Outco vs Interview Kickstart (2024)- Which is Better?

This review pits Outco and Interview Kickstart, two popular interview prep platforms, together.

They are both tools that promise to help clear the path of a software engineer looking for positions in a tech company.

Most prospective software engineers and developers eye getting into one of the big names in the tech space.

Truth be told, their interviews can seem insurmountable. 

When preparing for the exams and interview questions, a few things help more than having insider information.

That is just one of the benefits Outco, and Interview Kickstart use as their selling points.

We assume that your search for a good interview prep course has brought these two options to you.

Which one should you choose? That’s the big question.

We will also look at another interview prep school and see whether it holds its own against the competition or not.

Let’s get started.

Outco Overview

Outco’s purpose is to help software engineers prepare for and pass technical interviews.

It does so by providing easy access to lectures on several programming topics.

Outco users can expect an experience closer to having insider information about the kind of questions interviews feature.

The nature of the program gives clues that the above expectation is not far from the truth.

One of those clues is that the program was made specifically for software engineers.

The other clue is that the software was co-developed by hiring managers, recruiters, and developers.

You can compare it to preparing for school exams using the examiners’ textbooks.

Outco provides ways to craft and refine your resumes and manage your time well and quality of expression for subsequent interviews.

When using Outco, you can also join classes with fellow engineers who are job seekers.

Together, you can practice using mock interviews and get feedback to improve further.

The primary side of the platform is the built-in formal lessons. Many courses have been uploaded and arranged into a syllabus.

The courses take one to different aspects of what interviews are all about, whether spoken or written.

But good courses should also go along with qualified coaches. Well, here they do.

Sandwiched between the courses is training on practical skills to help you deal with interview situations.

Such training includes expanding your network, conveying your value to hiring teams, and navigating sticky problems such as salary issues.

Outco does have a lot to offer, as this overview has shown. We’ll head into a detailed analysis of its features later and how they rank up against those of Interview Kickstart.

Now, let’s use the next few minutes to get an overview of Interview Kickstart.

Interview Kickstart Overview

Interview Kickstart is a platform offering training for different programming skills and how to pass related interviews.

This interview prep school was founded in 2014, by Soham Mehta and Ryan Valles founded this interview prep school. They have worked in and managed several reputable companies before forming Interview Kickstart.

Like other prep programs, online or off, they have a syllabus of courses and experienced coaches to handle them.

And yes, like Outco, the coaches are individuals who hold in their respective companies (and I mean world-class companies) positions that involve testing and recruiting prospective employees.

So does that mean tutorials rich in insider tips and strategies for acing your following job interview? Most likely, yes.

The courses are packed full to the brim. There are up to 17 of them that cover vital roles in software engineering.

The courses are hosted live, which is interesting. So you are getting a whole classroom experience. On top of that, once you are in, you’ll always have access to the courses.

The timing of the systems should also make them a working professional’s delight since they hold in the evenings and on weekends.

Of course, since online is always the venue of the classes, there is no need to worry about your location.

However, the training is not all about courses, coaches, and lectures.

I wouldn’t expect a platform like this to be devoid of student communities, one-on-one help, personalized feedback, career skills, development, etc.

I’m sure you won’t either. I’ve dedicated the next part of this comparison review to Interview Kickstart’s features versus Outco’s. Read on.

Outco vs. Interview Kickstart – Comparison Overview

When I compared the course outline and features of this overview, I discovered they have a similar feature set but take different approaches to the courses themselves.

Outco delivers the whole of their training in just four weeks, whereas Interview Kickstart keeps you to your table and chair for eight months.

The differences only get more profound when you look at the organization of the courses.

Keep in mind also that their missions are different.

Outco helps you scale through any general interview process.

While Interview Kickstart is specifically a platform to learn programming skills and pass interviews on that skills.

Hence, it is no surprise that Interview Kickstart delivers more bulky information. The courses would require a longer time to complete. 

I’ll discuss their course outlines and features more extensively later on. But right now, the table below provides an at-a-glance view of how they compare.

Outco vs. Interview Kickstart – Course Outline and Features

Yeah, it’s high time we talked about how the course outlines of these competitors differ.

As I said earlier, their feature set is similar, and only their syllabi show considerable differences.

For Outco, several topics touching every aspect of programming interviews were handpicked and arranged into a scheme of work.

Students will complete that scheme of work in four weeks, and the rest is personal guidance.

But in Interview Kickstart, you are learning an aspect of programming.

There are several kinds of programming to choose from, such as Android development, data engineering, etc.

Whichever programming aspect you choose out of the 17 on Interview Kickstart is eight months long.

After completing that course, you can now apply for work as a programmer in that field.

I believe that is clear enough, and we can move on to Outco’s course outline.

Outco Course Outline and Features

This section is all about Outco’s four-week course outline and features.

Pre-course

The recourse picks you up from your already existing knowledge of any programming skill to prepare you for what lies ahead.

It is here you will learn how to polish your resume so it can be your advocate.

Week 1: Basic

This stage of the schooling will introduce you to whiteboards, recursions, programming fundamentals, and how to understand the interview process.

Interviews can be anxiety-packed as well. It’s a good thing that you will also learn how to harness that anxiety in this module.

Week 2: Intermediate 

After finishing this course, you’ll have gotten used to examples of dynamic programming.

Part of the learning also includes information about linked lists, binary search trees, and graph traversals.

These programming terms in layman’s understanding refer to ways of organizing and representing data for various uses.

Then there is a section known as Behavioral and Situational Interview Questions.

This section prepares you for passing the part of an interview that tests your behavior and responses to informal situations.

Week 3: Advanced

When you progress to this level, you will start having advanced knowledge of more programming terminologies.

Here, you’ll face topics like matrix, sorting algorithms, heaps, and how to recruit for yourself.

