Interviewing Tips for Techies

Most people deal with people all day long.  This makes them more aware of social norms and context.  People in the technology field are usually not these people.  We are huddled over computers most of the day solving logical problems.  People, however, are not that logical.  This isn’t usually a big problem until it is time to find a new job.

Getting feedback is great for self improvement but this is a rare event for job interviews.  A great way to get this invaluable feedback is to build relationships with great recruiters.  It is in their best interest to be successful in interviews because their pay depends on it.

Among the many great recruiters I’ve meet, Matthew Porter from Brooksource in NYC has been one of the most helpful and personable.  He had provided me some very helpful tips to improve my interviewing skills.

• Be clear and concise.  People will ask if they want you to elaborate more. Talking and explaining too much especially if it's a difficult question can be detrimental.
• There is no right answer.  People mostly want to see how you think and express yourself when asking questions about how you work.  Be confident of your abilities and finding the right environment for it is important.
• Do research outside of the interview to figure out if it is the right culture for you.  Asking culture related questions directly can sometimes backfire on a candidate and make an employer question work ethic.

Listening to people’s advice is definitely important but knowing where to start or how to do something is just as important.  The following is how I have tried to apply Matthew’s advice.

• Do research outside of the interview to figure out if it is the right culture for you.  I find reading Glassdoor is really helpful.  I find the negative reviews of the company are the most helpful.  If a majority of them are not reasonable or well thought-out then it seems like those employees had unrealistic expectations.  Messaging former employees on LinkedIn is also a good way of finding information about the culture.
• Be clear and concise.  This is definitely a challenge as most of my job relies on my ability to dig into details.  Try to explain what you do for a living to a friend or family member that do not know what you do.  Don’t be afraid to do a little trial and error during interviews.  You can always improve for the next interview.  
• There is no right answer.  This advice and the ability to be confident are inseparable in my opinion.  Why should others believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself?  The path to confidence is different for each person but not beating yourself up for small mistakes is a good start.

In addition to getting feedback, there is no substitute for rehearsing and practicing for common questions and topics in interviews.  The best way to find that out is to take as many interviews as possible.  Most will end in failures, but focus on the journey.  There are lots of things you can learn and great people you can meet along the way.