Interviewing










There will be many...

Most employers these days have a series of preliminary interview to screen out the weaker(or unprepared) candidates. Generally you will encounter the following in the wild, in rough order:

  • Phone Interview. Generally most interview processes start with a phone interview as it saves your potential employer having to pay for your visit. This is usually a character or very high level technical interview where the hiring manager is trying to see if you are a fit for the company.

  • Technical Challenge. This is usually somewhat rare but includes a set technical challenge that you complete at home with some skeleton code. This is to see how you deal with reading code and adapt a solution. Some may even ask you to read a Wikipedia article and implement what you have read.

  • Skype Interview. Generally these are quite casual but can include technical questions. Be prepared for technical issues (your interviewer will be), don't hesitate to offer a call instead if it persists.

  • On-Site Interview. Usually a later stage of interviewing when the potential employer will reimburse your travel to travel to their office. Generally there are a few interviews throughout the day and with different expertise. Employers generally make the decision to hire based off of sheets that will be filled in during or after the interview as to how well the interviewer thought you did.


TELEPHONE INTERVIEW

  • keep your CV in clear view, on the top of your desk or on computer

  • have a pen and paper handy for note taking

  • turn call-waiting off, so your call isn't interrupted.

  • if the time isn't convenient, ask if you could talk at another time and suggest some alternatives.

  • go into a quiet room, make sure you are not disturbed during call by anything/anyone

FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW

Tips that will help you at the interview:

  • practice & prepare

    • exercise in front of a mirror answering interview questions

    • do technical questions, practice as much as you can

    • apply what you learned to the job requirements before interview

    • "Cracking the Coding interview" is a really good resource

  • research the company

    • "What do you know about this company?" is one of the questions that will not be avoided by interviewer

    • find more about the projects that the company is involved on

    • try to relate to the projects, this creates a connection between you and the company and increases chance of hire

  • arrive early at the interview

    • no more that five or ten minutes earlier

    • arriving early at the interview shows to the interviewer that you show heavy interest in the company

    • give yourself a few extra minutes to visit the rest room, check your outfit, and calm your nerves

    • it is best for you to schedule to arrive early at the interview in the case of something does not go as planned in your journey to the interview (e.g. heavy traffic)

  • show what you know

    • relate what you know about the company when answering questions

    • make a match between your expertise and the company's requirements

  • be dressed accordingly

    • do not go at the interview in a t-shirt or jeans, or not even in a suit

    • ideally you should wear a smart casual outfit.