Matrices are simple calculation tools consisting of rows of numbers laid out in row and column format to represent any data.

They are usually how many computational processes begin.

Sorting algorithms arrange data elements in their proper positions for various applications.

Heaps are simply an advanced form of the binary trees you’ll come across in module two

The “recruit for yourself” aspect of this course is significant because it is where you learn how to grow an effective prospect list, grow your network and see more job opportunities in your job searches.

Week 4: Mastery 

Outco promises that by the end of this module—and the complete training, you’ll have mastered the details of general programming.

This module draws the curtain on the training by teaching programming terminologies like object-oriented design, system design, and scaling.

But the best part of this module and the complete training at large is the salary negotiation and worth communication section.

Job applicants must have a clear picture of their worth and value in the job market if they will bid well for salaries.

Toward the end of the module, students will be given access to the Outcomes Program. This unique program offers continuous job search support through weekly workshops, group coaching sessions, and community support.

Aside from the course outline, Outco has several notable features that we’ll be looking at below

Outco’s Features

#1 Comprehensive Curriculum

Outco’s curriculum is not all about courses.

The courses teach the technical side of interviews, but they also include training on interpersonal skills.

That way, everything is balanced. You’ll agree with me that interviews are not all about the head knowledge but also about how well you can relate with others.

#2 Online Classes

Every aspect of learning takes place online. It doesn’t matter where you are. All you need is a laptop or desktop with an internet connection.

The instructors teach you online, and you can view other students taking the training live.

The classes hold four days a week (Mondays-Thursdays precisely) 

#3 Career Advisor

One of the many benefits Outco users have is a dedicated career advisor.

If you have a career advisor, he is more or less a mentor helping you to know which careers best fit your person and skill set.

They inspire confidence in you because they’ve been in your shoes before.

I feel this feature is the best part of the package.

#4 Mock Interviews

Nobody likes to be taught only the theoretical part of something without the practical.

If you are thinking of trying Outco, mock interviews are one good reason to do so.

The interviews mimic real-life situations. Students will be interviewed by their instructors just as in companies.

This part of the learning gives you an idea of what the experience would look like and help you identify your weak spots.

#5 Lifetime Coaching and Material Access

Yes, the above bonus is part of what Outco offers.

Once you pay for their training, you are a member of them forever. You can access all of their materials for as long as the platform exists.

The coaching includes weekly alumni classes, free workspace, career advice, etc.

#6 Premium Community & Support

Community support is definitely something you should look into when choosing a platform in any niche.

Outco has a community made up of students at different levels of training.

If you join Outco, you can always ask the community for help when you need it.

 Besides, various challenges are usually organized in the community, and after, you’ll receive personalized feedback reflecting your level of progress.

For support regarding technical issues, you can call or chat live with a support team member.

Outco’s feature set makes it a good option for software engineers looking to make their job searches more fruitful.

It’s time to talk about Interview Kickstart

Interview Kickstart Course Outline and Features

As you’ll see in this part of the review, the Interview Kickstart course outline is quite different from that of Outco.

But they offer very similar benefits by way of features.

Here is how courses are arranged on Interview Kickstart:

Each course is fully loaded training in a specialized programming field and lasts for 8-9 months.

The first three months are for intensive online live lectures, mock interviews, and coaching. The remainder of 6 months is for support.

No matter your specialty in programming, each course starts with algorithms before moving into your actual programming field. 

Interview Kickstart Features

You can refer to the Outco feature part of this review as they are the same in Interview Kickstart.

Outco vs. Interview Kickstart – Pricing 

The two online schools bill differently. And it’s not just in the actual pricing.

Outco’s pricing is fixed, while Interview Kickstart bills based on the course you picked and your level of experience in that field.

Let’s start with Outco.

Outco Pricing

The entire program costs $5500. This money can be paid in three ways, as explained below.

You can choose to pay all of the money upfronts as option one.

The second option is to pay $1500 and then pay the balance with 6% of your first-year salary.

And finally, you can opt for the real money to be paid when you start working. In that case, payment will take up 10% of your first-year salary.

Interview Kickstart Price

Pricing is based on the course you choose. You’ll learn about the pricing when you attend the webinar meant for your selected route.

We have learned much about two leading interview prep courses for software engineers, viz Outco and Interview Kickstart.

Hopefully, reading this review has enabled you to gather as much information as possible about them.

Now, you are likely on the verge of deciding between one of them. Good luck with that!

Or you might love to have as many options as possible, and the next question on your mind is….

Any better Interview Prep Course for Software Engineers?

Well, short answer, yes.

Long answer,

If you’re in the market for a great interview prep course, I highly recommend the Tech Interview Pro by Techlead.

Techlead is the nickname of Patrick Shyu. He was born in Silicon Valley and is an alumnus of the University of California.

Silicon Valley is the home of tech, so it’s not surprising that Techlead is a tech wizard.

Techlead’s career has taken him through many of the most famous tech companies globally—talk about Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, etc.

He has even worked as a recruiter in some of these companies, so he knows the mindset of those Silicon Valley questionnaires, which always eludes most potential candidates.

What is more, he knows all the mistakes tech job seekers usually make when undergoing interviews 

And he compiled all that knowledge in his course. There are over 100 mock interviews in his course alone.

Tech Interview Pro trumps Outco and Interview Kickstart 

Wrapping Up

Outco and Interview Kickstart are good interview prep courses, however, Techlead’s Tech Interview Pro trumps both courses.

Not only does it offer more value, it is also averagely priced. You can get started by using this discount link which saves you 40%.

Note: We earn a small commission when you purchase without a link which is at no extra cost to you; instead, you get to enjoy a 40% discount.

Tech Interview Pro Review – Is it Trash or Worth It?

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