Ah, a technical interview. There is nothing like it. It not only causes anxiety, but it also causes anxiety for a number of different reasons.
How many people will be asking questions? From my experience, I can tell you that there is nothing like going into a room and seeing nine people on the other side of the table.
Second, what will you be asked? Sometimes you hear people say that the questions they were asked in the technical interview were “simple”, which means “they asked me things I knew”. Sometimes you will hear people say "difficult" questions, which means "ask me things I do not know", or "ask me things I have never heard of".
Having been on both sides of the technical discussion table, I would like to share some tips for the interviewers. In doing so, I will share some of the most memorable conversations I have ever had.
No good interviewer expects you to know everything. The problem is, you do not always communicate with someone you know well.
In some cases, the person giving you the technical interview is asked to do it ten minutes before you appear. Maybe they have never talked to anyone before, or maybe they are in a bad situation. I've heard of techno talkers when the interviewer mocks the answer, and that doesn't work at all. I have had many jobseekers who give a bad answer to a question, and my only answer was the silence that followed to move on to the next question. If the interviewer made fun of your answers, you did not want to work there.
None of us know everything. If you are asked a question that you do not know the answer to, do not try to make BS your way. This is a good opportunity to tell the questioner how to research that particular question. It's not about knowing everything, it's about being able to get anything.
If the interviewer pretends not to like you already, it is because they do. I once worked with a professional who felt threatened by anyone applying for a job there, but especially if the applicant had professional certificates and had the courage to know what they were doing.
The expert participates in the technical discussion of the team where the applicant is a surprisingly bright person, and has a certain skill that the department really needs. The problem was, the expert considered himself “a man” when it came to that ability. Disaster recipe, right?
The applicant asked four questions from all of us correctly, and then approached the technology to ask a question. Scary technology has a list of interview questions, but they decided to advertise. Great mistake. He asked a confusing question that Gold Goldberg would be proud of. When he finished, the applicant replied:
"You can't do what you just described."
Technology began to defend his question, and it became clear that he could not follow his own question! The interview came in a bit from there.
Be aware right now that there are useless people out there who offer technical interviews. Be prepared, but stay professional yourself.
Prepare for an effective technical interview. Leading technology consultants find a way to get you ahead of the technology you will be working with. A good way to quickly find out if you know what you are talking about is to ask you to do some normal and perhaps some unusual activities. We can talk about technology and take all the computer-based tests we want, but it all depends on performance. Be prepared to prove your identity on your interview day.
Be an expert. This covers a lot of areas, so let me make a quick list.
Show 15 minutes in advance. Nothing makes the interviewer as embarrassed as waiting for the applicant.
Wear success. The way you look when you walk into a room leads to the first look at your question about you.
Do not chew gum during the interview.
Do not be arrogant. Look, there is nothing wrong with having an ego and acting with confidence. I do, and I should. But don't go to the interview room and pretend you're too good to be there.
Finally, relax. Easy to say, hard to do? Not really. Note that most of the interviewees you will ever meet will be experts in everything. The world will not end if you miss the question. If you did not qualify for the job on paper, you would not be there.
Don't think of the interview as a bad thing. Instead, view these as opportunities to gain some insight into your subject. With the right attitude, your professional interview will be the start of the next step in your career
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