Formation

‼️ Senior engineers, this interview habit makes you look less senior than you are. Asking for permission. This looks like small check-ins that defer decisions instead of making them: ❌  Asking whether it’s okay to start coding ❌  Checking if an approach is acceptable before committing ❌  Pausing to ask what the interviewer wants next It shows up as failing to fully own the conversation. Asking for permission hands control back to the interviewer. Senior interviews focus on whether someone can move work forward independently, making decisions, explaining tradeoffs, and staying open to feedback without handing over control. We break this down in more detail on the blog, including how this pattern shows up in real interviews and how to practice handling it differently. 👉 Read the full post: https://lnkd.in/gkeE-nPE We’ll also be unpacking this live in an upcoming interactive workshop, where participants can see these moments play out, try different approaches, and get feedback on how their decisions land. 👉 Explore the workshop: https://lnkd.in/gDHx3Qy8

🚨 FREE Live Formation Studio Workshop 🚨 How does seniority come across in a coding interview? In this interactive working session, we’ll look at how level actually shows up during a coding interview through decisions, ownership of progress, and how you handle unclear moments while solving the problem. The session is led by mentors who’ve helped build real interview processes at top-tier tech companies and evaluated hundreds of candidates, so you’ll see how your choices are interpreted from the interviewer’s perspective. You’ll participate throughout as we walk through real scenarios and unpack what signals senior vs. mid-level in the room. We’ll break down: 👉 Why “better code” often doesn’t change leveling 👉 The small behaviors that quietly downgrade strong candidates 👉 How interviewers interpret your questions and tradeoffs This is a chance to learn how your choices affect leveling outcomes, and how to improve your responses to get the outcome you’re looking for. 📅 February 12, 2026 ⏰ 7pm ET 🎟 Free Save your spot → https://fm.dev/SeniorCode

🌊 A Rising Tide award is given to Fellows who positively impact other Fellows' weeks. 🌊 This week’s Rising Tide Award winner is ... William L. His nominators shared: “Very helpful. gracious, understanding, patient” "He is just really supportive and actively reaches out to Fellows" Thank you, Liam, for all you do to support our Fellows!

Each month, we share the progress, people, and lessons shaping the Formation community. 💙 Here’s what’s inside this month’s issue: 💡 An engineering tip from Daniel Tomko on why interviews come down to executing fundamentals under pressure, not memorization 🌊 Rising Tide Fellows who showed up for others through collaboration and encouragement 🌟 Lighthouse mentors who helped Fellows build real interview confidence 🏆 New job wins from Fellows who kept going through a tough market 🧠 Upcoming live workshops where engineers practice real interview scenarios and get direct feedback Read the full Monthly Deploy → https://lnkd.in/gJ6hfnQa

Most interview questions aren’t new. 👀 They’re familiar techniques combined in slightly different ways. When those foundations are solid, unfamiliar problems stop feeling overwhelming. Interview readiness looks less like memorizing answers and more like having a toolbox you can reach for instinctively. You’re reasoning out loud, adapting as the problem shifts, and explaining why an approach works, even when you haven’t seen the exact problem before. If your prep feels unpredictable, that’s often a signal to go back to fundamentals, not push harder on difficulty. Want to go deeper? Read the full post — or jump into a Formation workshop to pressure-test your thinking live and hear from senior engineers who’ve been on the hiring side. 👉 Read the blog: https://lnkd.in/gPeN__Jb 👉 Find a workshop: https://lnkd.in/gJvZbmjU

If your interviews are stalling in recruiter screens or hiring manager conversations, you’re not alone. These rounds may feel simple, but they quietly determine whether teams trust you enough to keep going. When feedback is vague, it usually means the signal didn’t land the way you expected. In our latest article, we break down: 👉 What recruiters and hiring managers are actually evaluating 👉 Where senior engineers often undersell scope, judgment, or impact 👉 How to prepare for these interviews without sounding rehearsed or vague If these early conversations are where things slow down, this can help make them more predictable. Read the blog: https://lnkd.in/gg8QNqsV

A Lighthouse Award is given to a Mentor who positively impacts Fellows' weeks. This week’s lighthouse award winner is .... Mohy Saleh (M S.)! 🎉 Mohy’s nominator shared: "I had my first session with him, and the way he ran it really stood out. He made sure everyone contributed to the solution, and he facilitated the discussion in a way that felt natural and unforced. I learned something from many of the other session participants as a result. What helped me the most was his clear explanation of top-down dynamic programming. For the first time, I felt like I actually understood how it worked. On top of that, he shared real-world interview experience from his recent job hunt where he did 15 interviews in the space of a few months. It's great to be getting direct feedback from someone with recent experience job hunting in this crazy market. Overall, Mohy created an environment that was collaborative, educational, and encouraging, which had a big impact on my week." Thank you, Mohy, for all you do for our Fellows!

Sharing a snapshot of where Formation Fellows landed in 2025 👇 🤩 This graphic shows placements across top-tier tech and engineering-led companies — teams with high bars, real technical rigor, and long-term growth potential. We’re incredibly proud of our Fellows for earning roles at companies like these in a competitive, selective market. Want the full picture? Our 2025 Outcomes Report includes detailed placement data, compensation results, and market insights. Read the full report here → https://lnkd.in/g4C48KEA

Sharing a snapshot of where Formation Fellows landed in 2025 👇 🤩 This graphic shows placements across top-tier tech and engineering-led companies — teams with high bars, real technical rigor, and long-term growth potential. We’re incredibly proud of our Fellows for earning roles at companies like these in a competitive, selective market. Want the full picture? Our 2025 Outcomes Report includes detailed placement data, compensation results, and market insights. Read the full report here → https://lnkd.in/g4C48KEA

💭 Most senior engineers don’t fail interviews because of code. They fail because no one taught them how to sound senior. Formation is hosting a FREE interactive workshop to learn: 🗒️ Why solo prep falls short 🔍 What interviewers are really looking for 🤝 How mentorship + feedback actually change outcomes No fluff. Just real tactics that work. Join us Thursday, February 5th, 2026 - 10:00am PST 🧠 Save your seat: https://lnkd.in/gz6XpVkx