Company/Industry Specific Flashcards
What do you think is the most valuable data in our business?
Answer: This question or questions like it really try to test you on two dimensions. The first is your knowledge of the business and the industry itself, as well as your understanding of the business model. The second is whether you can pick how correlated data is to business outcomes in general, and then how you apply that thinking to your context about the company. You’ll want to research the business model and ask good questions to your recruiter—and start thinking abo
How would you implement a recommendation system for our company’s users?
Answer: A lot of machine learning interview questions of this type will involve the implementation of machine learning models to a company’s problems. You’ll have to research the company and its industry in-depth, especially the revenue drivers the company has, and the types of users the company takes on in the context of the industry it’s in.
How can we use your machine learning skills to generate revenue?
Answer: This is a tricky question. The ideal answer would demonstrate knowledge of what drives the business and how your skills could relate. For example, if you were interviewing for music-streaming startup Spotify, you could remark that your skills at developing a better recommendation model would increase user retention, which would then increase revenue in the long run.
The startup metrics Slideshare linked above will help you understand exactly what performance indicators are important for startups and tech companies as they think about revenue and growth.
What do you think of our current data process?
Answer: This kind of question requires you to listen carefully and impart feedback in a manner that is constructive and insightful. Your interviewer is trying to gauge if you’d be a valuable member of their team and whether you grasp the nuances of why certain things are set the way they are in the company’s data process based on company or industry-specific conditions. They’re trying to see if you can be an intellectual peer. Act accordingly.
