Today we’d like to introduce you to Rafay Syed.
Rafay, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I used to interview for software engineering roles, I would always wonder what would differentiate the interview process at one company versus another. I would scour the web for insights where I would visit websites such as Reddit, Blind and Glassdoor, but the process of gathering those insights would be chaotic. There wasn’t a single source of truth that would house these interview insights and have them structured in a way that would be easy to follow.
Software engineering interviews are already hectic and could take many rounds before landing that offer, with each round getting tougher as the candidate advances. Even though there were sites out there (such as Glassdoor) for interview insights, they weren’t structured and most of the time they would not provide detailed insights. Thousands of people have shared their interview experiences to help others, but they would be across many different websites.
This is why I came up with the idea. I always had many people reach out to me, asking me about my interview experience at Salesforce and what recommendations I would have for passing the interview. I’ve always had a passion for helping people get their dream jobs and to help them succeed, so I thought about creating this platform where people can crowdsource their interview experiences that could help others. I wanted it to be designed where the user comes first, and then think about the user’s pain points when it comes to finding great interview insights. I started this back in August 2024 but almost did not pursue it because I thought about the possibility of it not succeeding, but after speaking with a cofounder of a multi-million dollar company, he told me that when you really want to achieve something, you won’t let that fear take over you and you’ll always find the time to do it. So far, thousands of people have come on the site since the site officially launched on February 9th. The reactions have been amazing.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I believe that if it was a smooth road to build a startup, then everyone would have startups. There are many ups and downs when it comes to building your own company. There were times where I would doubt myself, thinking what if this wasn’t going to work out, or what if I waste all this time while I could be having fun instead. But as I kept going, I realized how much I enjoyed the grind and the hard work of building Rounds to where it could help as many people land their dream jobs. Even though I have a technical background, I did not have the business skills. I realized this when my brother’s friend Fardeen approached me, saying how much he liked the idea and he made me realize that I really needed a partner if I wanted to take Rounds to the next level. After speaking with him for a couple of hours, I brought him on board and it’s been one of the best decisions I ever made.
I also realized that I needed to start marketing Rounds in a way that would really grab our audience’s attention, and so Fardeen started creating content for our Instagram page and we both started posting on LinkedIn more often each week. When you find a company, you have to wear multiple hats: marketing, engineering, finances, etc. Overall, it’s been a great journey as Rounds continues to grow and make an impact on people’s interview prep, where the community can help each other.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I currently work as a Software Engineer at Salesforce while also working on Rounds in the late evenings until midnight (or even longer). For Rounds, I program the app using a variety of technologies. It was the first time I’ve built a brand new app from scratch. I mainly specialize in backend technologies such as Java and Python, but building Rounds has been a great learning experience when building a full-fledged app. People see me as someone who can help them land a career in tech, while also guiding them throughout the interview process and reviewing their resumes. One of the biggest impacts I’ve made on someone is helping them land a great engineering job at Apple. It was a close friend of mine who was unsure what he wanted to do with his career, but I told him that he could get started by taking this $15 Python course on Udemy. He immediately got started and kept going until he completed the course. He was working as a support representative at Apple, but then with his newfound knowledge, he was able to work his way up while asking me for guidance and he is now an engineer.
When it comes to Rounds, this is the type of impact I want it to make. I always believe that true strength is in the power of community, where people elevate others. No one can do one thing alone; it’s always good to ask for guidance and advice. I never expected that within 2 months of launch, Rounds would already have 3600 monthly active users, with over 110 submissions and have many people sending my cofounder and I kind messages on how this was very much needed and how much some of these interview submissions are helping them. Another thing that I’m proud of is that I was able to get my graduate degree while working as a software developer full time. Took 2 classes a semester for the last 3 semesters and it was very time consuming but worth it.
I believe what sets me apart is that I always see the best in others. If someone believes that they can’t do something, I tell them that we all started from somewhere without knowing how to read, walk or write, but look where we are. If we can do that, we can definitely accomplish more. I’ve also been told that I’m very empathetic and very driven when I set out to do something. I always try to stay positive and make sure that I don’t let any setback get in the way of what I’m working to accomplish.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking is a very important skill and I always advise people that if they want to succeed in any major aspect of their lives, build a strong network. LinkedIn has made it easier than ever. Instead of sending a cold invitation to someone, send them a message about why you’re wanting to connect with them. What stood out about them that made you click that “Connect” button? When it comes to finding a mentor, see what someone has accomplished that YOU hope to accomplish. Those people will be your best guiders when you are embarking on your goals. Go to certain events where you can meet like-minded and ambitious people. It’s always best to show your face, that way people can remember you even better and you start to build that connection. I have multiple mentors that have helped guide me when I was building Rounds. They told me what to really focus on and what to think about later, such as legalese. The main thing was to get the product out there as fast as possible, and that’s what I was working on. At first, I was reluctant in doing so because I wanted it to be “perfect”, but my mentors and cofounder said that the first iteration of a product won’t be at its best; instead, you can iterate and add improvements along the way while getting the name out there. If it wasn’t for networking, my cofounder would not have held many interviews with influencers and others in the field who may find Rounds helpful. That networking effect has really helped us grow Rounds at the speed that it’s going. It’s already been visited by people across 67 countries.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rounds.so
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rounds.so/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafay-syed-22170440/
- Twitter: https://x.com/RafaySyed_
