Technical roles, like any other job roles, have multiple interview phases. The first one begins with a phone screening interview, the second stage is an HR interview, the third stage is a tech interview, which can be more than just one interview and can end with a management interview or an HR interview.
Fresher tech jobs will have all of these or some of these phases, but the tech interview is compulsory.
The tech interview is conducted by a senior team member from the tech team. Usually, it will be a reporting manager who will be working with you if you are employed. Which makes it imperative for you to take all the measures to create a lasting impression.
And if you are wondering how then here some measures you can apply –
Check who will interview you and find common points – Usually you will be informed in advance the details of your recruiter, like their name and position. If they are not mentioned, you can ask for these in advance from the HR.
Once you have the details, find out any common things between you two. For example, you went to the same college, did the same courses or, went to the same school.
You can discuss this during the interview and make yourself memorable to the recruiter.
Bring your portfolio or talk in detail – Most tech graduates are expected to have an online portfolio of their code or other projects on GitHub, Stack overflow or, Hackerrank. You might have mentioned this in your resume, but a tech interview is your opportunity to mention this in detail.
It showcases to the recruiter that you are enthusiastic about coding or tech and like to keep yourself updated.
Mention about team management experience – You might think that a tech interview involves only technical knowledge, but it is a test of other skills including team management skills.
As a tech person, you will be required to work alongside other techies, and while your work might be solitary, you have to work in coordination with them. You need to highlight your team skills through instances where you worked with students from other streams and courses.
Be prepared for whiteboard challenge/case study – This is a crucial element in your tech interview as it is where the recruiters are going to see your skills in action. Just be prepared for it by practicing it first hand with a whiteboard at home.
Here the key is not to solve the puzzle or write the code; the key is to approach it correctly. Ask questions before starting, let them know that you first gather the information before attempting it. The key here is not in finding solutions but knowing how you process information. Always speak out loud and run them through your process.
Speak clearly and reflect confident body language – Many tech graduates do not focus on developing their communication skills during college, but later realize that it is one of the essential skills to have during job interviews.
Make sure that you practice by doing a mock interview, so you have confidence while handling the actual interview.
You can take the Mock AI that will assess your body language and give you feedback on your communication skills so that you can improve on it by the time of your final interview.
Consider the vocabulary you use – One of the easiest ways you can impress your recruiter during your tech interview is to use the right technical words. The use of the right words show that you know your stuff, you know what words to use and how to use them. But on the other hand, don’t just use words if you don’t understand as the recruiter will find it instantly!
Ask questions before leaving – The best way to leave a lasting impression in a tech interview is to end it well. You can do this by ensuring you have good questions to ask the recruiter.
You can ask them what kind of work they do in the company, what motivates them to come to work, what are the new exciting innovations taking place or anything else that might help them remember you much after you are gone!
Make sure you follow these tips during your job interview, and you are one step closer to interview success. Do you have any specific questions about your tech interview? Ask us in the comments below.
Also Read: The five stages of a job interview
