Career Coach
Maya Chen
Maya has coached engineers and product managers through interview loops at tier-one technology and consulting firms for the better part of a decade. Her writing on Acedly focuses on the behavioral and storytelling layers that decide outcomes once technical hurdles are cleared.
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- Interview Strategy7 min read
Mastering the STAR Method for Behavioral Interviews
A complete guide to structuring memorable answers using Situation, Task, Action, and Result — with examples from engineering, design, and product roles.
Maya Chen - Compensation7 min read
Salary Negotiation: The Conversation After 'Yes'
Most candidates leave 10-25% on the table because they treat the offer as a conclusion. Here's how to treat it as the start of a negotiation.
Maya Chen - Interview Strategy5 min read
Answering 'Tell Me About Yourself' Without Reciting Your Résumé
The classic opener is also the most wasted minute in the interview. Here's a three-beat structure that turns it into a hook.
Maya Chen - Behavioral7 min read
The Behavioral Questions Software Engineers Actually Get
A focused list of the behavioral questions that show up in real engineering loops, and what each one is really probing.
Maya Chen - Career5 min read
Handling Rejection Without Losing the Next Loop
Rejection in the interview process is mostly noise, not signal. Here's how to extract the signal that exists and protect your energy for the next round.
Maya Chen - Job Search6 min read
Explaining a Gap or a Pivot on Your Résumé
Career gaps and pivots aren't disqualifying — they're just unexplained. Here's how to make them legible without apologizing.
Maya Chen - Interview Strategy9 min read
Mock Interview vs AI Interview Practice: Which Actually Builds the Skill?
Mock interviews and AI practice tools train different muscles. Here's what each is good at, where each fails, and how to mix them across a 4-week prep cycle.
Maya Chen - Remote Interviews9 min read
Microsoft Teams Interviews: A Candidate's Field Guide
Teams runs most enterprise interview loops in finance, consulting, and large tech. Here's how its sharing model, audio quirks, and meeting variants change your prep.
Maya Chen - Compensation11 min read
Salary Negotiation After the Offer: Scripts That Actually Work
The offer call is the highest-leverage moment of your job search. Here are the scripts senior candidates use to negotiate base, equity, and sign-on.
Maya Chen - Interview Strategy10 min read
Final-Round Interview: What's Actually Different (and What Isn't)
The final round feels like a different beast, but most of it is the same loop with higher stakes. Here's what actually changes — and what doesn't.
Maya Chen - Preparation6 min read
Mock Interviews That Actually Help
Most mock interviews are theater. Here's how to set up a session that produces real, repeatable improvement.
Maya Chen