Tips for the IT-interview

Do some research

It’s always good to do some research about the company you are applying to. Take a look what they do. What are they known for? Is there a video about the product that the company is making? Sales brochure? Do they have a blog? Try to learn as much as possible. No need to dig into the details. Learn something, so you can show that you did your homework.

“I’ve seen that you released a new version of the app earlier this month. How long did it take you to prepare this release?” – even though this might look like not very important question, it shows that you spent some time learning about the company. It shows that you are involved & committed.

Sometimes, in the offer, there is information about the hiring manager and the project you are applying for. Google those as well. Try to get as much information as possible! There is no such thing as too much information.

What’s more, as your potential employer, we will do the same. We will learn as much as possible about you

Don’t ramble.

One of the common tactics that I observe on the internet is “if you don’t know the answer, act like you know it”. That might have worked during high school or studies. When applying for a job that is not working.

Try to answer the question you are being asked. Don’t ramble. Stay on topic, be specific.

Focus on your achievements

Something that I observe during the interviews is that people tend to talk about their team achievements in their previous jobs. “We implemented QR code login functionality”. Who is “we”? How YOU were involved? What did YOU achieve? An interview is a place to talk about YOUR achievements in particular.

“I set up the CI/CD pipeline”

“I added push notifications to our app”

It’s time to shine! Even though you were working in the team, the company is considering hiring you, not the whole team. A question that you can expect when you talk about “the team achievements” is “how you were involved in that?”.

Make us interested and excited!

Know the details/reasons

On top of the above, it’s good to know the details. If you say that “you added Sqlite database in the previous project”, then be ready to answer the question “why did you choose Sqlite not Couchbase or Realm?”. What was your way of thinking when choosing Sqlite?

Be ready to answer some architecture-related questions. Which architecture patterns did you use in the previous projects? Why?

You need to show that you know what you are talking about. You might want to show that you did the homework and you are aware of other solutions.

Ask!

Lastly, it’s good to prepare some questions in advance about the position. It’s fine to ask about the equipment or competence-building budget, however, an interview is also a good place to ask about the tasks that you will be doing. About the release cycle in the team, you are joining. The question about the testing approach is another example or question rarely asked. Ask about the parts of your daily work that you are interested in.

If it is something that matters to you, ask about it. It also proves that you are thinking outside the box. Trust me, 80% of candidates that I interview ask about salary, equipment & days off. It’s a nice change to hear different questions.

IT Interviews are like a rendez-vous

It’s not only that one side that needs to be interested in another. We need to be fine working with each other. You need to be excited to work with us & we need to be excited to work with you! Otherwise… Well, it might not work that well.

The interview focuses on two people wanting to know each other. Two people simply curious about the other side.

That’s all from my IT interview tips. Those are 5 that would work for me. Wish you all the best during your interviews! If you have any questions on the topic, feel free to write to me.

reviewed & edited by: Magdalena Kozakiewicz (not all comments applied through 🙈)