First jobs are always special. The whole experience of your resume getting selected, appearing for an interview, receiving the offer letter, and working with a team of passionate professionals. And this complete process, from being short-listed to the job offer, interviews play a very crucial role. Interviews can make or break your job opportunities. In the case of tech jobs, technical interviews are something you cannot afford to take lightly.
Tech companies want skillful individuals who can fulfill their job responsibilities most effectively. And to ensure this, they have technical interviews. These interviews work on the principle of “show and not tell”. The candidates have to go through several rounds of assessments, tests, and interviews to prove them capable of the job.
In this article, let’s dive into the depths of technical interviews. Understand what to expect, how to prepare, and the best tips and tricks for a tech interview.
What is a technical interview?
The primary objective of technical interviews is to evaluate a candidate’s technical proficiency, problem-solving capabilities, and ability to perform under pressure. Technical interviews come in various formats, like coding challenges, whiteboard exercises, quizzes, and verbal discussions on technology. It’s a crucial tool for employers to assess a suitable candidate for a technical position and ensure they possess the requisite skills to thrive in the role. Overall, technical interviews play a vital role in the recruitment process of the tech industry.
Stages of the Technical interview:
1. Technical Screening:
It is conducted through various means, such as a phone call, video interview, or an online coding assessment. The main purpose of this stage is to get a basic understanding of the candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications.
Some common aspects covered in the initial screening are:
- Resume and Background Review: The interviewer checks the candidate’s resume and questions about their previous work experience, projects, and educational background. Show enthusiasm and answers the questions confidently. Make sure you know about your prior projects inside out. Don’t bluff if you are not sure about any answer.
- Behavioral Questions: The interviewer might ask behavioral questions to assess the candidate’s communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and team fit. Some examples of behavioral questions are- Give me an example of when you worked effectively under pressure. Elaborate on the situation when you made a mistake at work. By asking such questions, the recruiters want to know how you handled real-life situations and are checking your problem-solving mindset. To make a long-lasting impression, you should sound passionate about your work. Be honest and add details and a narrative or story-telling while answering the questions.
- Technical Question: Recruiters ask basic technical questions to check the candidate’s understanding of fundamental concepts related to their field. Answers these questions confidently by associating these questions with your projects.
2. Technical Assessment:
After passing the initial screening, candidates usually move on to the technical assessment phase. This stage evaluates the candidate’s technical skills and problem-solving abilities in depth. The technical assessment can take different forms:
- Coding Challenges: Candidates perform coding challenges or programming problems to solve, either online or on-site, to demonstrate their coding skills, algorithmic knowledge, and problem-solving approach. Some companies assign you an at-home assignment with a set time limit–usually 48 hours. Read the coding questions several times to understand them completely, communicate with recruiting team in case of on-site assessment, and elaborate your plan of execution to them. If it’s a take-home assignment, complete and submit it on time. Be prepared for the questions for the same, and make sure you have clarity about your execution.
- System Design: For more senior positions or roles that involve architecture and design, candidates might have to participate in a system design interview. In this interview, recruiters expect candidates to discuss and design a scalable and efficient solution for a given problem or scenario.
3. Final Interview and Whiteboard Challenge-
In the final tech interview, senior members conduct the interview. The purpose is to decide whether the candidate is a good fit for the role and the company culture. Candidates may face more complex technical questions and challenges to assess their advanced knowledge and expertise in the relevant technology stack.
In Whiteboard interviews, candidates solve coding problems or design solutions on a physical Whiteboard or a shared digital whiteboard platform. During the interview, recruiters want the candidate to write and explain their thought process in real-time, demonstrating their problem-solving skills and coding abilities.
Whiteboard is the most challenging and crucial aspect of tech interviews because It tests their technical skills and ability to communicate effectively and think critically under pressure. Practice and preparation are essential to perform well in whiteboard interviews.
How to prepare for technical interviews?
Preparing for a tech interview can be intimidating for newbies. What should I study, how to prepare for coding test? The questions go on and on. We would advise tech graduates and young professionals to follow these steps to prepare for their technical interviews:
1. Review Core Concepts:
Start by revising the fundamental concepts related to your field of expertise. Focus on data structures, algorithms, programming languages, and other relevant topics. Revisit your notes, read tech blogs, and so on. Understanding the core concepts is crucial for tech interviews.
2. Practice Coding:
Regular coding practice is essential to improve problem-solving skills. Dedicate daily 2 hours for practicing code. Before appearing for a coding interview, choose the programming language you are comfortable with and well-versed with.
There are several online platforms where students can practice coding problems. Some popular ones include:
- LeetCode provides a vast selection of coding challenges that are organized by level of difficulty. It is a popular resource utilized by tech businesses and interviewers globally.
- HackerRank offers coding challenges, competitions, and interview preparation kits for a variety of technical roles.
- CodeSignal helps you with coding assessments and interview practices tailored for tech interviews.
3. Mock Interview:
Mock interviews play a crucial role in technical interview preparation by providing a simulated interview experience. It helps candidates to practice their responses, gain confidence, and receive constructive feedback.
