Mock Interview/Technical Interview Preparation (Tech Industry/Research Labs/Research & Software Engineering) with

This 45-minute session is designed to prepare you for technical interviews in software engineering, machine learning, and applied research roles, including Big Tech, research labs, and research-driven product teams.

Depending on your target role, we may focus on:
• Understanding the interview format and evaluation criteria (coding, ML systems, research discussion, or hybrid)
• Discussing core ML / deep learning concepts, modeling choices, and trade-offs
• Preparing for research-oriented interviews, including explaining prior work clearly and convincingly, discussing assumptions, limitations, and experimental design, reasoning about results, ablations, and evaluation metrics, practicing live problem-solving or technical discussion, and identifying common pitfalls and what interviewers look for in strong candidates

This session is tailored to your background and goals. You’re encouraged to bring a job description, upcoming interview details, or a specific topic (e.g., ML fundamentals, system design, or research discussion) to focus on.

I am a Principal Researcher at Microsoft, working on AI systems. With 12+ years of experience in both industry and academia, I have successfully navigated career transitions, built strong networks, and thrived in both corporate and academic environments.

I have mentored several dozens of researchers, engineers, and professionals at different career stages—helping them break into big tech, transition between academia and industry (and vice versa), refine their technical focus, and develop long-term career strategies. Many of my mentees have secured roles at top tech companies, advanced in their careers, or successfully pivoted to new opportunities.

Throughout my career, I have defied expectations and broken barriers. Whether it was earning a Ph.D., securing a faculty position, transitioning into big tech, or advancing within it, I encountered skepticism from others. But instead of accepting limitations, I made it happen through strategic planning, resilience, and continuous learning. Now, I want to help others do the same!

If your goal is to break into big tech, transition between academia and industry, or advance in your career, I offer strategic guidance, actionable advice, and mentorship tailored to your goals. Let’s connect and build a roadmap to success!

🌐 Learn more about me: https://sites.google.com/site/spyridonmastorakis
💼 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spyridon-mastorakis-56438190/
👥 See a list of my current and past mentees: https://sites.google.com/site/spyridonmastorakis/current-and-past-mentees