Toyota Connected Interview Prep

Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you want to work for Toyota connected?

Hi, I'm Heggar! I am a Junior at UTD studying Computer Science. I have an interest in machine learning and mobile application development. I have experience in creating data systems that analyze and manage datasets in C++ and am familiar with Java and Python. I also have a customer service background. I was interested in Toyota Connected because I want to take part in the creation of software that transforms how people interact with their environment and enhances the users' experience by enabling mobility.

Tell us about the most difficult feedback or criticism you have ever received. What was that, How did you respond, and what did you do about it?

I have definitely received constructive criticism of my work in the past, including at my previous job at McDonald's. And honestly, the only thing you can do is to thank the person for pointing out the flaw. Once, I was told by one of my managers at McDonald's that I was the slowest bagger on the assembly team. At first, I was upset because I put a lot of care in bagging the food so that nothing got squashed or nothing spilled, but after listening carefully to the critique, I saw how I could make changes that allow me to increase my assembly speed and serve drinks faster. So, I practiced at home on my own just bagging random items, and eventually I got my assembly speed down to 6 seconds on average.

What is the coolest thing you've developed, and why did it excite you?

The coolest thing I've developed is a Student Management System that manages students' courses grades and assignment dates and can calculate course grades, final grades and semester averages. It's functionality is very simple but it excites me because it is very practical. It's something that I as a college student, personally use every day to keep track of my own grades. It's cool that this program finds solutions to problems that I encounter everyday.

Finish this sentence, I enjoy developing software because...

it allows me to solve problems in a creative way that makes the users' experience as convenient and as comfortable as possible.. There are many ways in which Software Developers can be creative, including in the way you think to solve a problem: for example, you need to be able to put yourself in the users' shoes in order to provide a solution, you need to create innovative new systems and functionality and you get to play around and learn new technologies. Creativity and the chance to redefine the way people interact with our environment, with our world is why I want to become a software developer.