A new OpenAI researcher shares the one regret he has from his job interviews

A newly appointed researcher at OpenAI has opened up about his journey to securing a position in the highly competitive AI sector, sharing crucial insights and one significant regret from his interview experiences. Bas van Opheusden, who joined OpenAI as a technical staff member in July, recently took to social media to provide an extensive document filled with interview strategies and tips aimed at aspiring candidates in the field. In his post, van Opheusden detailed his encounters with various recruitment practices, stating that some recruiters may resort to questionable tactics. He recounted experiences such as facing tight deadlines, receiving rescinded offers, being ghosted, and even situations where offers were unintentionally delayed until after a deadline had passed. Among the key pieces of advice he shared is the importance of taking notes during initial calls with recruiters. This stage typically involves learning about the hiring manager, team dynamics, and, particularly for startups, the company's vision and objectives. Van Opheusden emphasized that this may be the only opportunity to grasp the organization’s structure and team roles clearly. He recalled instances where he was unprepared during follow-up interviews because he had not retained crucial information from the introductory call. To remedy this, he suggested using a dual-monitor setup to facilitate note-taking while maintaining eye contact during video calls. His insights serve as a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of job interviews in the AI landscape.