Success Story: How Neesha Kanhere landed a role at Rula

Welcome to Formation’s Fellow Spotlight, a blog series introducing you to former Formation Fellows who landed their dream jobs. Today, we’ll meet Neesha Kanhere, now a Software Engineer at Rula. 

Can you start by introducing yourself? 

I’m a software engineer based out of Las Vegas. I work at a startup called Rula, where we focus on making mental health care accessible to everyone. Outside of work, I enjoy playing volleyball, climbing, and cooking new recipes with my husband.

What was your background before joining Formation? 

I graduated in 2018 with a degree in computer science from the University of California, Riverside. Since then, I’ve been working professionally for about four years. My first job was at Alarm.com, where I worked on security systems, and then I moved to a financial company, focusing on 401ks, etc.

Why did you decide to join Formation? 

After leaving my previous company and taking some time off, I found the job hunt much more challenging than I expected. I started looking during the holidays, when many companies weren’t hiring, and even in January, I struggled with getting interviews and succeeding in the ones I did have.

It became clear that there were hurdles I couldn’t overcome on my own. I was grappling with technical skills and found it difficult to focus due to the overwhelming variety of LeetCode-style questions and interview formats. I kept jumping from topic to topic without making meaningful progress. System design was another major roadblock. I had never done a system design interview before and didn’t know how to approach it.

It was clear I needed regular mock interview practice and personalized guidance to build my confidence and improve my skills so I began looking for a program to help with my job search/interview prep. Throughout my search, Formation stood out to me as a structured and supportive opportunity to help me succeed in my job hunt.

What type of job were you looking for during your search? 

I was targeting mid-sized startups and specifically wanted to work in the mental health space. Mental health has always been a passion of mine—it was even a career path I considered before choosing engineering.

Did you explore other programs, and what made you choose Formation? 

I researched several competitors, attended info sessions, and made pros and cons lists. Ultimately, I chose Formation because of its unique session format, smaller mentor-led groups, and ongoing support even after securing a job. Unlike other programs, Formation didn’t pressure students to take the first available job and instead focused on finding the right fit.

What areas of the interview process were you struggling with? 

I was doing well in recruiter screens and hiring manager interviews but struggled with technical interviews. My technical skills weren’t where I wanted them to be, and I lacked confidence during interviews, which affected my performance.

How did Formation help improve your technical skills? 

When I first started my job hunt, my knowledge across various topics was quite broad. I could solve Leetcode style easy array problems without much trouble, but when faced with medium or hard problems, I struggled. My approach was also flawed—I was trying to memorize solutions rather than truly understanding the problems. Two weeks later, if I revisited the same problem, I wouldn’t even know where to begin, leaving me back at square one.

Formation introduced me to the engineering method, which completely changed my approach. Instead of focusing on memorizing solutions, I learned to break down a problem, identify what was being asked, and use my existing toolkit to tackle it step by step. This method was incredibly helpful because it prepared me to handle any question I encountered during interviews. Even if I couldn’t arrive at the perfect solution right away, I could make meaningful progress. 

How did Formation impact your interview skills? 

Interviewing in itself was something that I was really struggling with. I knew I wasn’t performing to the best of my abilities, so having that opportunity to participate in regular mock interviews was incredibly helpful for me.  

My first mock interview went terribly. I froze because I was so nervous. By the end of the program, I was able to perform well and feel confident in the mock interviews. Formation also taught me how to tailor my responses based on the type of interview, whether it was with a recruiter or a hiring manager, which made a big difference.

What advice would you give to someone considering Formation? 

With a program like Formation, you get out what you put in. They provide all the tools and support you need, but it’s up to you to take advantage of them. If anything about my experience resonates with you, I’d highly recommend considering it. 

It definitely can be a little bit nerve-wracking to join a program like this, but at the end of the day, it was one of the best decisions I made. I am very grateful for the entire Formation team and the amount of support that I received throughout my time there. The job hunt process is really tough, so don't ever hesitate to get the help and support that you need. 

Was there anything surprising about Formation? 

I was pleasantly surprised by the level of support from both the mentors and other fellows. My fellow managers were always there for me, whether I needed support after a tough interview or encouragement before an onsite. The formation community was incredibly welcoming, and it helped me feel less alone during the process.

How was your interview process for your current job? 

It was very rough initially. I struggled with interviews, especially technical screens and coding challenges. But over time, with practice and the tools Formation provided, my confidence grew. By the end, I was approaching interviews with a sense of calm and performing much better.

What was one major takeaway from your experience with Formation? 

One big takeaway is the importance of finding mentors you connect with and leveraging their guidance. Formation offers a mentor-led session to help you understand where exactly you’re struggling in interviews. That personalized feedback made a huge difference in my progress.

Anything else you’d like to add? 

I’m incredibly grateful for the support and tools the whole Formation team provided. The job hunt was a challenging process, but I came out of it more confident and prepared for my career, and working at a company that I truly love.