Interview Kickstart
Average Rating4.78
271 Reviews
23 Courses
Interview Kickstart is a part-time, 12-15 week online career advancement platform that helps tech professionals nail technical interviews at FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) and Tier-1 companies. Interview Kickstart is dedicated to helping tech and product professionals secure their dream jobs with top tech companies. Since 2014, they have trained over 20,000 tech professionals to succeed in the toughest interviews at FAANG companies.
The courses at Interview Kickstart are designed by FAANG tech leads and taught by FAANG instructors. They cover 18 tech and product domains, including Machine Learning, Data Science, System Design, and Software development. Interview Kickstart also offers specialized training for career transitions to rapidly growing AI-related tech fields. With a team of 600 seasoned FAANG+ professionals, their instructors provide real-world guidance to help professionals achieve their career goals.
To enroll in any Interview Kickstart program, attend their pre-enrollment webinar held daily (except Saturday). During the webinar, prospective students will learn about courses and the market landscape. After attending, a program advisor will connect with prospective students to assist with the admission process.
271 Interview Kickstart Reviews
Schools can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Course Report never suppresses negative reviews
Sort by
Filter by
SrideviNov 29, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceData Engineer
I started with Interview Kickstart (IK) in early 2021 February to prepare for Data Engineer interviews. Immediately I liked the IK approach. In my experience, their instructors and the content are the best. I took their advice and applied for tier 3 companies and got an offer by early July. I strongly recommend IK for the tech interview preparation.- Veera ISenior Software Engineer • Backend Engineering Interview Preparation • San JoseNov 20, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Great Course for Coding and System Design
I am a current student(Developer role) of IK and here is my experience so far. The program is very well designed to crack programming interviews and it uplevels the thought process in problem solving skills.
Course layout is structured in such a way that it navigates students from basic level to advanced levels week over week.
The classroom experience is highly professional and it gave me an opportunity to meet other...I am a current student(Developer role) of IK and here is my experience so far. The program is very well designed to crack programming interviews and it uplevels the thought process in problem solving skills.
Course layout is structured in such a way that it navigates students from basic level to advanced levels week over week.
The classroom experience is highly professional and it gave me an opportunity to meet other students in the same path, so that we can discuss with each other and motivates each other towards goal.
Their floater sessions continuously educate students on new problems and new practices in problem solving.
Overall this program helped my velocity on problem solving skills and boosted my confidence levels also.
When I attended their orientation, IK founder said that “he believes in this structured way of teaching programming concepts and system design concepts” and “he does not know that if this program does not help, what else helps. It should work”. When I go through their material, classes and problems, those words told by founder always reflect and echoes.
I wish I could have come to know about this program earlier. It is never too late and I strongly recommend this program. - RamSDM • Applicant • Data Structures and Algorithms Interview Bootcamp • San JoseNov 18, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Uplevel your skillset with a structured preparation
IK has a very structured curriculum with great faculty who can guide through the interview process at top tier company. It is always great to have options to choice where you want to work. - Amol KEngineering Manager • Graduate • Master Class (Default) Interview Course • San JoseNov 17, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Comprehensive Interview Prep!
As an experienced Engineering Manager, I was very skeptical of any interview prep courses. After all, I interviewed people for a living. However, after a few unsuccessful attempts, at a couple of FAANG companies, I realized that I needed some help in building a structured approach towards preparing for interviews, specifically for the technical rounds. I had not been actively coding in the recent past and needed to devote time to brush up on data structures and algorithms and recognizin...As an experienced Engineering Manager, I was very skeptical of any interview prep courses. After all, I interviewed people for a living. However, after a few unsuccessful attempts, at a couple of FAANG companies, I realized that I needed some help in building a structured approach towards preparing for interviews, specifically for the technical rounds. I had not been actively coding in the recent past and needed to devote time to brush up on data structures and algorithms and recognizing patterns to solve problems in a systematic manner. After researching all available options for prep, I settled on Interview Kickstart and I am glad I did! For sure the course is not cheap, but having a structured curriculum with in-person instruction and a cohort of students that I could discuss problems with was invaluable. It definitely required a lot of time commitment from my end as the course was really fast-paced, but it kept me disciplined and time-boxed my preparation. The curriculum is very comprehensive and laddered well. Some of the instructors, especially Omkar Deshpande, are fantastic and they really helped me recognize patterns for tackling coding problems and build an approach towards solving them. The mock interviews were also very essential in practicing for the system design problems.
