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Interview Nerves… Go Away!!!
Interview Nerves… Go Away!!!
“His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready…” Could a song sum up interview nerves and interviews in general any better than Eminem’s Lose Yourself? I think not! The intro says it all, you only have one chance to impress and secure yourself that opportunity so it’s no wonder that we all experience nerves when going to a job interview. The problem is these nerves can often be a hindrance to us. You’re trying to portray yourself as the confident, capable individual you are but instead your nerves reduce you to a sweaty palmed, voice trembling, body jittering fool. So what can you do to manage your nerves? 1. Be Prepared Number 1 has to be to always do your homework. The more you know the more confident you will feel when answering an interviewer’s questions. Research the company. Know their history, products/services, competitors etc. Also don’t confine your research to just the company’s website, check out their social media pages also. A company blog is a great way of finding out what the company is currently working on and talking about. The same goes for Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Pinterest. These pages can give you excellent information that you may not have found otherwise. 2. Say it out loud Secondly, practice answers for anticipated interview questions. Not only come up with answers to these questions but get used to actually speaking them. Quite often jobseekers come up with answers to interview questions in their heads but never practice their delivery and then end up sticking “ums” “ems” and “likes” in as filler as they rack their brains trying to remember what they wrote down. By practicing your answers aloud, it will calm your nerves and you will become more comfortable with your delivery. 3. Plan Ahead I cannot emphasise this enough – DO NOT BE LATE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW!!! Not only does it look bad, but you’ll arrive to your interview in a panic. So to rule out any mishap on the morning that might cause you to be late, get everything ready the night before. Lay out what you’re wearing, making sure everything is crease and stain free. Have copies of your CV (and portfolio if required) printed and in a folder ready to go. Map out your travel route, know exactly what route/form of transport you’re taking and give yourself a half hour extra in case of traffic disruptions. So what if you arrive early, it’ll give you an opportunity to relax, look over your notes and even to grab a cup of tea if you feel like it. 4. Think Confident – Be Positive Firstly take confidence from the fact you’ve been invited to interview, you wouldn’t be here if they weren’t interested in you. Drown out any self-doubt by reminding yourself of your skills, accomplishments and why you’d be a good fit for the job. It sounds silly but by thinking positively you’ll feel more confident in yourself. This is your opportunity to shine so don’t let self-doubt hold you back. “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo”
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6 Common CV Mistakes For Developers
6 Common CV Mistakes For Developers
The software development industry is booming with a wide array of multinational companies actively seeking qualified and skilled developers. However, due to the highly technical and specific nature of these job roles, it can be difficult to find the right candidate for the job. So, what is the best way to help HR professionals and recruiters match you with a vacant position? A well written CV that accurately showcases your skills and expertise. You have the right skills for the job, but does the recruiter or HR professional know you do? Avoid these common pitfalls when crafting your CV. 1. Listing all your work experience Recruiters and HR professionals read countless CVs, having multiple pages of irrelevant content will only work against you. Try not to write an exhaustive list of every project that you have worked on; prioritise it. Only include the projects and work experience that are relevant to the position that you are applying for. Your CV should always be tailored to the role that you are applying for. 2. Not including your ‘tech stack’ in your work experience Your tech skills and knowledge are the most important aspect of your CV. Include a list of all the languages and tools that you used during your employment in each role. If you aren’t sure how to include them while keeping the CV clean and concise, try writing a list at the footer of each role. ‘JavaScript Developer’ – Google January 2018 – January 2019 ‘JAVASCRIPT, HTML5, CSS3, JQUERY, ANGULAR.JS, SASS, LESS, PHP, NODE.JS’. 3. Description of work experience is too complex It’s attractive to describe your work experience in highly technical terms; however, you must remember that IT recruiters may not necessarily have the same in-depth knowledge you do. A generic example would be “Developed XYZ feature in XXX framework with technique A, B, C…”. Over complicating the description of your work experience may only serve to confuse the reader rendering it harder to match your skills with a vacant position. 4. Description of work experience is too general By contrast, it’s also not advised to describe your work experience in ambiguous terms. For example, “Developed a website using AngularJS5”. This statement asks more questions than it answers. Did you develop the website alone, how big is the website, what features does it have etc.? Make sure you accurately describe your part in the project and the scale of it. 5. Only list skills you are technically strong in It’s inviting to showcase all your technical skills to make yourself appear more experienced and educated. However, you should only list skills that you are technically strong in. Include databases, APIs, languages and any other tools you feel you have mastered and frequently use. Embellishing your knowledge of a language or a tool is not recommended, you will get caught out. 6. Poor Formatting and Mistakes Your CV is the critical ‘first impression’ to your prospective employer. A poorly formatted CV guarantees a bad first impression. The golden rule here is to keep your CV clean, concise and easy to read. Avoid using elaborate formatting and colours. Keep it simple. Recruiters and HR professionals are interested in the content of your CV, not the colours. Lastly, proofread your CV ensuring there are no grammatical or spelling errors; they're highly unprofessional.
