Being good at what you do is simply not enough. This is true especially for programmers in the tech landscape. You need to be good at getting hired. Part of that process is knowing how to perform exceptionally well in the job interview.
As a software engineer at Microsoft, it’s safe to say that I’ve been there and done that. Here’s everything you need to know.
1. Know your projects well If it’s your first technical job interview, chances are that you’ve had little to no experience in the past. Especially in this case, your projects make or break your first impression. Interviewers love getting into the details of the work you’ve done in your projects. They are likely to ask you to justify your approach, how you could’ve improved and what you think you could have done differently in retrospect. Knowing your projects in and out, with conclusive answers to these questions will demonstrate your abilities of applied critical thinking, analysis and problem solving as a programmer.
2. Ask questions for clarity You will likely be presented with programming problems during your interview for which you will be expected to provide solutions. Interviewers often hold back some information about the problem to keep it vague. At this point, it’s almost impossible to give them the solutions they’re looking for without all the information. So when you’re presented the problem, ask yourself if you have all the information you need to provide a solution. If the answer is no, ask as many questions as necessary to give yourself an extremely clear understanding of the problem. This will put you in the best position to succeed.
3. Interviews are two-way engagements. Use it to your advantage. It’s okay to not be sure of your answer to presented problems. The goal is to reach a solution, regardless of how you do it. One of the most underrated ways of getting there is to present your ideas, no matter how vague, to the panel conversationally and prompt feedback. Instead of doing it alone in your head, turn it into a discussion and build the solution as the discussion progresses. This way, you will get the job done and prove yourself to be a team player as well.
4. Lead the interview In most interviews, the flow of questioning will depend on your answers. Every question is likely to be a follow up to your previous one. Use this to your advantage. Answer questions in a manner that lead the next ones right into your domain and areas of strength. You will end up being much more confident and successful in creating a positive impression. You can guide the course of at least some part of the interview, if not the whole thing, through this tactic.
5. Portray yourself as a good learner Frameworks and technologies used by companies may differ vastly. No interviewer expects you to know it all. However, every interviewer wants to hire someone who is good at learning anything fast and well. This is the one skill that can make up for a lot of other shortcomings. It makes you resourceful and therefore desirable to the company. So make sure they know you are open to and can learn anything that the job demands. Give good examples of where you had to learn skills (both technical and non-technical) from scratch and provide context. Did you learn it for a project or for academic purposes? Did you have to learn a certain skill as a prerequisite for something else? Provide examples of you learning skills with context. This gives credibility to your claims and increases the likelihood of getting hired.
Bonus Tip: You need your brain functioning optimally during the interview. Get good sleep the night before and make sure you are well rested. Remain calm and laidback throughout and take your time to think about your answers.
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