Interview Kickstart Review

Overview


Locations

Remote

Disciplines Offered

AWS cloud solutions architecture, data science and data engineering, embedded systems, engineering management, front-end and back-end engineering, full-stack engineering, iOS and android engineering, machine learning, product management, security engineering, site reliability engineering, technical program management, test engineering

Payment Options

Scholarships, Upfront

Interview Kickstart courses double as technical bootcamps and career training seminars designed to prepare learners for technical interviews with high-profile companies. Learners can choose from 17 different career tracks, depending on their professional domain. These include data engineering, embedded systems, and engineering management. Other options include front-end engineering, full-stack engineering, and machine learning.

Although specialized offerings are diverse, Interview Kickstart courses require students to complete foundational curricula in data structures, algorithms, and system design. This array of fully remote courses includes about two weeks of career coaching, though the exact format and length varies by training area.

Learners can access resume review services and performance evaluations from industry experts. They can also access 15 multi-round mock interviews, which are designed to mimic the hiring procedures of many high-level tech companies.

Interview Kickstart Courses

At Interview Kickstart, 17 specialized courses consist of coach-led group classes, case studies, and assessments. These courses equip learners with the necessary technical and opportunity-seeking abilities that they'll need to compete for high-level tech jobs.

Instructors from FAANG and industry-leading tech companies conduct lectures and meet with students in individualized coaching sessions. Interview Kickstart also includes a post-program support period, where learners can access course materials for up to 180 days after program completion.

Android Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 15 weeks

This course includes live remote meetings and typically requires 8-10 hours of work per week. The android engineering course requires learners to complete five weeks of data structures and algorithms training and three weeks of system design training. Students also complete four weeks of specialized android engineering training and three weeks of career coaching.

Android engineering-specific curricula cover android fundamentals, system design, and network and memory management. Learners also study concurrency, debugging, and profiling.

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AWS Cloud Solutions Architect

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 11 Weeks

This course prepares learners to interview for AWS Cloud Solutions architect roles. Instructors present real-world case studies to illustrate key concepts. The curriculum is broken into five primary modules, including Linux and networking, cloud computing and AWS Services, and cloud computing architecture. The other two modules are cloud security and best practices and cloud as a platform.

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Back-End Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600e
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 16 Weeks

This course is best suited for back-end developers and software engineers. It requires about 10 hours of study per week, which includes attending live courses and assignment review sessions. Curricula touches on key concepts like object modeling, API design, cloud-native design, and concurrency.

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Data Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 15 Weeks

Data engineers, or software engineers who work on data platforms, can refine their skills in this 15-week course. Instructors use lectures, labs, question-answer periods, and resume reviews to illustrate main topics. Data engineering modules include data modeling, ELT and pipeline design, and SQL programming.

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Data Science

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 15 Weeks

Data scientists and software engineers who work on ML models can prepare for coding questions in DS interviews. Interview Kickstart data science coursework focuses on advanced elements of data structure and algorithms, such as time series analysis, SQL programming, MLE, EM, and MAP. Mock interviews consist of coding, behavioral, onsite, and domain-specific rounds.

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Early Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 8 Weeks

This eight-week course serves as a foundational class for new graduates, software engineers with under two years of work experience, or professionals transitioning into software engineering. Students explore the basic principles of data structures and algorithms like sorting, trees, graphs, and dynamic programming.

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Embedded Systems

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 14 Weeks

Embedded systems software engineers or software engineers who work for semiconductor or systems companies can learn to develop embedded systems. This course incorporates real-world problems and problem-solving techniques to illustrate concepts like programming for embedded devices and embedded OS.

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Engineering Manager

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
  • Length: 16-18 Weeks

The engineering manager track is designed for current engineering managers and directors of engineering. This course teaches leaders to integrate soft skills and business management techniques like professional branding, project management, and hiring procedures into the tech industry.

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Front-End Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 15 Weeks

This course touches on coding and front-end development topics pertaining to front-end development interviews. These include UI, DOM, JS design patterns, and advanced CSS techniques. Lectures and mock interviews require learners to apply their knowledge, such as using JavaScript-oriented solutions to address practical challenges.

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Full-Stack Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 16 Weeks

Learners build their knowledge on essential topics like API design, cloud infrastructure, Javascript, and web development as they pertain to full-stack engineering. The curriculum consists of various system design topics, like back-end tools, end-to-end testing, and optimizing web performance. Students also learn about working cross-functionally with various products and designs.

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iOS Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 15 Weeks

Current and former iOS engineers must complete three weeks of system design, followed by four weeks of IOS programming curricula. The course covers integral components of iOS engineering that iOS specialists need to compete in their domain. Key concepts include UI design using UIKit and SwiftUI, app life cycle, network communication, and memory management. Learners also study error handling and unit testing.

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Machine Learning

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 16 Weeks

Machine learning engineers, or software engineers who work with machine learning models, can refine their understanding of various devices, networks, and skills. The curriculum covers principal component analysis, neural network basics, and support vector machines.

