Interviews are hard, nerve-racking and full of pressure. I’ve had many interviews, and while the practice I’ve gotten from doing so many has helped me perform better, I still get quite nervous. I’m going to go through some of my experience for interviews, and whilst I’ve mainly interviewed for tech companies, this experience can be applicable to all types of interviews.
I’ll list some of the common sense tips for any interview in general: punctuality: it’s better for you to wait for them rather than the other way around, also you should Google Maps the place beforehand and leave additional time for if you get lost, dress smart: figure out what the appropriate dress code is (e.g. if it’s a large corporation, then you should probably dress formally, if it’s a smaller company then check out videos of them on their website to see what they wear) – when in doubt don’t be afraid to ask, personal hygiene: it’s a good idea to take a shower, do your hair, shave if necessary just before you leave, research, prepare and practice: learn more about the company – what they do, their general values and culture – I’ll talk more on preparation later.
Practice talking!
If you’re an introvert like me then finding the flow when speaking can be tough. It really helps to just practice talking, not only for interviews but for your career and life in general. You don’t have to practice only what you would say in an interview, but you can also practice by just talking and explaining concepts and ideas to friends and family. You can come off as a good communicator if you are able to talk and explain things in a structured way. You can try to prepare by simply writing what you would say, but it only works if you talk through it without reading. It’s like learning an instrument – it’s sort of muscle memory getting your brain to come up with the next thought to say.
When being asked about your past experience or past projects, remember the STAR approach: Situation, Task, Action, Result. For example, a tight deadline for a project (situation) where you had to deliver a solution to a tough problem (task) and so you used XY techniques (action) and delivered a high quality solution before the deadline with time to spare (result).
Summary: talk with people you know as much as you can to help you with talking in general.
Research, prepare and practice
As mentioned before, do your research on the company. Now for the rest of things you need to prepare and practice:
- responses to typical interview behavioural questions,
- practical exercises such as coding questions, problem solving questions and group exercises
- have some questions to ask afterwards, for example things about the company that you couldn’t find on their website
For typical interview questions, some responses you should prepare include: an introduction about yourself (your background such as education and what you do, what your aspirations are), what you can bring to the company, why you want to work at the company, what you know about the company. You should also think about your previous experiences, not only in work but in education and life in general. Some scenarios to think about include: a project you are most proud of and how you achieved it, a time where you were under a lot of pressure, and maybe something negative to show how you coped such as a time where you f@#!ed up big time. Remember to use the STAR approach as mentioned before.
Practical and coding questions
For practical exercises, practice some sample problems. We’re going to be putting up some coding questions and solutions so check back soon!
As for how to practice, try your best to figure out the questions for yourself, if you’re struggling you can look at the solution, but the most important step is to understand why and how the solution works – make sure you do this even if you do manage to figure out the solution yourself!
Know what to expect
Of course, if you can research and find out what the interviewer(s) will ask of you you can focus most of your attention on only those things. Glassdoor has great interview reviews which will give you a hint on what to prepare for.
Confidence: but how?
That’s what they all say: just be confident and you’ll do well. Most of the time it’s not that easy. One thing to remember is that it’s okay to be nervous, just try to realise that we’re all equally important and different in our own ways. It sucks being an introvert and not being talkative or knowing what to say. Just practice talking as I’ve pointed out previously, and as you get good at knowing questions to ask and how to respond and converse, it gets easier to be more confident.
Don’t go in looking for a job
This sounds counterintuitive, but the point is to try not to think about really wanting or needing the job and being desperate. This is a really great mindset to have when interviewing. Go in and show them why you are a great candidate by showing you are capable and confident instead of just wanting the job for the sake of having a job. Of course, you still want them to know that you actually want to work at the company especially if they ask why you want to work with them, just frame it in such a way that you are complimenting the company and you want to work there because of all the company’s strong points (e.g. their values, what they do appeals to you). Here’s a really inspiring video on this topic (it’s aimed at actors who are auditioning, but it still applies to us!): https://youtu.be/v1WiCGq-PcY
Summary
Practice makes perfect, prepare your best, be confident and go in with the mindset of showing what you’re capable of instead of just wanting the job.
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