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Technical Interviewing

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How to Prepare for Questions

5:57 with Michelle Zohlman

A large portion of an interview tends to include being asked many questions. We will dive into what type of question so you can best prepare.

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    As you might have expected, 0:00
    a large portion of an interview tends to include being asked many questions. 0:02
    The interviewer asks you technical questions. 0:06
    Because they are looking to understand your level of 0:09
    knowledge on technical concepts. 0:12
    This questions usually pertain to the language, or 0:14
    technology that you and or team will be working on. 0:18
    These questions are either delivered verbally, or written. 0:22
    What if they ask questions about something you don't know? 0:27
    Well, you don't know it, so tell them. 0:30
    That may feel a bit like a trap, but it's not. 0:33
    As I said, this is so they can evaluate your knowledge. 0:37
    Just because you don't know something, doesn't mean you're not getting the job. 0:41
    Depending on the employer and role. 0:45
    Maybe not knowing that skill or concept, 0:47
    is fine because someone else on the team already knows it. 0:50
    Or, maybe teaching you that skill or concept is not a deal breaker for them. 0:53
    If you don't know a language or technology, but 0:59
    you're interested in learning or upskilling in that area. 1:02
    Let the interviewer know. 1:05
    It doesn't hurt to make that clear. 1:07
    There's also the possibility, that not knowing a language or 1:10
    technology means you don't get the job. 1:13
    I know how horrible that feels but please keep in mind, 1:17
    this just means you weren't fit for that job. 1:20
    The employer was probably looking for someone highly skilled in that area, 1:23
    and at that moment you both weren't fit for one another. 1:28
    Regardless, you wanna be upfront with your response to the questions. 1:32
    So you find yourself in a role that fits you for where you are professionally. 1:37
    So you can be successful, and continue to grow. 1:41
    Now, that you know the purpose of the technical question, 1:46
    let's help you feel more prepared. 1:49
    Depending on the role you are applying for, you'll be asked a range of questions. 1:52
    Expect to answer the questions either verbally, or written, or a mix of both. 1:56
    It just depends on that company's interview process. 2:01
    Here are a few examples. 2:05
    This is just a glimpse of possible questions. 2:07
    Depending on the role, all of these may not be included. 2:11
    And others not listed here, will be asked. 2:14
    To get a better idea of what questions they might ask, 2:17
    you can review the job description and qualifications. 2:21
    So if under qualifications they say, 2:25
    experience in developing web applications and related technologies. 2:27
    That likely means, this is important to the role. 2:33
    So they'll probably ask a question about it. 2:35
    If they mention databases a few times in the job description, 2:38
    this will likely mean they expect you to be fluent in SQL. 2:42
    And will ask a question on that. 2:46
    Does that make sense? 2:48
    Another option is to research the company. 2:51
    Some companies or outside organizations, 2:54
    share what type of questions they typically ask. 2:57
    Use that as a guide when preparing. 3:00
    Those exact questions may not be asked, but 3:03
    it gives you an idea of what to expect. 3:06
    If you're really feeling stuck, and not sure what will be asked use LinkedIn. 3:09
    I love reaching out to the LinkedIn community, to put out questions. 3:15
    Make a post, simply asking something such as. 3:19
    Does anyone have any sample questions they've been asked in a technical 3:23
    interview? 3:27
    Along with that post, use hashtags such as, #interview, 3:28
    #jobinterview, #technicalinterview. 3:32
    To boost your post, so others can see it. 3:35
    These are some great ways to begin preparing for your interview. 3:38
    Make sure to check out the Teacher's Notes, 3:42
    with information on additional interview questions. 3:44
    Half of the battle is understanding what type of questions might be asked. 3:47
    The other half is prepping potential responses to those questions. 3:52
    Years ago, a mentor of mine suggested that I pull together all possible 3:57
    questions an interviewer may ask me for a role I was applying for. 4:02
    From there, she instructed me to prepare responses to those questions, 4:07
    as a way to study for the interview. 4:12
    It helped give me an idea of how I can respond to various types of questions. 4:14
    Personally, I have found that if I write out everything, word for word. 4:20
    I get too stuck on what I'm saying, and my responses fall flat. 4:24
    Instead of writing out my exact response, 4:29
    I make some bullet points of potential responses without getting too in depth. 4:32
    That may work for you, or 4:37
    maybe writing out a full response helps you prepare best. 4:39
    Try this out to see what fits for you. 4:43
    I still use this method to this day for every interview I've done. 4:46
    Another option is practicing with a friend or mentor. 4:52
    To learn more about mentoring, check out the Teacher's Notes. 4:55
    Mentors and experienced developers are great to practice with. 4:59
    When I was new to the interviewing world, 5:05
    I found it especially helpful to practice with my former boss. 5:07
    They sat with me and ran through a mock interview, 5:11
    where they could give me feedback afterward. 5:14
    I'm not going to lie, I remember my first time doing this vividly, 5:17
    and I totally sucked. 5:22
    Even though it didn't go well, I learned precisely what I could improve. 5:24
    And it really helped me shake some nerves out, before the actual interview. 5:28
    Preparing for any type of interview, is not a one-size-fits-all. 5:34
    It will take trial and error, but you'll figure out over time what works best for 5:38
    you to prepare for an interview. 5:43
    As always, check out the Teachers Notes where we provided resources 5:46
    to various interview questions to prep with. 5:50
    Let's move on to discussing white boarding in a technical interview. 5:53

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