2 min lesson
Logistics to lock before the day
Walk through the important items in "Logistics to lock before the day" and give the practical point of each.
Step 1 of 2
Logistics to lock before the day
- Confirm SF / onsite details: address, who you're meeting, arrival time and buffer for traffic.
- Tech-check any video stage: camera, mic, lighting and a backup connection.
- Prepare a short, real question list per round - sharper questions for the AE and founder than for the recruiter.
- Have your researched take-home account and notes ready, in case the AE round reviews it live.
Day-of framing to yourself before each round: "This is a conversation between two people figuring out if this is a fit - not an interrogation I have to survive." Warm your voice up out loud beforehand, take one slow breath before you start and let the prep carry you.
Treat your thank-you note as another writing sample, because it is. Keep it short, reference one specific thing from the conversation and proofread it as hard as the take-home. A concise, well-written follow-up reinforces the exact "clear, concise writing" the role demands; a sloppy one quietly undoes a good loop.
Above every framework, Cursor wants conviction about automating coding. The candidate who genuinely loves the product and the problem beats the smoother candidate who treats it as just a job - Cursor screens hard for exactly that. Bring that passion truthfully and let it show; it is the single trait they most want to see and it cannot be faked under follow-up.