On the flip side, there is also room for some improvement. The quality of instructors can vary, but for the most part they are pretty good. The virtual classroom setting (as I did the course during Covid) with a lot of students, is a bit limiting in terms of interactivity and I found myself with questions sometimes that I had to follow up later on. The user interface could also use some improvement as I could easily bookmark favorite sessions or annotate videos for faster reference later. I would also have preferred more practice problems or link to other practice problems in Leetcode (or other online prep) for each of the sections.
Overall, I would still recommend this course for anyone who is serious about preparing for technical interviews. - ForrestStudentNov 16, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Online interview course
Interview Kickstart is a really good place to start to improve your interview skills as a software engineer.
Short description:
if you failed many interviews before, or have no idea what's wrong, this is the right place to start.
Long answer:
Success rate:
I don't know the real success rate. They said it was 99% but I doubt it. From my batch, porbably 20-30 people, I know at least 2 guys got the offer (from the discord channel), I also got an offer (so at least 3), but I d...Interview Kickstart is a really good place to start to improve your interview skills as a software engineer.
Short description:
if you failed many interviews before, or have no idea what's wrong, this is the right place to start.
Long answer:
Success rate:
I don't know the real success rate. They said it was 99% but I doubt it. From my batch, porbably 20-30 people, I know at least 2 guys got the offer (from the discord channel), I also got an offer (so at least 3), but I did not write anything there. So I guess there were more people got offers.
Community:
There are two places you can discuss. One forum and one discord channel.
The Forum is kind buggy, especially when you go there through email links. Some questions are posted and answered by students but they are not very active.
The discord was somehow more active. Usually those who were very active would input some messages in discord. But TBH, the channel was not that active. Usually I use discord to contact the IK operations for support. The support were slow sometimes, but they would get to you.
Courses:
Part of the courses are videos only, Part of the courses are live. The course quality is extramely good. I do recommand those.
Mock terviews are also very good. They have a lot of interviewer from different companeis. Most of them are good, but I did meet one interviewer that was pretty bad and didn't give good comments. But it's rare case. Sometimes you would meet an mock interviewer that was not very experienced, but it looked fine to me. I got one referral from one of the interviewer and got the offer.
Other support:
There are a lot of supoort. I did not use a lot of them. I knew there were coding support, Leet code problem, and behavioral interview, compensation negotiation, resume suggestion, etc. You can find one appointment and talk to them in a reasonable time.
Cost:
I took the full course, it cost like more than 6k. Is it worth it? IDK. I got an offer for 200k+ so I think it should. And you have 15 mock interview chances. The materials are usually up-to-date, (at least within 2 years). So I think this one is reasonable. I think they also have policy to refund partial of it if you were not hired. - Vijay KSr. Staff Engineer • GraduateNov 15, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Essential skills for attending today's interviewing landscape
After 10 years of stint at my current job, I wanted to apply for a new job, but looked at the landscape of the interviewing process, and it changed over the last 10 years dramatically. I spent some time in leetcode solving problems, and it was never enough without having a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts. As I was exploring options to improve my skills, I luckily came across Interview Kickstart, through a referral of my ex-colleague and joined without hesitation.
T...After 10 years of stint at my current job, I wanted to apply for a new job, but looked at the landscape of the interviewing process, and it changed over the last 10 years dramatically. I spent some time in leetcode solving problems, and it was never enough without having a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts. As I was exploring options to improve my skills, I luckily came across Interview Kickstart, through a referral of my ex-colleague and joined without hesitation.
The master class material videos are top-notch and goes into very basics of why things are done one way vs other and that helps to get ready to face questions that one hasn't come across. Even though it's only 8 classes (some classes going well over 7 hours), the course is very intensive and needs extra time to internalize. Social media related System design problems are very new to me, and the template Interview Kickstart uses to peel it away helps tremendously. The best part of the course is mock interviews, and they really help finding smaller mistakes that one wouldn't pay much attention to, and it's an iterative process.
