Top Tips To Ace An Interview

Do you have a tech job interview coming up? Are you considering applying to tech positions? These interview tips will help you land the job.

Standing out in a job interview can be a challenging task, especially in a competitive job market. A new job can unlock a whole world of possibilities, but the pressure to favorably present your skills, experience, and your ability to make a good first impression can make any job search an intimidating endeavor. However, with proper preparation and a strong understanding of what the employers are looking for, you can increase your chances of impressing the interviewer and landing the job.

Learn how to ace an interview with our steps that will help you stand out and succeed:

1. Conducting Research

This is one of the most basic yet effective interview preparation tips. You'd be surprised at how much research on the company, role, and interviewers can help.

Educating yourself about the company for which you are interviewing serves two purposes. For instance, it ensures that the company's mission and culture align with your personal interests, career goals, and values. Second, your ability to authentically incorporate this knowledge into an interview demonstrates that you are thoughtful, well-prepared, and genuinely interested in joining their team.

Prepare by thoroughly reading the website, following their social media feeds, searching Google for any interesting or relevant results, searching GlassDoor for reviews, and reviewing the LinkedIn profiles of anyone participating in the interview. Take notes to assist you in developing questions that demonstrate a genuine interest in the company and what they do.

Another area to research which again is a very popular question within an interview is based on the role you're applying for. In every job you apply for you should read through the job specification to help understand the requirements of the role and the desired skills your potential employer is seeking. An in-depth understanding of this will allow you to highlight and prepare your applicability for the role, therefore enhancing your likelihood of being successful in the process.

Researching the interviewer is generally underused, however, can be so beneficial. A quick scan of the interviewer's LinkedIn profile can allow you to understand the individual and perhaps presents an area of relatability. Therefore, this illustrates you’ve gone that extra mile to prepare for the interview which will set you apart from other candidates.

2. Closely study the job description

Before an interview, head back to the job posting. Go through the description with an eye toward interview questions. Note key phrases or skills mentioned in the job description and pick examples that show your expertise in those areas. For example, if the posting mentions project management skills, list specific times you effectively led projects. You can take these concrete examples and integrate them into your answers to interview questions.

3. Make sure you're formal and professional

Yet again, such a simple tip that so many candidates fall down upon. In every interview you conduct you should always make sure you attend on time and are dressed accordingly. It is always better to overdress rather than underdress as once again it shows you’ve made more of an effort with the process. This is particularly important in first-stage interviews and first impressions, as they are key to an individual’s perception of yourself and this professional manner should be retained throughout the whole process.

If it’s a remote interview, be fully dressed and set up to test your equipment well before the interview starts. Phone or video interviews often precede in-person interviews lately. Although everyone is familiar with the frustration of technical difficulties, a bad connection, dim lighting, or a noisy background can distract from the great impression you’re hoping to make. If you want more help if you're going to be in a remote interview then check out our blog on how to ace an interview (even from a distance) with our remote interview tips.

4. Prepare for the typical job interview questions

The number-one way to learn how to ace an interview is to come prepared with strong answers to interview questions. While you won’t know exactly what will be asked, you can increase your odds of doing well by researching common job interview questions such as 'Why do you want this job’ and coming up with 50- to 100-word answers.

5. Practice your answers to technical questions

Tech job interviews often come with technical questions. The specific questions depend on the role and job title. In addition, interviewers want to know how you approach problems, where you go for information, and how you work with others. 

Common technical questions include:

• How would you solve this particular tech problem?
• What steps do you take when debugging code?
• What's your strongest coding language?

Brush up on technical skills relevant to the job. And don't worry if you can't immediately answer the question. With technical questions, your approach and problem-solving often matter as much or more than the specific answer.

6. Ask Questions

It's also crucial to ask relevant questions. Avoid walking into the interview without questions for the company. Even if you've done your homework, not asking questions can suggest you aren't invested in the job. Show your interest in the company and the position by inquiring about the company's history, culture, and values. Ask them what tech stack they use, what tools you will get the opportunity to be hands-on with. This will demonstrate your research and preparation, as well as your desire to learn more about the company and the role. If you’re struggling for ideas on questions check out our blog about the best questions to ask in an interview.

7. Showcase Your Value

During the interview, make sure to highlight how your skills and experiences can benefit the company. Use specific examples from your past experiences to demonstrate how you have added value to previous employers. For instance, if the job requires experience in Linux administration, refer to specific times in your past where you have been involved with that.

8. Be Honest

We’ve all been there when a difficult question arises within an interview or a difficult topic you’re unsure of comes up. In this situation, although it may be tempting to provide a satisfactory answer, it is more important to remain truthful so if you lack experience, or think you potentially weaker in a certain area, it is okay to admit this! Employers will respect your honesty and transparency with them and it keeps the relationship authentic with themselves. There is no point lying regarding something in an attempt to get further within a process as this will ultimately come back to bite you in the end.

9. Ask Questions

Even though you may feel like you’re being interviewed, ultimately it is a great chance for you to ask questions and gain further insight into the company and the role. So many candidates fail to do this, but is so important to ask questions throughout and at the end of the interview. This can help clear up any uncertainty about the role and make sure you are 100% committed to the role and the process. Furthermore, discussing the company and role with the employer will help build rapport and shows you care about the next move in your career. Normally, I would suggest preparing around 8-10 questions to ask, some of these may be answered by the interviewer throughout anyway.

Overall, by following these tips, you can increase your chances of standing out in a job interview and impress whoever it is that you’re speaking with. Remember that the key to standing out is to be well-prepared, confident, and enthusiastic about the opportunity. With the right attitude and approach, you can increase your chances of landing the job.

I understand these may seem like simple tips but these tips are so effective and can be used in every interview at any stage!

If you're looking for a career change but not sure where to start? Or need some help with the interview process then get in contact today to hear about the opportunities Franklin Fitch has for you to reach your full potential.