The tech industry is an exciting area to work in but getting the interview right can be a challenge for even the best candidates.
Over the last decade, the role of technology in business has evolved from a backroom operation to a pivotal function with influence at the highest levels.
It is an exciting time to be in tech, and in many areas and territories candidates are in high demand. But competition for coveted roles is still fierce, and as tech has evolved so has the best way to approach the application process. In this article we will help you prepare for your next tech interview.
Do your research
Every candidate knows preparation is key to a successful interview, but in the tech industry this preparation should be as up-to-date as possible.
It is good advice for candidates to research the latest news regarding the company they will be applying for. Candidates should be able to talk about what is happening in the company they want to join.
It is also a good idea to research the company’s hiring manager if possible. Very often, professional networking websites will have invaluable information about hiring managers. Having this background information allows candidates to ask better questions and can help them earn respect from the interviewer.
Make your CV stand out
In the IT field candidates need to make sure that their CV quickly captures the hiring manager’s attention.
A good format for CVs is a short summary of around 3 major achievements throughout your career which will be relevant to the job you are applying for.
Candidates should strive to submit a CV that will show the hiring manager what they are looking for in just 10 seconds. Achievements should be specific, and it is advisable to customise what is put on a CV for a particular role that is being applied for.
Be specific about your experience
A common problem for IT hiring managers is that candidates can sometimes be very vague about their individual accomplishments. They may speak very generally about what their team has done, but this puts the hiring manager in a position where they do not have a clear idea about what the candidate actually did.
This is not an effective strategy to conceal lack of knowledge or experience as mostly IT hiring managers know to hone in on the specifics of a candidate’s work history.
Therefore, it may be a good idea for candidates to go over their job history in order to refresh their memory.
Candidates should be prepared to give specific details about their work history. What specific issues needed to be addressed? What tools were utilized? What challenges needed to be overcome? Candidates should think about these kinds of questions in order to be able to speak about their experience in detail.
Show your softer side
As tech becomes more and more of a business priority, the importance of soft skills to complement the more obviously hard skills is growing too.
Some roles may seem not to require much in the way of soft skills. However, soft skills can be a great augmentation to a set of hard skills. A developer who is able to claim management or collaboration experience will be able to demonstrate leadership and flexibility that will give an edge over other candidates.
It should be noted that in senior roles soft skills are often considered more important than hard skills as employees in senior functions tend to work by organizing and utilizing talents of subordinates. Therefore, demonstrating an ability to work well with others or to manage a team should reflect very well on a candidate trying to enter a senior role.
Ask the right questions for you
An interview is a great opportunity for a candidate to determine whether or not they would really like to enter a position. It is advisable for candidates to prepare some questions to ask before the interview and ask as many as possible in order to gain a clearer idea of what job might be like and if it is a good fit.
It is common for candidates to become a bit distracted by high salaries or company brands and forget to ask questions that will be relevant to their careers. Furthermore, it is much more convenient to walk away from a position if candidates discover any red flags during an interview versus after a starting a new job.
Good questions might focus on things like a company’s management style or opportunities for advancement. Candidates should consider why they want to leave their current position and if the new role will provide what they need.
Asking an interviewer about their own personal experience with the company is another good way to gain valuable information about the company but is also a great way to build a relationship with the hiring manager that will be beneficial later.
For example, a good question might be “Why do you enjoy working at this company?” In answering this question, hiring managers will provide the candidate with details that will help them understand if the role is right for them.
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