Interviewing
Regardless of the specific format of the interview process, it is important to be prepared. Some companies may have a few initial discussions or phone screens before moving on to rounds of interviews with multiple teams, while others may have a different structure. To help you succeed in the interview, we have compiled some helpful resources to get you ready.
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The process
Before your first interview or phone screen, start prepping. Get ready for different type of questions that will be asked during the conversations.
Note: The interview process will have different interviewers that are looking for different skills. The majority can be summed up to 2 categories. 1) Soft Skills/Behavioral questions 2) Technical questions.
Soft Skills - Are intended to get to know you and your thought process a bit better. These questions may relate to a candidate's communication skills, problem-solving abilities, time management, teamwork, leadership, and more.
Examples:
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How do you handle conflict in the workplace?
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How do you handle deadlines and time management?
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How do you handle feedback, positive or negative?
Technical Skills - Are intended to understand if a candidate has the necessary skills and experience to perform the job effectively. These questions may cover a range of topics depending on the role.
The interview process varies by company and the role you are applying for. In general, they typically consist of the following:
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Initial screening: You may be invited to complete an online assessment or participate in a phone or video interview with a recruiter. There is a video by Mika Kim on YouTube that explains what the process is like and some tips.
Mock Interviews
Mock interviews are your secret weapon: they demystify tech's unique interview blend, refine your tech-talk, let you debug in a no-risk zone, and supercharge your confidence, catapulting you towards success.
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Harness Digital Helpers: Use tech-focused platforms like Pramp or LeetCode for free, AI-powered mock interviews.
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Mentor & Peers: Engage a tech-savvy mentor or peers from your network for realistic practice and candid feedback.
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Targeted Training: Customize your prep for your dream role; research and rehearse role-specific questions and problems. Practice your responses with ChatGPT, you can turn ChatGPT into a person to Mock Interview you.
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Revise, Respond, Repeat: Post-mock, dissect feedback, work on weak spots, and repeat. Every iteration boosts your confidence and skills.
In mock interviews, each stumble is a step forward in your tech interview journey, so keep learning and improving!
Mock Interviews with Chat GPT
Using an AI model like ChatGPT can be a very effective way of conducting a mock interview for a tech role. Here's a step-by-step guide on how you can do this:
Identify the Job Role, if you have a job posting or know what role you want to pursue this will help refine the questions asked. Open Chat GPT and login, after loging in provide the following prompt in a new chat.
Act as my mentor providing a mock interview ask me questions for this job role generic technical questions, deep technical and soft skill questions that pertain to this role. Ask one questions at a time and wait for my response. After i submit my response provide feedback on how i responded and ask the next questions. "*** Insert Job Role and Company name here ***"
Example: "Act as my mentor providing a mock interview ask me questions for this job role generic technical questions, deep technical and soft skill questions that pertain to this role. Ask one questions at a time and wait for my response. After i submit my response provide feedback on how i responded and ask the next questions. "Principal Product Manager at Microsoft Overview"
Tip: Use the Voice to Text feature to respond. User Windows Key + H to launch or right click and select Voice Typing this feature.
Below is an example of the response Chat GPT will give you.
Conversation above was generated with OpenAI's ChatGPT.
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Technical interview: If you pass the initial screening, you may be invited to participate in one or more technical interviews, which are designed to assess your technical skills and knowledge. These interviews may involve coding challenges, problem-solving tasks, and technical discussions.
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Onsite & Virtual interview: If you pass the technical interviews, you may be invited to an onsite interview at the company's offices or virtual meetings with hiring managers. This is usually a full day of interviews with a variety of people, including managers, team members, and other stakeholders. The interviews may be a mix of technical and non-technical questions and may include group activities or case studies and can be 4 round or more. Don't be discouraged if you don't do well on one of your rounds. Keep a positive attitude through all your interview loops.
Tips:
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Always smile and bring positive vibe to the interview, body language is important.
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Bring a blank piece of paper and a pen to take notes and capture feedback during the interview.
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During the interview ask the interviewer for their email address
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You will need this to send a thank you email
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ALWAYS have questions ready for the person interviewing you, below are some examples:
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What are the goals and priorities of the team/department?
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How does this role fit into the overall mission and goals of the company?
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How does the company prioritize work-life balance for its employees?
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What one of your most favorite projects you have worked on?
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It's important to note that the interview process can vary significantly from company to company, and some companies may have additional stages or a different order of steps.
After the interview
After an interview with any company here are some tips to follow up on and improve your chances of getting the job:
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Send a thank-you email: After your interview, send a brief email thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterating your interest in the position. This can be a simple way to show your appreciation and professionalism. If there were any issues or questions that came up during your interview add them to the thank you email as well. This will show your hunger to learn. Here is an example of one you could use:
Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening [Interviewer],
I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to interview for the [Position] role at [Company]. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation [About] and am even more excited about the prospect of joining your team. [Insert any questions you may have had an issue with or needed to follow up to better understand. Show genuine curiosity]
I am confident that my skills and experience align well with the requirements of the position, and I believe I would be a valuable asset to the team. I am eager to contribute my skills and passion to the growth and success of [Company].
Thank you again for considering me for this opportunity. I look forward to hearing back from you and discussing further how I can contribute to the team.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
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Reflect on your performance: Take some time to reflect on the interview and think about any areas where you could have done better. Consider what you learned from the experience and how you can improve in the future.
Be patient and professional during the interview process, the recruiter may give you an understanding on when/if you will hear back.