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What to Wear to a Tech Interview
What to Wear to a Tech Interview
As the old saying goes, first impressions count and that is never truer than when it comes to an interview. How you present yourself paints a picture in the prospective employer’s mind of your interest and dedication to landing the position. But does this apply to whne interviewing with a tech company? ‘Silicon Valley’ culture has strongly influenced the IT industry uplifting many long-standing traditions in the world of business. The stereotypical ‘IT guy’ is depicted as a laid-back person wearing jeans and a hoody at best, but is this appropriate when interviewing for a full time position? There are a number of things that must be taken into consideration when gauging what to wear to a interview. First and foremost, it is important to note that tech positions are open in a wide array of industries ranging from a small tech start-up to a global bank. The culture and industry in which the company operates in will dictate what you should wear to the interview. For example, in a bank, formal business attire is expected and worn by nearly all employees. If the employees are wearing suits, you should suit up for your interview. If a suit just isn’t for you, dress smart. A co-ordinated, well fitted smart outfit with dress shoes will suffice. A bank is a very black and white example. The tech scene is a different story, where the lines can oftem become blurred. Most of the top tech firms dress more on the business casual side, making it hard to gauge what is deemed office appropriate. Smaller tech firms can dress very casually, with a suit not being expected or even appropriate. A good trick is to research the company’s culture through a simple Google search, Glassdoor and LinkedIn or even try speak to an employee of the company to get an idea of what is expected. Interviewees are always susceptible to underdressing to match the company culture. It is recommended to always dress professionally, no matter what type of company you are interviewing with. Your appearance signals who you are, your professionalism and your commitment to landing the job. Men should consider wearing trousers or khaki pants with a long sleeve shirt and dress shoes. No jeans or trainers, its simply too casual for the occasion. Women should consider wearing a pencil skirt or trousers with a collared shirt. A work dress is also suitable. Wear whatever you are most comfortable in but err on the side of overdressing. Whatever you decide to wear, ensure the clothes are clean, crease free and the shoes are polished. Good personal hygiene and care is a must. For men, make sure you’re clean shaven or your beard is very neatly trimmed. If you use hair product, go easy with it. For women, keep the make-up light and professional. If you have a lot of jewellery and/or piercings, best to take a minimal approach to both. Make sure your nails are neat and if you are wearing nail polish, make sure it’s not chipped. Last but not least, try not to use overpowering perfume or aftershave - a subtle scent is best. During an interview, there are a lot of variables outside of your control, so why not make the most of the variables you do control. Research has shown that the first few seconds of meeting someone is the most crucial, with the visual impact you make being the most important factor.
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6 Tips When Writing a Developer CV
6 Tips When Writing a Developer CV
The software development industry is growing year on year, with a plethora of companies actively seeking IT developers. It's an exciting and lucrative time to be involved in technology, but how do you craft an eye-catching CV to land that dream dev job? You have the skills, but you’re having difficulty putting it into words. Don’t hamper your career opportunities because you struggle to convey what you have to offer. Here are a few useful tips to make your CV stand out from the rest. 1. Tailor Your CV to The Position You're Applying For Your CV should always be tailored to the job you are applying for. It’s inviting to have one blanket CV that you can use for all your applications, however it can really serve you to spend the extra time catering your CV to each individual job. A simple way to do this is to emphasise certain skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a front-end developer position, you should highly emphasise your HTML, CSS and JavaScript skills. If you are applying for a back-end developer job, you should emphasise the relevant coding languages you are proficient in, such as Python or Ruby. 2. Showcase Your Skills As an IT developer, your tech skills and knowledge are some of the first things employers or HR will look for on your CV. For this reason, it’s imperative that you showcase what makes you such an attractive candidate. It is advised to only include the skills that you are technically strong with. Include languages, APIs, databases and any other tools you feel you have mastered and frequently use. Do not lie or embellish; in the developer world you will be quickly caught out. There is little room to waffle. Furthermore, there is no need to include redundant skills: E.g. If you know HTML5, it’s assumed you know HTML, DHTML and XHTML. 3. Use Action Verbs Whens Writing About Your Experience Your past work experience is the most important part of your CV, so spice it up. Use action words to demonstrate your work experience; “Ensured quality with unit and integration tests and applying TDD” or “Mentored a team of 5 junior developers”. Again, place emphasis on the work experience that is relevant to the position you are applying for. 4. Include A Professional Summary One thing you are trying to accomplish with your CV is accurately expressing your desired career trajectory. An effective method to achieve this is to include a professional summary. This short summary should summarize your professional progression, your desired career path and any notable skills or achievements that you possess. HR professionals and recruiters only take a matter of seconds to decide whether your CV is worth delving deeper into, sp use this summary to grab their attention. 5. Education There’s no need to be too specific here. State the relevant degree(s) you have, along with the institution and graduation dates. Keep it short and simple, easy to ‘skim’ over. Education isn’t the be all and end all in the development world. 6. Proofread and Format Your CV is the all-important ‘first impression’ to your prospective employer. Make sure your CV is easy to read, aesthetically pleasing and free of any spelling and grammar mistakes. If a candidate cannot take care while writing their CV, how much care and effort are they going to put into the role?
