← MathWorks Interview Insights
I went in thinking this was a softball but it's sneakier than it looks.
Choose two internships that contrast in meaningful ways (e.g., large vs. small company, structured vs. ambiguous) and frame your answer around what you learned and how you adapted. Be honest about dislikes but pivot quickly to what you did to improve the situation or what you'd do differently, showing self-awareness and growth. Keep the focus on how these experiences prepared you for the adaptability and ambiguity you'll face as a software engineer at MathWorks.
Pro tip: Avoid criticizing former employers or teammates; instead, frame dislikes as mismatches with your working style or as areas where you took initiative to improve. Emphasize how you turned challenges into learning opportunities, which demonstrates maturity and resilience.
Pick two internships that differ in structure, team size, or project scope to highlight your adaptability. For example, one could be a large corporate setting with clear processes, and the other a startup with ambiguous requirements.
For each internship, briefly state what you enjoyed, such as the technical challenges, team culture, or impact of your work. Connect these positives to what you value in a software engineering role.
Mention one or two dislikes per internship, but focus on how you responded—e.g., communicating with your manager, proposing a process improvement, or adjusting your approach. Avoid dwelling on negatives.
Summarize key successes and failures, emphasizing lessons learned. For example, a successful code review process you implemented, or a project that failed due to unclear requirements and what you'd do differently.
Explain how you'd apply those lessons in future roles, especially in ambiguous situations. Relate this to MathWorks' emphasis on adaptability, such as asking clarifying questions early or prototyping to resolve uncertainty.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.