How to Ace All Of Your Technical Interviews
Technical interviews are an important part of the hiring process if you want to get a role in the engineering, science and software fields. However, they can also prove to be very daunting. So here are 8 tips which you can follow to ace your technical interview, and get the job of your dream.
WHAT DO TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS INCLUDE?
Technical interviews are conducted to assess the technical skills of a candidate. Therefore, they test you on 4 things-
- Behavioural- Here they ask you to talk about/ present your past accomplishments, experiences etc
- Situational- Here they will give present you with a hypothetical situation which you have to solve real time.
- Educational- Here you will can be asked about your university degrees, and other educaitonal background.
Thus, though interviewers are mostly focussing on your technical skills, they will also be analyzing your communication skills, critical thinking, and how you solve problems.
WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS CAN YOU EXPECT IN TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS?
Fundamentally, technical interviews include questions like-
- Solve problems you will face while working.
- Evaluate numerical reasoning skills.
- Demonstrate your understanding of the tech work required in the job.
So, now lets learn how to tackle these questions in the most effective way through these 8 tips-
1) THOROUGHLY READ THE JOB DESCRIPTION
The job description is your gold mine of all the possible questions that might come in the technical interview. A job description outlines all the skills, and experience expected by the company. In addition, it also talks about what the job entails and the expectations from an employee. Thus, most of the questions in a technical interview revolve around these. Thus, brush up on all of your experiences and skills and begin aligning them with the job description. If your prepared answers begin aligning with the expectations of the company, the recruiter will realize that you are the perfect fit for this role. Therefore, thoroughly read and understand the job description because most of the questions will appear from there.
2) GO THROUGH KEY CONCEPTS AGAIN
Most of the questions asked in technical interviews include the fundamental concepts of your field. Therefore, strengthening your fundamentals is key. GO through the main topics of your college degree, as well as look into all the technical skills required as a professional in your career. Furthermore, go through the concepts that have been outlined in the job description, and work on them again.
3) RESEARCH ABOUT THE COMPANY
Researching the company you are applying for is extremely important. This is because, in the eyes of the recruiter, you will seem more interested and keen to work in the company. You can also look into the challenges the company is currently facing, and try to work out solutions to present to the recruiter. This will further impress them by not only demonstrating your skills but also highlighting how you can prove to be an asset to the company.
3) PREPARE FOR THE WHITEBOARD ROUND FOR YOUR TECHNICAL INTERVIEW
Though a whiteboard test is not completely mandatory, it is better to prepare for it than regret later. So, you can ask a friend to help you out with mock interviews, or you can use services such as Hireyy, whcih give one-on-one mocks by experts.
Here, you will have to learn the skill of speaking your thoughts out loud. You will have to demonstrate to the hiring recruiters how you solved this question and your thought process. Also, don’t be shy to take a few minutes to think through your answer, but don’t take too long. Also, practice by using different tools from your toolbox so you can implement them when needed. Lastly, remember to always stay loud and clear during your interview.
4) DONT SHY AWAY FROM ASKING QUESTIONS DURING YOUR TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS
The last thing you want is to understand the question incorrectly and give a wrong answer. Thus, don’t ever shy away from asking the interviewers to clarify a point you are doubtful about. It is always better to outright ask your doubts, however, you can also do this sleekly by saying out loud what YOU have understood from the question, and what you think they are implying. The recruiters would most probably clarify the point if you have misunderstood. However, it is always better to be upfront because you can’t run on assumptions.
5) BE UPFRONT WHEN YOU DONT KNOW THE ANSWER
Don’t know the answer? Say it as is. You don’t want to go on rambling when you don’t know an answer because that puts a bad impression on the recruiters. The recruiters also know that you most likely won’t know all of the answers and thus appreciate honesty. However, make sure that you tell them that you will learn about this topic and come back to them. This will show your interviewer, that you are always open to learning and improving.
6) BE OPEN TO LEARN
Always see interviews as an opportunity to learn. This will not only make you calmer and composedmore while entering an interview but will also improve your skills. If you only look at interviews as a way to get a job, your mindset will remain restricted. Thus, you should open your outlook and also take in the new things you learn from them. You might learn about new tools, problems, ways of communication, etc.
7) ALWAYS ASK THE INTERVIEWER QUESTIONS WHEN GIVEN THE CHANCE
When an interview is heading towards its end, the interviewers usually ask whether you have any questions for them. And you have to make sure you take this opportunity. This will show the recruiters that you are interested in their company and have done your due diligence. With the research that you had done following the 3rd step above, you would already be prepared with your questions. Ask them about your team, your work environment, any problem the company is facing that you can help them with etc. However, restrain yourself from asking any questions about salary, benefits etc.
8) DON’T FORGET TO WRITE A GRATITUDE NOTE AFTER YOUR TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS
You have aced your technical interview, but your test hasn’t ended. Write a gratitude note to your interviewer thanking them for the opportunity, as well as talk about something from the interview which might’ve been memorable. This will make it easier for your interviewer to remember you. You can also talk about a problem that you weren’t able to answer, and show them that you did your research and learned.
And that is it! Practising these tips through mock interviews is the key to acing a technical interview. If you would like the help of industry experts to practice your skills, the Hireyy ATS Package is the product for you.
With the ATS Package, you get one-on-one mock sessions with industry specialists from big companies like Deloitte, KPMG etc. You also get 4 instant domain referrals which will strengthen your job profile. Furthermore, you will get an industry-vetted resume as well as an enhanced LinkedIn profile. Hireyy also gives a 2800% guarantee that your resume will get shortlisted, and you will get a job in just 18 days. So if you want to ace your technical interview by practising with professionals, check out the Hireyy ATS Package here.