You polished your resume, sweated out the application process, and now your potential future employer has called you back for that technical interview. During this conversation, you’ll be charged with showing off your personality and demonstrating your technical aptitude and problem-solving skills. Feeling the nerves creeping in? Not to worry! Today we’ve got a few tips on how to ace the interview.
Practice, practice, practice
If you’re being asked to participate in a technical interview, you’ve probably already made it to the top tier of job applicants and now is the time to show that you’re the absolute best pick for the job.
They may ask you to whiteboard a problem, which is probably not how you practiced at home (on a computer or a piece of paper). You’ll want to brush up on this skill, if only to keep your nerves in check.
You can also practice talking through the problem out loud to show the interviewer your thought process.
Of course, review the fundamentals of your relevant technologies so you don’t get tripped up on a simple problem. Find sample questions online or in a book to review and refresh your memory.
If you’re an experienced IT professional, this might feel like an easy step to skip, but don’t underestimate the importance of getting hands-on. One expert engineer recommends prepping for the interview 4-6 weeks in advance for 2-3 hours a day, even if you have experience in Computer Science.
Ask questions about the problem
If you don’t understand the question, one of the worst things you can do is pretend you know the answer and make up a solution. Even if you think you know the answer, always ask a clarifying question before jumping into the problem.
Tracy Cashman of WinterWyman suggests being honest if you’re nervous and forget an answer. Continue to walk the interviewer through your thought process and relate it to your applicable experience. Once you believe you’ve solved the problem, you can also ask if you have fully answered the question.
Be prepared for interview puzzles
These are designed to test your logic, as well as, problem-solving skills and can be exceptionally nerve-wracking during the interview process.
If you find the company’s interview puzzles online, resist the urge to simply memorize each answer. Instead, look for the purpose and logic of the puzzle and focus on that. Many times, interviewers will ask a question in a different way, making your memorized answer incorrect. And they might be suspicious of someone who answers a question too quickly.
Remember standard interview essentials
Just because this is a technical interview, you shouldn’t forget the basics of every job interview. Dress nicely (not too casual), research the company thoroughly, know your resume inside and out with examples for all of your experience and have follow-up questions prepared.
Never downplay your enthusiasm about a job. Tell the interviewer how much you want to join the company. Make them feel that you are the right fit for the position and that you’re excited to work there.
And as always, send a thank you note.
Sources:
https://code.likeagirl.io/acing-the-technical-interview-ea0c888feb9e
https://www.infoworld.com/article/2851128/it-careers/13-tips-ace-your-it-job-interview.html
