TL;DR: Quick Tips to shine on your next interview.
As a senior interviewer, I’ve had the opportunity to interview a lot of candidates for a variety of different positions.
I’ve compiled a list of 10 pieces of advice that will help you land your first job.
1 Do your research 🔍
Make sure you know everything you can about the company you’re interviewing with.
This includes their history, their mission, and their values.
Check the company website, Linkedin, Social Media, and reputation.
If you come with your hands empty, you will have fewer chances.
2 Start with the basics ✔️
If you're new to the job market, you'll need to start with the basics.
How to write a one-page resume, how to fill out a job application, and how to behave in an interview.
These are all essential skills that you'll need to get your first job.
3 Know what you're looking for 🔭
Before you start your job search, it's important to know what you're looking for.
What kind of job do you want?
What are your skills and qualifications? What are your goals?
Once you know the answers to these questions, you can start looking for jobs that match your criteria.
4 Check Common Questions ❓
Be prepared to answer common interview questions.
Practice makes perfect.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with common interview questions and how to answer them.
Make a lot of interviews to practice.
Even if you don't think you're qualified for a job, it's worth applying. You never know until you try.
5 Ask your own questions ❔
Asking questions shows that you’re interested in the position and the company.
Prepare a few questions in advance, but make sure they’re not the same ones everyone else is asking.
6 Be on time ⏰
Being late for an interview is a surefire way to make a bad impression.
During your interview, and on the job, it's important to be professional.
This includes being punctual, polite, and courteous.
7 Be yourself 👧👦
The interview is your chance to shine.
Never lie.
Interviewers like myself ask a lot of questions about many technologies. We expect some 'I don't knowns' and this honesty adds value.
I've never hired someone who knows all the requested technologies.
Don't ever lie (again).
8 Know your tools 🛠️
If you have a technical interview, be familiar with the tool and techniques, there's no time for improvisation.
9 Develop your soft skills 🙍
Software Engineering is human work.
You will not work alone. We might ask about teamwork situations.
10 Bring your Github 📈
If you don't have experience, you can show your contributions to some open-source projects.
There are plenty of them out there.
You can also bring a GitHub link to your project. It must be a project involving more than one person.
Lone coders are not as much appreciated.
Be prepared to talk about your projects in detail during the interview.
(Bonus) 11 Sell yourself 🛒
In your interview, you need to sell yourself.
Be confident and highlight your skills, qualifications, and all the value you can add to your job.
Do you have your own tips?
Bring them on!