Interview Kickstart has been shaping careers for nearly a decade, with some of our team members growing alongside us from day one. IKatalyst celebrates these pivotal journeys of growth and a relentless pursuit of excellence. This edition spotlights Dipen Dadhaniya, our coveted Engineering Manager, whose career has flourished with us. Hear his story below:
Charting the Course: Dipen’s 7-Year Journey at Interview Kickstart
What’s it like to be the first engineering hire at a fast-evolving company? Discover the journey of Dipen, who has spent nearly seven years at Interview Kickstart, witnessing its transformation from a tender startup to a well-established, decade-old enterprise.
Dipen joined Interview Kickstart fresh out of college, stepping into the role as one of the company's first engineers. Over the years, he has donned multiple hats, growing alongside the company. Today, he serves as IK’s Engineering Manager, leading teams and scaling products from 0-1. Dipen’s story is one of growth, perseverance, and dedication, closely intertwined with IK’s own evolution. Hear from Dipen himself on what it’s like to navigate this unique journey.
You’ve been with IK for 7 years! How were your first few days at IK like?
Being the first engineering hire was nothing short of a rollercoaster! I joined IK straight out of college, and my first task was to build our very first platform. As a complete fresher in software development, I had to figure out how to develop an entire website from end to end. It was exhilarating and challenging at the same time, especially knowing that the platform I was building would soon be used by thousands of users.
I took the site live on my own, with some guidance from Soham, of course, but being part of such a lean team meant that a lot of the execution was on me. And honestly, I’m grateful for that experience. At larger companies, you often end up working on small tasks or specific features, but here, I had the chance to handle everything. It kickstarted my software development journey in a way I couldn’t have imagined, and it was a significant milestone in my career.
Can you walk us through your journey at IK?
After launching the initial website, we brought in a head of engineering, which was crucial for our growth. With the team expanding, we started building a second platform—a more refined version of the first, drawing from the lessons we’d learned. This project took about six months, and it really helped the team gel together and become more effective.
As the engineering team grew to around a hundred people, I had the privilege of working with experienced engineers from top companies. This was a huge learning curve for me, especially considering that earlier on, I was mostly teaching myself.
I eventually transitioned to a new team that I helped build from the ground up. I started in content development before moving back to engineering. As the team expanded, I recognised the need for more structured processes, so I shifted my focus back to curriculum development. I built three teams from scratch: a problem-setting team, an article-writing team, and a technical coaching team. I was the first member of each, overseeing hiring and growth, and eventually grew the teams to about 25 to 30 members, mostly part-timers.
This experience was invaluable—it taught me a lot about budgeting, hiring, and team management. Once these teams were stable, I handed them over to the operations team and returned to engineering. By then, I had already established strong relationships with Ryan and the head of engineering, so I felt confident in my place within the team. My growth was always a priority, even with new hires coming in.
Overall, I’ve gone from being a fresh graduate to becoming a software developer, content developer, tech lead, and now an engineering manager. I’ve made several switches between curriculum and engineering roles, with the last three years primarily focused on management.
How has IK supported your growth in providing you with different roles?
My team transitions have always been very collaborative. When new opportunities arise, the head of engineering and Soham often approach me with options. For instance, after spending some time with the curriculum team, I felt it was time for me to return to engineering to continue my growth. I discussed this with them, and they were supportive in finding new opportunities that aligned with my goals. Sometimes, they suggest roles to me, and other times, I express my desire to shift back, and we find a way to make it happen.
When you look back at how the company has grown from just a four-person team to what it is now, do you take a moment to reflect on that? How does it feel?
Absolutely! It’s incredible to think about how far we’ve come. Whenever I attend company off-sites or all-hands meetings, I often find myself amazed by the growth. When I first joined, the entire team could fit in a single room. Now, our engineering team alone can’t even fill up one floor. It's incredibly fulfilling to witness this tremendous growth.
It’s hard to believe we started with just four people, and now we have a thriving team. Those thoughts definitely cross my mind, and it feels incredibly rewarding to have been part of this journey.
How would you describe the culture at Interview Kickstart?
Our culture revolves around two main principles: ownership and collaboration. We emphasise strong ownership, where everyone takes responsibility for their work without needing constant follow-up. This fosters a sense of accountability across the team, and it’s something that’s ingrained from the moment someone joins IK.
We also believe in supporting one another’s growth rather than pulling others down. Everyone here has the opportunity to succeed, and we work together as a team. Growth isn’t a zero-sum game at IK—we all flourish when everyone gets a chance to shine.
Additionally, anyone can approach anyone else in the company to provide feedback or discuss ideas for improvement. This open communication is encouraged, and all voices are valued, regardless of seniority. You can talk to Ryan or Soham about any idea, no questions asked! I appreciate that every member feels comfortable sharing their opinions and that their ideas are taken seriously.
What advice would you give to a fresher joining Interview Kickstart today?
I would advise them to come in with an open mind and be ready to learn. Put in the hard work, because there’s a lot to absorb. The people here are very smart, and there are excellent opportunities to contribute, not just in software development, but also in process automation and setting up effective workflows.
One key difference between joining a startup like IK versus a larger company is the ability to make a higher impact. Here, your ideas and suggestions are valued, and you have the opportunity to execute them and bring real value to the team. You learn on the go, and you can pick up any project and make it your own. If you’re looking to learn and take charge, IK is the place to be.
