How to get hired at OpenAI? Engineer shares insider tips for landing a job at the AI giant

India Today

16 hours ago

A newly minted OpenAI technical staffer is spilling the beans on what it took to break into the elite AI research community, and the one big misstep he still regrets. Bas van Opheusden started at OpenAI in July, and on Tuesday posted an eight-page guide on X packed with pointers for acing AI job interviews, ranging from general interview strategy and coding secrets to compensation negotiations.
advertisementThe document doesn't shy away from the darker side of hiring. 'Some recruiters will play dirty,' he warns. 'I have had companies give extremely short deadlines, retract offers, ghost me entirely, or 'accidentally' fail to make an offer until after another deadline had expired.' But the real gem? Bas's honest regret about the initial recruiter screening, often an overlooked yet crucial step. During that call, recruiters typically outline who your hiring manager will be, which team you might join, and, for startups especially, the company's mission and strategic direction. They'll likely also ask about your compensation expectations.
His key tip: 'During this call, take notes!' Only this conversation might include your first glimpse at the org chart, team breakdown, and yet he omitted to jot anything down. He recalls, 'I've had coding interviews 2–3 weeks later where someone would ask what role I was applying for and I didn't know.' That's a rough spot to be in.Bas even shared his workaround, a dual-monitor setup so he can take live notes while still maintaining eye contact during video calls. 'I have a dual-screen setup where I can take notes during a call, and I will move the video call window on my screen so that it looks like I'm making eye contact,' he writes.Why does this matter in today's job market? With competition for top tech roles fiercer than ever, especially at prestigious outfits like OpenAI, even small missteps can derail a candidate. Bas's guide offers a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of AI job hunting, especially valuable in a field that prizes both technical genius and tactical savvy.Bas's top takeawaysHis advice for aspiring OpenAI hires is as practical as it is hard-won. First, he says, be ready to shield yourself against recruiter tactics, tight deadlines, retracted offers, or even being ghosted are all part of the game, so you need to be prepared to respond strategically. Next, treat the recruiter introduction like a full briefing session, using it to gather crucial details about your role, team composition, reporting lines, compensation range, and the key decision-makers behind your application.But, he adds, his biggest regret was skipping note-taking during this stage; he now swears by a mission-critical two-screen setup, keeping the call on one monitor and a notepad on the other, so you never forget important facts later on.advertisementAmong his bonus tips: brush up on compensation negotiation by knowing market salary bands and being willing to stall or walk away if deadlines feel rushed; for technical interviews, focus on clearly structuring your problem-solving approach; and keep your tools organised, because a dual-monitor or note-taking setup isn't just ergonomic, it's a strategic advantage.Bas van Opheusden may have aced his technical interviews, but even he triple-uped early on by forgetting that foundational call. His lesson? Never underestimate phase-zero of the interview process, it's not fluff. It's a critical orientation.- EndsTrending Reel