four positions signifies different meanings of words, lacks what is found in the tradition of European languages — expression through intonation in speech as a reflection of human emotions. For the Chinese, expressing emotion through gestures, which in turn fit beautifully into the complex picture of national dance, Chinese theatre, is natural. But not in music. Moreover, for a Chinese person, copying what the best in the world do means much more than trying to create something own, individual. Indeed, we see this not only in music.

Denis Matsuev, when asked by a correspondent how China managed to create a real musical empire from virtually nothing, replied, “Because they present their culture as a national product. Today, if a boy is born in a family, he almost automatically enters a music school.”

The comment about weak intonation — weak compared to the very strong technique — applies to the average mass, but not to the top pianists, of course. But among these top performers, there are more Chinese than any other nationality. For instance, notable are Lang Lang, Yundi Li, Yuja Wang, Muye Wu, Haochen Zhang, and Ji Liu.

I’m thinking, maybe I should write about pianists and composers, as I sometimes write about artists. There’s a wealth of interesting stuff there, but musical videos don’t do so well on Facebook.

(The attached video features a 2.5-year-old)

Exploring Zealand: From Old Zealand to Zealandia and Snake-Free New Zealand | March 21 2025, 02:59

By the way, it turns out that Old Zealand is located in the Netherlands. Also, it turns out that New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world (along with Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland, Hawaii, and Ireland) that has no snakes at all, not even in zoos. Furthermore, it’s interesting that Zealandia is an almost completely submerged continent, which existed as a single landmass. It is six times larger than New Zealand, and about 93% of this territory is underwater, with only New Zealand itself and a few other islands, such as New Caledonia, above the surface. Many scientists consider Zealandia a separate continent, although it is not officially recognized as one of the “big seven” continents (Asia, Africa, North and South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia).

Adventures and Delays: A Month of Aerial Journeys Across Continents | March 18 2025, 23:34

In the past month, I’ve flown across four countries on two continents—Canada, Mexico, France, Germany—endured three flight postponements until the next day, but fortunately, the number of landings equaled the number of take-offs. I actually haven’t been home for a month. Along the way, I snapped some photos from the airplane windows. Sharing them now.