10 Big Tech interview guides—what the top companies are really looking for

Prep smarter, message sharper, and watch where AI is headed

Darren Bush

May 26, 2025

This week is all about strategic upgrades—how you apply and message, and how AI is changing where you find jobs.

This week you’ll learn:

How Bing is already integrating jobs directly into AI answers—and why Google may follow
A cold DM script that’s short, respectful, and gets replies
The 10 Big Tech interview guides every serious candidate should bookmark
What the top companies want—and how they test for it

Let’s dive in.

1. Bing Copilot quietly integrates job listings

Author: Radu Stoian

AI-powered search is changing job discovery—fast. Radu Stoian spotted that Bing Copilot now includes job listings directly in its search responses.

What it shows:

Job titles by category
Location breakdowns
Deep links into Bing Jobs’ filtered results

Why this matters:

Google is likely to integrate Google for Jobs in a similar way via its AI Overviews
This removes friction—jobs are surfaced right in the answer, not buried in a separate tab
Job search is shifting from platform-first to AI-layer-first

This isn’t the future—it’s already happening.

📄 Read the post

2. The cold DM that works

Author: Aaron Reeves

Most job seekers send DMs that get ignored. Aaron shares a direct outreach script that’s short, specific, and value-led. Here’s the framework:

Hi [Name], I saw you’re hiring for [Role] at [Company].
I’ve led [1–2 relevant achievements or skills], and I’d love to help [specific outcome you can deliver].
Would you be open to a quick call or message exchange to see if it’s a fit?

Why it works:

Less than 500 characters (higher response rate)
Clear value proposition—focused on what you offer, not just what you want
Starts a conversation, not a pitch

Use this when contacting hiring managers or recruiters, especially if the job isn’t listed yet.

a. The Connection

Don’t overcomplicate it. Just send the request—no note.

Why:

Most people scan past the notes and assume they’re spam.
A blank connection request often gets better acceptance rates.

✅ But if you want to improve your chances:

Connect with multiple people on their team (build familiarity).
Use a professional headshot.
Write a clear headline that speaks to what you help with (not just “Open to Work” or “SDR @…”).

b. The Trigger

Lead with something relevant. Not just flattery.

Aaron stresses the importance of showing you’ve done some homework.

Examples of real “triggers”:

They’ve had headcount growth
They’re hiring for open roles
They’ve had recent layoffs or restructuring

Your trigger should tie to the value you offer or the conversation you want.

📌 For job seekers:
If a company hires for a new marketing team, and you’ve scaled brand campaigns, use that as your trigger.

c. The Implication

This is where you show you understand what the trigger might mean.

Use hedge words like “imagine” or “maybe” to avoid sounding assumptive.

Example implications:

If they’ve hired 12 new sales reps → “Imagine there’s now more pressure to ramp people quickly…”
If they’ve laid off half the team → “Maybe there’s focus on doing more with less right now…”

This shows empathy, context, and relevance—without selling.

d. The Ask

You’re not pitching. You’re inviting a conversation.

The goal is to get a “yes” to continue, not a yes to hire you or book a call.

Example:

“Mind if I ask a few questions about your process?”

This opens the door. You’re now inside the conversation, not stuck outside shouting “Hire me!”

Complete DM Example from Aaron:

Sam – noticed the sales team has grown by 12 reps in the last 4 months.
Imagine there's a focus on how you can coach each rep 1-1.
Mind if I ask a few questions about your process?

Why this works (especially for job seekers):

It’s short. You’re not writing a cover letter in the DMs.
It’s respectful. You’re asking, not demanding.
It’s relevant. You’re tying what you say to their reality, not yours.
It’s conversational. It opens space instead of closing it.

📄 Read the post

3. Big Tech interview prep: 10 guides in one

Curated by: Mieke Contreras

This is your prep list if you’re applying to Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, or any other tech giant.

Mieke pulled together official interview guides from 10 major companies. Top takeaways:

Behavioural interviews are standard. Prepare “Tell me about a time…” stories using the PARL method (Problem, Action, Result, Learning).
They want reflection, not perfection. You don’t need a polished résumé—you need to show how you think.
Your “why” matters. These companies care about motivation, not just credentials.
Leadership principles are action-based. Especially at Amazon and Salesforce, values must show up in your behaviour.

📄 Read the full post, where you can download the complete PDF guide in the comments.