Thank you IK! - Cam MartinStudent • Master Class (Default) Interview Course • San JoseNov 11, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Best coaching to become a good engineer and clear tech interviews at FAANG
Once the course material is covered by a student, clearing an interview will become a byproduct and the student is bound to become a better engineer to perform a software engineering role. A student will not only end up solving about 250 to 300 coding questions across various topics but also learn how to approach any coding problem from scratch. Any session taken by Omkar Deshpande is brilliant and starts from the fundamentals. The technical coaching sessions, mock coding interviews stre...Once the course material is covered by a student, clearing an interview will become a byproduct and the student is bound to become a better engineer to perform a software engineering role. A student will not only end up solving about 250 to 300 coding questions across various topics but also learn how to approach any coding problem from scratch. Any session taken by Omkar Deshpande is brilliant and starts from the fundamentals. The technical coaching sessions, mock coding interviews strengthen your interviewing skills and remove interviewing jitters. The support staff is great and overall this program provides great career coaching for Engineers aspiring to work at FAANG companies. - SBStudent • Full Stack Engineering Interview Preparation • San JoseNov 04, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Coding Bootcamp Review
The interview preparation course at IK is very relevant and comprehensive. Here are few things I liked about it.
1) Content: It's current and very relevant. The course operates on 80-20 strategy. While it focuses on 20% of content that matters in 80% of the interview scenarios, it also provides support to student who want to explore more through floater and coaching sessions.
2) Instructors: They know the stuffs that they teach really well. They are...The interview preparation course at IK is very relevant and comprehensive. Here are few things I liked about it.
1) Content: It's current and very relevant. The course operates on 80-20 strategy. While it focuses on 20% of content that matters in 80% of the interview scenarios, it also provides support to student who want to explore more through floater and coaching sessions.
2) Instructors: They know the stuffs that they teach really well. They are very engaging.
3) Operations: They are there for your success. Each of the students are assigned an SSA (Student Success Advocate) who guides students throughout the period. And they are good at it.
4) Beyond coding: There system design goes through fundamentals to advance topics currently asked in interviews. They are even more useful if you are applying for levels seniors and above. They also have some really good content on behavioral aspects of interview such as offer negotiations, resume, and linked in profile guidance, etc.
Though the program contents are really good, it does not guarantee a job. Here are some strategies that I personally believe a student can do to get the best out of the program.
1) More you put in, the better you are. The program is not a silver bullet in itself.2) Mock interviews: Mock interviews are taken by engineers, engineering managers, leaders, and executives from top software companies. I have found there reviews very helpful. Iteratively, I have been personally able to improve a lot by addressing feedbacks from previous mocks.
- DollyGraduate • Master Class (Default) Interview Course • San JoseNov 01, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Super Comprehensive Experience
I had a great experience with IK. The instruction was online since my cohort started in Feb 2020 when the pandemic had just taken hold. I really wish it could have been in person, but it was still a great experience online.
You can watch live lecture and ask questions, as well as review old lecture videos. Because it was for material that I hadn't covered since college, I had some difficulty and had to watch lecture videos multiple times. What was also helpful was the office hours...I had a great experience with IK. The instruction was online since my cohort started in Feb 2020 when the pandemic had just taken hold. I really wish it could have been in person, but it was still a great experience online.
You can watch live lecture and ask questions, as well as review old lecture videos. Because it was for material that I hadn't covered since college, I had some difficulty and had to watch lecture videos multiple times. What was also helpful was the office hours.
They had coding office hours, as well as a lot of drop-in slots for other counseling services to help you with your experience.
These really helped it feel much more structured. I even took away new methods of goal-planning during career counseling sessions, thanks to Fanny.
My one other nitpick was that as a data engineer, the program was a little overkill on the coding side in my experience, and not enough data engineering specific questions. However, I know that IK now has domain-specific programs so I would definitely recommend, especially if you hadn't gotten the chance to truly do ETL work for a while despite having a DE title (it happens!) - John BaekSoftware Engineer • StudentOct 29, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
I got a job from Google using IK
I got a job from Google using IK. I really like their curriculum. The student support is the best. You get the full support from the beginning to the end.Student Success Advocate of Interview Kickstart
Student Experience Team
Sep 27, 2022
Hi John, thank you for your encouraging feedback! We are glad to know that you found the curriculum and the support from the team valuable in your journey during the program. Please feel free to reach out to us at operations@interviewkickstart.com if you require our support on anything related to the program. - Fnu JOct 29, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Great Full Blown Interview Program!
I had many doubts about the success of the program initially prior to enrollment but I knew I needed "something" to change my future interview outcome after failing on amazon and fb, so I bit the bullet and I enrolled to Interview Kickstart (IK) with expectation for my knowledge to grow.
It didn't disappoint me. The program (DS and Sys Design classes) could fill the gap on my knowledge, the career program definitely brought my resume and profile to more recruiter's attention and ...I had many doubts about the success of the program initially prior to enrollment but I knew I needed "something" to change my future interview outcome after failing on amazon and fb, so I bit the bullet and I enrolled to Interview Kickstart (IK) with expectation for my knowledge to grow.