- Pramp is a platform that offers free peer-to-peer mock interviews with other tech professionals. The platform provides a structured interview experience and allows users to switch roles as interviewer and interviewee.
- Interviewing.io offers anonymous technical mock interviews with experienced engineers from top companies. It allows candidates to receive unbiased feedback and practice for a real interview environment.
- Gainlo provides mock interviews with experienced professionals from leading tech companies. The platform focuses on technical and behavioral interviews for software engineering roles.
4. Behavioral Questions:
Prepare for behavioral questions to highlight your soft skills and teamwork abilities. Be ready to provide specific examples from your experiences to demonstrate your problem-solving approach and adaptability.
5. Whiteboard Practice:
Practice solving coding problems on a physical Whiteboard or shared whiteboard platform. Focus on explaining your thought process while you write the code.
Expected Questions in Tech Interviews
Now, let’s discuss some of the most commonly asked technical questions and their ideal answers.
1. Tell Me About Yourself:
A most common question asked in any interview. It is your first and foremost chance to make an impression on your interviewer.
Provide a concise summary of your educational background, work experience, and key achievements. Highlight your passion for technology and how it aligns with the role you’re applying for.
2. Tell me about an instance when you faced a difficult technical problem during a project. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?
In your response, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answer. Describe the specific situation, the technical challenge you encountered, the actions taken to address the problem, and the positive outcome or lessons learned from the experience. Focus on how you applied your problem-solving skills and teamwork to overcome the obstacle.
3. Describe a situation where you had to work in a team to complete a complex technical project. How did you contribute to the team’s success?
Again, use the STAR method to structure your response. Talk about the project, your role in the team, how you collaborated with other team members, and the positive impact of your contributions. Highlight any challenges you faced and how your teamwork skills helped achieve the project’s goals.
4. You have a task to improve the performance of a slow-loading web page. How would you approach this problem?
In your response, outline a step-by-step approach to diagnose the performance issue. Mention tools that might be useful for profiling and analysis. Propose potential optimizations, such as reducing server requests, optimizing images, or leveraging caching mechanisms. Emphasize the importance of testing and measuring performance improvements.
5. Imagine you discover a critical bug in the software just before the product release. What would you do?
In this scenario, prioritize communication. Explain that you would immediately report the bug to the relevant team members and stakeholders. Suggest a plan to address the issue, including emergency fixes, testing, and potentially delaying the release if necessary. Highlight the importance of a post-mortem to learn from the incident and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Do’s and Don’ts during a technical interview
In a technical interview, certain do’s and don’ts can significantly impact how you are perceived by the interviewer. Here are some important do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:
Do’s:
Ask Clarifying Questions: If a question is unclear or confusing, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. It shows that you pay attention to details and want a clear understanding before proceeding
Explain Your Thought Process: Explain your approach, outline the steps you plan to take, and vocalize your reasoning as you work towards a solution
Test Your Code: After writing code or providing solutions, test them with sample inputs to check for correctness. It demonstrates your attention to detail and ensures your solutions work as intended.
Practice Whiteboard Etiquette: If you’re doing a whiteboard interview, use a neat and organized writing style. Avoid crowding the board and clearly label variables, functions, and steps.
Engage in Two-Way Communication: Engage in a conversation with the interviewer. Clarify your thought process, ask questions, and actively listen to their feedback or additional instructions.
Be Positive and Enthusiastic: Show enthusiasm for the company and the role you’re applying for. A positive attitude can leave a lasting impression on the interviewer.
Don’ts:
Don’t Rush: Take your time to understand the problem and plan your solution. Rushing can lead to mistakes and might make it challenging for the interviewer to follow your thought process.
Avoid Overusing Buzzwords: While it’s essential to showcase your knowledge, don’t overuse technical jargon or buzzwords. Focus on conveying your ideas clearly and concisely.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help: If you’re stuck on a problem, ask for a hint or guidance. Interviewers often appreciate candidates who are willing to seek help when needed.
Avoid Negativity: Stay positive throughout the interview. Even if you encounter a challenging question, maintain composure and attempt to work through it with a positive attitude.
Don’t Memorize Answers: While preparation is essential, avoid memorizing answers to specific questions. Interviewers can often spot rehearsed responses, and it’s important to come across as authentic.
Following these dos and don’ts can help you navigate a technical interview successfully. Remember, it’s not just about the correct output but also about showcasing your problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and adaptability to various challenges.
Your First Technical Interview is a Learning Opportunity!
With this article, you know what to expect in a technical interview. We discussed dealing with behavioral or situational questions using the STAR approach. Have a strong hold on computer science fundamentals and choose and specialize in one programming language for the technical interviews.
Make the best use of the online resources. There are various platforms to prepare for coding problems and even mock interviews. Be confident and sound curious throughout the interview. In the whiteboard challenge, explain your execution plan and your thought process.
Remember, job interviews can be challenging experiences, but the knowledge and experience gained from them are invaluable. Even if you don’t get the job, there’s always an opportunity to grow and learn from your mistakes. Don’t lose hope, keep trying and improving yourself. Success is just around the corner!