Interview Success: Tips and Strategies for Technical Interviews

INTERVIEW SUCCESS Beth Cahill, Director of Career Development Career Center, Villanova University

INTERVIEWING IS A THREE-STEP PROCESS 02 01 03 THE INTERVIEW THE FOLLOW UP THE PREP

THE PREP

DO COMPANY RESEARCH Study the job description Browse the company s website and social accounts Check the news for currentreporting on the company Know the industry and trends Pinpoint the company's differentiators in the market

REFLECT ON YOURSELF What are your top strengths, experiences and selling points? How do your skills and interests align with the company and what they want?

SCHEDULE YOUR INTERVIEW STRATEGY No matter the length or method, the same strategies for answering questions and professional conversation apply WHERE Interviews can be conducted in person, on the phone, or virtually via an online interviewing WHEN Pick a time and get a sense from the employer of how long the interview will be platform

FORMAT OPTIONS VIRTUAL ASYNCHRONOUS LIVE VIRTUAL (synchronous) PHONE IN PERSON CASE INTERVIEWS TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS MULTI-ROUND ASSESSMENTS

TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS May include a virtual technical assessment, a first-round screening interview, and a second-round interview that will include technical, logic/problem-solving and behavioral questions. Technical interviews are a common part of the process for technical jobs like ones you may be pursuing.

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS CODING: How do you reverse a string? Write a program to find the prime factors of an integer. How do you reverse a singly linked list without recursion? LOGIC: You are standing in a room with three light switches. The switches all correspond to three different light bulbs in an adjacent room that you cannot see into. With each of the light switches starting in the off position, how can you find out which switch connects to which light bulb? How man pennies, if they are stacked on top of each other, will it take to reach the top of the Empire State Building?

Coding Practice Resources Hackerrank:Helps candidates sharpen their technical skills and pursue job opportunities. You can get your skills certified and find coding practice interview problems. Leetcode:Enhance your programming skills and preparing for technical interviews. CodeSignal:Practice for technical interviews, including a certified assessment that can be attached to job applications. CoderPad:Platform for companies to assess your coding skills and for candidates to prepare for interviews with detailed guides and a sandbox for coding practice. Forage: Provides virtual experiential learning projects from top employers in the tech industry; candidates can use the programs as practice for technical interviews, all while showcasing their knowledge to recruiters in the field.

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THE INTERVIEW

& INTERVIEW DOs INTERVIEW DON'Ts Convey your stronginterest Arrive late or no-show Make a positive firstimpression Give false information Connectyourexperiences with the position & employer Be overconfident Give short or very long answers Promote yourself Act desperate Lead with your strongest skills and attributes Use overly casual language Be negative ordefensive

GENERAL TIPS & TRICKS DURINGTHEINTERVIEW GOINGINTOTHEINTERVIEW Sell, don't tell Roll with the unexpected Being nervous is natural Adapt to the interviewer Ask for a business card or contact information to follow up Attire and appearance are important - Dress appropriately for the position you want Practice, Practice, Practice Be positive and confident Alwayshavequestionsprepared toask yourinterviewerattheend

COMMON QUESTIONS Tell me about yourself. What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness? Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? What's a difficult problem you've faced and how did you handle it? Tell me about a time you showed leadership/teamwork. Why do you want to work for us?

OTHER FIT QUESTIONS How do you keep your technical skills up to date? What are the pros and cons of working in an Agile environment? Tell me about a time you geeked out about something. Tell me about a side project you re working on. Tell me about a technical project you ve completed in the past. Do you know the term inheritance or database? Describe the term to me as if you were speaking to someone nontechnical.

THE STAR RESPONSE TASK SITUATION ACTION RESULT Describe the challenge Set up the scene Share the outcome Explain what you did

LETS PRACTICE!

RESPONSE TIPS Organize your thoughts; It s okay to pause Be detailed yet concise Answer the question posed Provide examples Don't know the answer? - Try the 2 P s: Project or Pivot

TOPICS FOR YOUR QUESTIONS RECENT INDUSTRY TRENDS HIRING TIMELINE POSITION RELATED COMPANY RELATED DO NOT ASK ANY SALARY OR BENEFITS QUESTIONS UNTIL YOU RECEIVE AN OFFER

VIRTUAL INTERVIEW TIPS Dress appropriately - even on screen Make sure the interview space is distraction free; no background posters, pictures Limit background noise Check your internet connection, webcam and microphone before the interview starts Make eye contact - look at the webcam when you're talking, not the computer screen Have other means of contact in case tech fails

THE FOLLOW UP

SEND A THANK YOU NOTE Send a thank you message within 24 hours (email is fine) Affirmyourinterestintheposition Personalize your note; mention something you discussed during the interview that stood out to you If you interviewed with multiple individuals, it s recommended to personalize for each if possible Make sure note is error free

INTERVIEWING RESOURCES Contact your University Career Services for resources and support. Search these sites to learn about the interview process for specific companies and even questions asked during the interview. IF YOU R SCHOOL HAS THIS PLATFORM: GLASSDOOR.COM JOINHANDSHAKE.COM Search Careers then Interview Questions Search Employers then Interviews

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU!