There’s a moment in every engineering career where you pause—not because you’re stuck, but because you’re leveling up.
This blog is about one of those moments for me.
Recently, I started preparing for a Senior Software Engineer – UI role at ServiceNow. Instead of rushing through prep, I decided to slow down and document the journey—the prompts, the reflections, and the story behind my work.
This post is both a record for myself and a guide for anyone preparing for a similar transition.
Why I Decided to Document This
Interview prep can feel transactional:
- Memorize answers
- Practice talking points
- Hope it clicks
But this role made me realize something:
This wasn’t just interview prep. This was a reflection of my career so far.
ServiceNow’s focus on AI-powered UX, observability, scale, and craftsmanship forced me to connect dots across my experience—from building dashboards and APIs to integrating ML and designing for trust.
So instead of just “preparing answers,” I framed everything as a story.
The Prompts That Shaped the Story
These were the prompts I worked through—and honestly, they map really well to how senior engineers think.
1. Short Introduction (2 minutes)
This wasn’t about listing tools.
It was about answering:
- What problems do I enjoy solving?
- How does my work create impact?
- Why does my experience make sense now?
I focused on:
- Building customer-facing UI
- Turning complex systems into simple experiences
- Using AI not as a buzzword, but as a practical tool
The goal wasn’t to sound impressive—it was to sound clear.
2. What Do I Know About ServiceNow? (30 seconds)
This forced me to zoom out.
Not just:
“They do workflow automation.”
But:
- They connect people, systems, and processes
- They’re investing deeply in AI-native experiences
- Observability isn’t just metrics—it’s insight and action
This helped me align my past work with where the platform is going.
3. Why This Role, Why Now?
This was one of the most important reflections.
I realized I wasn’t leaving my current role because of dissatisfaction.
I was leaving because I wanted:
- More product-driven engineering
- More scale
- A place where UI, AI, and platform thinking intersect
That clarity alone boosted my confidence.
4. What I Want in My Next Opportunity
This wasn’t about perks or titles.
I wrote down three things:
- Ownership from idea to delivery
- Strong engineering culture (reviews, quality, reliability)
- Space to grow—technically and as a mentor
Simple. Honest. Grounded.
5. A Real Challenge (Not a Perfect Story)
Instead of a “hero story,” I picked a messy one:
- Inconsistent data
- Tight timelines
- Evolving requirements
- Cross-team friction
I talked about:
- Trade-offs
- Decisions
- What broke
- What I learned
That reflection reminded me:
Senior engineering isn’t about avoiding problems—it’s about navigating them calmly.
6. Questions I Ask Them
This flipped the dynamic.
Instead of trying to impress, I got curious:
- What problems matter most right now?
- How does AI actually show up in the product?
- How do teams collaborate end-to-end?
It made the conversation feel mutual—not one-sided.
What This Process Taught Me
A few things really stood out:
- Good interviews are storytelling exercises
- AI experience matters most when tied to user trust
- UI engineering at scale is about empathy, not pixels
- Preparation is confidence—not memorization
Most importantly, I realized I already had the experience.
I just needed to frame it clearly.
Why I’m Keeping This Documented
Careers are long. It’s easy to forget:
- Why you chose certain paths
- How much you’ve learned
- What kind of engineer you’re becoming
This blog is a checkpoint.
Whether or not this specific role works out, the process itself already paid off. I’m sharper, clearer, and more intentional than I was before.
And that’s a win.
Final Thought
If you’re preparing for a senior role:
- Don’t just study the job description
- Study your own journey
There’s more alignment there than you think.
End of entry.
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