Month 6 — Land the Job (Wk 21–24)
Weeks 21–24 · Days 141–168
🎯 Theme: Land the Job — Company-specific prep, mock marathon, apply strategically, negotiate
Active Tracks: Applications · Interview Polish · Company-Specific Prep
🎯 Month 6 Goals
- Complete company-specific prep for all 8 target companies
- Mock interview marathon — 1 company per day in Week 23
- Apply to 15+ positions
- Negotiate and land an offer
📋 Month 6 Milestone
✅ Job offer received at a target company 🎉
🧠 Week 21–22 — Company-Specific Deep Prep
One line: Each company has its own interview style, values, tech stack, and standards. Tailoring your preparation per company dramatically increases your success rate.
🔑 Research Framework — Do This for Every Company
| What to research | Where to find it | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| Interview process | Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Reddit r/cscareerquestions | Know exactly what rounds await you |
| Tech stack | Engineering blog, job descriptions | Have relevant projects using their stack |
| Company values | "About us" page, annual reports, LinkedIn posts | Prepare STAR stories that align with their values |
| Recent news | TechCrunch, their engineering blog | Ask smart questions, show genuine interest |
| People who work there | Network before applying — warm referrals work |
🔑 Target Companies — Prep Map
| Company | Key Focus | AI Stack | Interview Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | Claude, Constitutional AI, safety research | Python, Claude API | Very high (research + engineering depth) |
| OpenAI | GPT, DALL-E, API products | Python, PyTorch | Very high |
| Gemini, Vertex AI, Search | Python, Go, TensorFlow | High (LeetCode Hard expected) | |
| Microsoft | Copilot, Azure OpenAI | Python, C# | High |
| Meta | LLaMA, open source AI | Python, PyTorch | High (LeetCode Hard) |
| Sarvam AI | India-focused LLMs, speech | Python | Medium-High |
| PayPal | AI for payments, fintech | Python, Java | Medium |
| Syncfusion | UI components + AI features | .NET, Python | Medium |
🔑 5-Day Company Prep Plan (Repeat for Each Company)
Day 1 — Research: Read engineering blog, understand their AI products
Day 2 — Stories: Prepare 3 STAR stories that match their stated values
Day 3 — Tech: Study their stack; review their GitHub open-source repos
Day 4 — Mock: 1 full mock interview in their specific interview style
Day 5 — Questions: Write 5 smart, specific questions to ask them🧠 Week 23 — Mock Interview Marathon
One line: One complete mock interview per day for 5 days in a row. Simulate real pressure, identify weaknesses, and fix them in real time.
📋 Marathon Schedule
| Day | Format | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Coding — 90 min | 2 medium LeetCode problems + code clarity |
| Tuesday | System Design — 60 min | AI system from scratch + trade-offs |
| Wednesday | Behavioral — 45 min | 5 STAR stories, smooth confident delivery |
| Thursday | Full Loop — 3 hrs | Coding + system design + behavioral back-to-back |
| Friday | Debrief + Polish | Review recordings, fix the top 3 weaknesses |
🔑 Post-Interview Reflection Template
Use this after every mock — the debrief is more valuable than the mock itself.
What went well:
What I struggled with:
What I would do differently next time:
My score (1–10):
Top 3 things to practice before my next interview:🧠 Week 24 — Launch Week
One line: Final push — applications, follow-ups, offer negotiation, and landing the role.
📋 Week 24 Daily Plan
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Submit applications to your top 5 priority companies |
| Tuesday | Follow up on all applications sent in the last 2 weeks |
| Wednesday | Accept or negotiate any offers received |
| Thursday | Prep for any upcoming final-round interviews |
| Friday | Reflect — look at everything you have built in 6 months 🎉 |
🔑 Offer Negotiation — 3 Rules That Work
- Always negotiate. The first offer is never the best offer. Even 10–20% more base salary is realistic and expected.
- Use market data. "Based on Levels.fyi for this role in this city, the market range is ₹X–₹Y."
- Be specific and warm. "I am genuinely excited about this opportunity. Can we discuss the base salary? I was expecting ₹X based on my research."
🔑 What You Have Built in 6 Months — Your Full Journey
| Month | Key Achievements |
|---|---|
| Month 1 | LLM fundamentals · 4 GitHub projects · 30 vocab words · 3 STAR stories |
| Month 2 | Deployed live AI app · Cloud + Docker · async Python · system design basics |
| Month 3 | ReAct agent · multi-agent pipeline · MCP server · 30 DSA problems |
| Month 4 | Fine-tuning with LoRA · production observability · embeddings · AI safety · 60 DSA problems (cumulative) |
| Month 5 | System design fluency · 100+ DSA problems (cumulative) · 5 mock loops · portfolio live · 2 blog posts |
| Month 6 | Company-specific prep · mock marathon · applications submitted · OFFER 🎉 |
📅 Week Pages — Detailed Daily Checklists
- Week 21-22 — Company-Specific Deep Prep
- Week 23 — Mock Interview Marathon
- Week 24 — Launch Week