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Product Manager (Tech)

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 12 Weeks

In this course, learners explore project management practices through technical and business-oriented lenses. Project managers review fundamental system design concepts as they apply to product marketability. They also learn business management practices inspired by FAANG core values, including conflict resolution, big picture issues, problem-solving, and risk assessment.

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Security Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 16 Weeks

A variety of professionals, including security engineers, security architects, network support engineers, and site reliability engineers, can benefit from this course. The curriculum primarily focuses on foundational cover scalable system design related to security and preventing security threats. Learners explore essential concepts, like security checks and balances, applied cryptography, and information security. The curriculum also covers security-themed coding practices.

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Site Reliability Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 17 Weeks

SREs and DevOps engineers can use this course to build an understanding of foundational systems design concepts. These concepts include online processing systems, batch processing systems, and object modeling. Six weeks of the program are dedicated specifically to more specialized training areas, like Linux system networking, configuration management, and SRE system design.

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Technical Program Manager

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 16-18 Weeks

Technical program managers can use this course to prepare for FAANG-style interviews. They learn about program planning and execution as they apply to FAANG core values. Through live classes and independent assignments, learners solidify skills like risk assessment, group planning, goal setting, and stakeholder management.

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Test Engineering

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  • Cost: $5,600
  • Learning Format: Online
  • Time Commitment: Part Time
  • Length: 17 Weeks

This course is ideal for test engineers, software engineers transitioning to test engineering, and quality assurance engineers entering SDET roles. After 11 weeks of foundational instruction on data testing, algorithms, and system design, learners can solidify their understanding of test engineering. Professionals prepare for high-level test engineering roles, mastering key topics like quality engineering, API testing, and test automation design.

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Interview Kickstart Admissions Process

Many bootcamp programs provide students with little or no tech experience with the streamlined training to enter relevant tech roles. However, Kickstart is more appropriate for established tech professionals like cybersecurity specialists, DevOps engineers, and front-end developers.

Often, professionals will complete training to solidify skills within their domain. But software engineers can use Interview Kickstart programs to transition into specific niches. All applicants must register for a pre-enrollment webinar before officially enrolling in the program.

Interview Kickstart Payment Options

The upfront tuition of Interview Kickstart costs $5,600. However, students have a two-part payment option. They can put down a $600 trial fee, which allows them to withdraw before the course is complete, and pay a total of $6,200.

Upfront: Although learners who pay the upfront rate of $5,600 do not have to pay the additional $600 trial fee, the course is nonrefundable after the first week.

Interview Kickstart Student Outcomes

Interview Kickstart self-reported that alumni who earned high-level positions after program completion received an average salary increase of 53% in 2021. The company emphasizes interview skills based on FAANG core values. Many alumni have found jobs at industry giants like Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Google, and Uber.

However, applicants should be wary of bootcamp-provided outcomes. Prospective students can always contact the provider for more details about how they collect and present their data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Interview Kickstart Coding Bootcamp

What is Interview Kickstart?

Interview Kickstart provides streamlined technical training and professional advancement coaching for people interviewing for competitive tech positions. This provider gives learners in a variety of software engineering, front-end development, data science, and management niches the resources to optimize their technical interview performance.

Coursework touches on essential knowledge and foundational skills that interviewees must demonstrate. Instructors from FAANG companies structure courses to mimic the stages of FAANG interviews. Typical mock interviews include initial screenings, coding rounds, behavioral rounds, and simulated onsite rounds. Instructors meet with learners individually to evaluate their performance.

Is Interview Kickstart worth it?

While many bootcamps cater to beginners, Interview Kickstart may not be a suitable option for individuals who want to build their skills from the ground up. These programs are designated for more experienced tech professionals who hope to advance within their domain.

Many individuals who hope to land jobs at industry-leading FAANG companies can benefit from training focusing on interview prep. Although Interview Kickstart offers supportive infrastructures for its graduates, alumni are not guaranteed jobs or interviews and are responsible for their career outcomes.

Is Interview Kickstart hard to get into?

Although these programs are not especially difficult to get into, learners should enroll with some relevant domain expertise and know at least one coding language. Learners who are less confident about their backgrounds can build a more solid foundation with optional pre-work materials before beginning in their cohorts. All students must attend a pre-enrollment webinar with the program's founders that covers payment options, enrollment procedures, and how to maximize the program's offerings.

Is Interview Kickstart free?

No. Interview Kickstart costs $5,600 upfront, or a total of $6,200 for those who pay the $600 trial fee, which allows them to withdraw before they complete the course. These costs are on the higher end for interview prep programs designated for established tech professionals.

However, for some graduates, the investment is worth it. Interview Kickstart alumni boasted an average pay increase of 53% after advancing to new roles following program completion, so for many graduates, the program is a worthwhile investment.

Feature Image: Ngampol Thongsai / EyeEm / Getty Images