A Tech Recruiter’s Tips & Tricks to Rock Your Job Interview
Interviewing for a new job can be scary and intimidating. While we can’t predict what’s going to happen or what questions the interviewer will ask us, there is something we can do to feel more confident: Be prepared for the most common and general situations and understand the basics of how to respond to the unexpected ones.
Here at Gorilla Logic, we interview a lot of amazing tech professionals each week, so we thought it would be useful to share with the world some insights we have learned on our journey to hire the best IT talent.
If you’re just starting your career or you feel like you’re struggling to stand out when you interview for a role, read on to find our tips for a successful tech interview.
1. Read about the company:
It’s always good to know a little bit about the place you’re applying to work at. Take a moment to visit the company website and understand the basics about what they do and how they do it. Usually, companies look for talent who will fit in with their culture, and having this information from the beginning can help you understand how all of your skills and abilities can be aligned with the place you want to work with.
2. Understand the key abilities in the job description:
Even if you are not 100% match with the requirements of the job, carefully review and try to have a basic understanding of what each skill is used for. This can help you find other similar abilities that you may actually have and show the interviewer that your profile is aligned with what they are looking for. Even the employer likely understands that there is no perfect candidate that has 100% of each skill they’re looking for–but if you can demonstrate your expertise and willingness to learn new skills, you’ll show you’re still a great match.
3. Be concise when answering questions:
It feels great to have plenty of space to express your ideas, knowledge, and all of your achievements, but remember that interviews have a time limit, and you need to take advantage of each minute to showcase the best things about your profile in an effective and efficient way. A good formula that can be used for that is: Explain what skills you have, what problems you have solved using those skills, and how much time you have been working with them.
4. Attitude! Everything else can be taught:
Don’t freak out if you find out that you are not familiar with some of the tools the project uses, or that your level of knowledge in some of them is not the highest. Just show your interviewer that you’re eager to learn and keep improving and that you have all the soft skills required to be a team player who will take the time to fully understand the project needs and improve the skills needed to achieve project or company goals.
5. Ask questions:
Don’t be shy to express any questions or concerns to the interviewer! Take advantage of this space to understand a little bit more about the specifics of the project, and all those little things that may not be listed in the job description but are also important. Also, remember that you are talking to a person who’s already inside the company, so you can take this chance to understand a little bit about the dynamics from their point of view and can get useful insights from them.
6. If English is not your native language, remember to practice:
Speaking in English when it is not your first language can be tricky, but there’s always a way to be prepared for that kind of situation! Remember to translate your resume before the interview and read it several times so you are familiar with all the vocabulary related to your experience. This will also help you to remember it more easily when you’re in the interview. You can also record yourself explaining your experience, and then watch the video to find ways to improve your pronunciation or ways to be more clear in what you’re trying to express.
7. Take your time answering unexpected questions:
Lastly, we need to highlight that you can take into account all the previous advice in this article, and still be surprised with unexpected questions or moments in which you simply don’t know what to say. If that happens, take your time to process the question or situation, and try to answer with the knowledge you do have. If that’s not possible, don’t be shy in expressing that you missed something or didn’t understand the question–you can always ask the interviewer to repeat the question or explain a little bit more about what exactly is he/she looking for in your answer. Just remember: Don’t panic! Nervousness can play a trick on you.
Our main goal in the Gorilla Logic recruiting department is to build a Band full of tech professionals eager to lend a hand to others and create conversations around the recruitment process so it can be easier and more productive for everybody. Learn more about the recruitment process at Gorilla Logic by visiting gorillalogic.com/careers.