It didn't disappoint me. The program (DS and Sys Design classes) could fill the gap on my knowledge, the career program definitely brought my resume and profile to more recruiter's attention and the best of all I finally got an offer. I never knew I could be at this stage a year ago.
The investment to join the program is definitely worth it and it will return you many folds with the offer.
Was it an easy journey after joining IK to finally get an offer? It was absolutely not (at least to me). However, Hard work (keep learning), IK support and persistence would bring you closer to that offer you have been dreaming about and if I could do it, so can you.
Thank you IK!Student Success Advocate of Interview Kickstart
Student Experience Team
Sep 27, 2022
Hi Fnu, thank you for your encouraging feedback! We are glad to know that you found the program structure and the curriculum valuable in your journey during the program. Please feel free to reach out to us at operations@interviewkickstart.com if you require our support on anything related to the program. - PushpakOct 24, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Strong program especially for working professionals
This program has a very well researched and updated curriculum. What I really liked is that the curriculum tries to cover the breadth of topics and patterns. One should consider IK if they are looking for a structure to their preparation, it definitely beats mindlessly solving problems on LC. Shout out to Omkar, the director at IK, for not only putting the entire program together, but also being a super super instructor. Worth every penny.Student Success Advocate of Interview Kickstart
Student Experience Team
Sep 27, 2022
Hi Pushpak, thank you for your encouraging feedback! We are glad to know that you found the program and the instructors valuable in your journey during the program. Please feel free to reach out to us at operations@interviewkickstart.com if you require our support on anything related to the program.
Interview Kickstart Alumni Outcomes
Interview Kickstart Scholarships
$500 Interview Kickstart Scholarship
Course Report is excited to offer an exclusive Interview Kickstart scholarship for $500 off tuition!
Eligibility
No eligibility restrictions.
Qualifying Courses
- LEVELUP: Guided interview prep to level up into a Tier-1 company (Online)
Recent Interview Kickstart News
Nat Davis
Updated December 06, 2024
The technical interview can be daunting for both new and experienced tech professionals. Nailing the tech interview requires practice, and interview prep programs exist to give their students the support and confidence-building they need to land their tech dream job. Whether you’re a coding bootcamp graduate, a self-taught software engineer, or an experienced developer, we’ve rounded up the 6...
Course Report readers can receive an Exclusive Scholarship to Interview Kickstart!
Locations
Contact
Interview Kickstart Alumni Reviews Summary
Based on 250+ Interview Kickstart alumni reviews on Course Report, positive feedback for the program centers on the detailed curriculum and effective preparation for technical interviews at top companies. One review praises the program, stating, "I gained way more in confidence and technical skill than the cost of the course." A contrasting view, however, points out that while the support team is exceptional, some of the technical prep materials could be improved.
Overall Experience
4.8
Instructors
4.7
Curriculum
4.8
Job Assistance
4.5
More Information
Guarantees Job
Job Assistance
Includes Housing
Offers Corporate Training
Accepts GI Bill
Recent Interview Kickstart News
By Nat Davis
FAQs
How much does Interview Kickstart cost?
The average bootcamp costs $14,142, but Interview Kickstart does not share pricing information. You can read a cost-comparison of other popular bootcamps!
What courses does Interview Kickstart teach?
Interview Kickstart offers courses like Advanced Data Science Course, Advanced Machine Learning Course, Advanced MLOps Course, Android Engineering Interview Preparation and 19 more.
Where does Interview Kickstart have campuses?
Interview Kickstart teaches students Online in a remote classroom.
Is Interview Kickstart worth it?
Interview Kickstart hasn't shared alumni outcomes yet, but one way to determine if a bootcamp is worth it is by reading alumni reviews. 271 Interview Kickstart alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Interview Kickstart on Course Report - you should start there!
Is Interview Kickstart legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 271 Interview Kickstart alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Interview Kickstart and rate their overall experience a 4.78 out of 5.
Does Interview Kickstart offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Yes, Course Report is excited to offer an exclusive Interview Kickstart scholarship for $500 off tuition!
Can I read Interview Kickstart reviews?
You can read 271 reviews of Interview Kickstart on Course Report! Interview Kickstart alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Interview Kickstart and rate their overall experience a 4.78 out of 5.
Is Interview Kickstart accredited?
While bootcamps must be approved to operate, accreditation is relatively rare. Interview Kickstart doesn't yet share information about their accreditation status.