Tips to succeed in a software engineering job interview. Tales from the bits(6)

George Bagropoulos — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:58:00 +0000

The time has come for your Job interview.
Are you prepared?
Usually most companies, from my experience, adopt a three round interview, especially if you are not located near the company you want to work for. This happens equally to the USA and EU.
Basic Tips
1. Know your CV inside out.
2. Get to know the company history and code of conduct
3. Be polite
4. Be on time (including phone interviews)
5. Ask questions about the position and the role
6. Send a thank you note after the interview.
7. Avoid drinking coffee or beverages.
8. Drink water and have a bottle of water with you.

After the interview with human resources, follows the technical part of the interview.
You may get a test that you have to answer in a predefined amount of time or you may get a combination of oral and written test.

As soon as you decide that you want to change your job and before starting sending out your resume start reading and coding.

1. Review basic data structures and algorithms
2. Write code in the two most important languages that you use.
3. Refresh your knowledge on Object Oriented Design
4. Design Patterns
5. Software testing
6. Puzzle solving
7. Comment your code
8. Review your coding style
9. Review basic mathematics
10. If you have a friend which is a software engineer tell him to test you on selected areas.
11. Be ready to get tested on every skill you have listed in your CV.

When you will get the opportunity of a technical interview you will not have the time to review basic material.

Keep in mind that even if rejected you gained a valuable experience you did not have before. Use that experience for your benefit for the next interview.

Good luck!

job interview – Tales from the bits

Tips to succeed in a software engineering job interview. Tales from the bits(6)