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8 Red Flags When Choosing A Developer Job
8 Red Flags When Choosing A Developer Job
When searching for a job, it can be very easy to fall into the trap of accepting any offer that you get, especially if you’re having trouble even getting a nibble from the whirlwind of applications you’ve sent out. It’s important to diligently consider any job offer before accepting it. Here are a few red flags to look out for when choosing a developer job. 1. The Interview is Only Technical As a developer, your technical capabilities are of utmost importance, therefore they tend to be the primary focus of interviews. However, if you are not asked any behavioural questions, questions that give the interviewer and insight into the type of person you are...run. People and processes are more important than technology. Your job role extends to more than coding. You will have to collaborate cross-functionally, hold meetings and make plans with other staff members. The people you work with are most important. If you aren’t asked anything about yourself, the likelihood is that no one else that has been hired has had their personality screened either. 2. You Get Offered The Job During or After The Interview If you’re currently unemployed, this may seem great. In reality, it conveys that the hiring of staff is a low priority to the company. Companies should diligently weigh up their options when filling a position. A quick offer signals that they’re simply hiring someone to fill a vacancy ASAP, increasing the likelihood that you will be undervalued and unappreciated going into the future. 3. Won’t Let You Meet With A Developer You should always be afforded the opportunity to meet a developer prior to, during, or after the interview, without management supervision. Developers can give you a real insight into the processes of the company and how it really is to work there. If they refuse this, it’s likely their developers are unhappy. 4. Change in Offer If there is any change in the offer that was advertised or as you discussed, walk away. If a company has already lowballed you at the first afforded opportunity, they’re likely to do it again. 5. Poorly Defined Job Specification This is a clear red flag indicating that the company is unprepared and not well organised, especially due to the highly technical and specific nature of developer jobs. You may end up performing tasks outside your job description that serve no benefit to your career. 6. Poor Glassdoor Reviews Glassdoor is an excellent resource for getting the low down on what it’s really like to work for a company. On Glassdoor, current and former employees rate the company, giving their own personal reviews and comments. If the majority of these are negative, stay clear. 7. If The Interviewer Doesn't Sell You On The Job Interviewers should aim to have all their interviewees wanting the position as it gives them the best opportunity to hire the best candidate. 8. Highly Rigid Start/Break Times Everyone works differently, especially in the developer world. Tech giants such as Google, Microsoft and Facebook offer flexible break times/working hours, as they have realised the clear benefits that it offers. Companies who strictly enforce start and break times are likely to be less productive and have lower morale.
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What To Expect in a Developer Interview
What To Expect in a Developer Interview
Interviews are the gateway to landing your dream job, but for most people interviews are a stressful and uncomfortable endeavour. You finally have your chance to impress a prospective employer and secure that golden opportunity, but unnerving thoughts and doubts begin to make you nervous. Nerves are to be expected, but if you let them overcome you, they could dampen your chances of securing the job that you may well have the skills and expertise for. What is the best way to ease your apprehension? Being prepared. Having an understanding of the overall interview process, the types of questions asked and what is expected of you will not only enable you to be more prepared, but it will serve to quieten some of them unsettling anxieties. So, what should you expect from a ‘typical’ developer interview? Every company has their own way of doing things and the procedure may differ slightly depending on the role that you are, but a lot of companies follow a similar process. The interview process tends to comprise of one or two phone interviews, followed by up to four on-site face-to-face interviews. The initial phone interviews are used to simply screen candidates to assess whether they are worth meeting in person. The first of the two phone interviews (or first half of the interview, if there is only one) will ask primarily behavioural questions. Behavioural questions are not designed to challenge you; they’re used to get you talking and to make you feel comfortable. Big open-ended questions are often asked such as “talk me through your CV” or “tell me about a challenging project you worked on”. The questions are designed to help HR professionals get a feel for you, the type of person you are and whether you’re a good fit with the company. Some light technical questions may also be posed asking you about your relevant coding knowledge, database expertise and so on. Following the initial phone screenings, you may be invited in-house for a series of face-to-face interviews with the appropriate members of the team. Large companies such as Facebook, Microsoft and Google hold four face-to-face interviews lasting approximately forty-five minutes each. These interviews primarily focus on your technical abilities with only one focusing on your behavioural traits and/or culture fit with the respective company. The technical interviews are a means of evaluating your problem-solving skills. The interviewer wants to see if you can translate your thought-process into reasonably correct, well-structured code. You will be asked a coding/algorithm question and be expected to write, test and optimize code often using a whiteboard, with some companies offering a laptop instead. Having a foundation in data structures and algorithms is really important. These are fundamental concepts, like binary search trees and breadth-first search. You will also be asked to develop an optimal algorithm for your code. It’s important to note that your code and algorithm does not need to be flawless. It is your approach and methodology that is being evaluated. Once the technical side of the interviews are complete, you will be given time to ask questions that you may have regarding the role or company or whatever may be on your mind. This is what a ‘typical’ developer interview process is like. However, every company is different. A great resource to discover the interview process for the position that you are applying for is Glassdoor. Here you can read what other applicants experienced with sections offering advice and types of questions asked.
