My 2023 Autumn Recruitment Journey and Interview Preparation Insights

I am a software engineering undergraduate from a non‑key university in Hangzhou, who started programming with Python in high school and later learned Java during the pandemic.

During my studies I completed two internships: the first at an AI town where I mainly read JVM and concurrency books, and the second where I learned big‑data components such as Hadoop, HBase, and Flume, as well as middleware like Zookeeper, Redis, and Spring source code.

For the 2023 autumn recruitment I applied to about 150 companies, took written tests for 30, and interviewed with 15, receiving an offer from Xingye Digital Finance and several other offers in progress, while being rejected or pending at many others.

I prepared by reviewing fundamentals (operating systems, computer networks), studying design patterns, and mastering Java interview “八股” questions, using resources such as JavaGuide, JavaKeeper, and a personal mind‑map.

My study process was divided into three stages: handling basic knowledge, reviewing common interview questions, and filling gaps, which included topics like process vs thread overhead, NIO blocking behavior, Redis distributed locks, Zookeeper ordering, Paxos variants, and the Byzantine Generals problem.

I also discuss coping with anxiety through exercise and mental encouragement, and emphasize the importance of early preparation, diversified applications, and personalizing interview notes.

In conclusion, I reflect on the challenges faced by graduates from non‑key schools, the luck of having good mentors and supportive friends, and provide actionable advice for future job seekers.