You might be good at what you do, such as coding, system infrastructure, networking, and so on. However, it means nothing when you can't leave your interviewer a good impression during an interview. So, let's discuss how we can improve our performance in a technical discussion.
Self-introduction
The first session is usually a self-introduction. The interviewer will always ask you to introduce yourself briefly. I would usually start by introducing my name and where I'm from. Then, I would continue with how many years of working experience I possess and finally share my position in my current company.
Remember to speak politely with confidence and don't rush your speech. Even if your English might not be perfect, the interviewer won't stress on it too much. Give it a few rounds of practice, and you will be fine.
Sometimes, the interviewer might give an introduction of their business, but you can always prepare beforehand to understand more about your future company. Browse their website, understand their business and industry. This initiative gives the interviewer a good impression that you researched them and are keen on the job.
Current Job scope
Next, the interviewer might ask about your current job scope as well as the job's background. Let's pretend you were being interviewed for a software developer position. This topic covers a lot of ground where they might ask you what your routine is, how many members are in your team, whether you lead any team members, etc. Did you do a code review? What practice your current company exercises, such as Agile and Kanban.
It should be a straightforward answer for most of these questions as it involves most of your daily routine. So follow the flow and answer each question individually. We must answer honestly; don't include something you didn't practice, solely to impress the interviewer. You could be lucky and get through one of the interviews, but not all of them.
Confidence
Confidence plays a massive role in an interview. You will need to show confidence in your expertise and be proud of it. But, again, we don't act as if we possess knowledge of an unfamiliar topic. There's no need for that. We tend to not know everything the interviewer requests, and that's alright; there's no shame in that. However, if you have studied or researched it before, you could share your brief understanding of the topic. This action also leaves good impression compared to other candidates who come unprepared.
Biggest strengths and weakness
These questions are a little tricky. It is expected to receive questions like this. You can have a set of answers prepared for it. The biggest strength that I would usually talk about is, what I can do and how I do it with confidence, and vice-versa for the weakness. Everyone has weaknesses, we are no exception.
It's important to understand that the interviewer asking this question does not intend to shame you, but instead, they want to see how we deal with our weaknesses and overcome them. Make sure you understand your weaknesses and come up with a plan to overcome them. Do it not only for the purpose of the interview, but also for general self-improvement.
Job Scope
Commonly, the interviewer will share what technology stacks they use and ask about your current company. It might not be something your current company uses, but there is a great chance that you possess the needed expertise since they shortlisted you for an interview. If you're uncertain about anything, ask politely. This is to get a better understanding of the role you applied for, as it will directly impact your future daily work.
Working Culture
Working culture is another issue that many overlook. Do you expect to work remotely? Does the company provide it? What are the working hours? Does the company work overtime often and over the weekend? You would need to take into consideration the answers to these questions.
There's a chance that you will experiene culture shock if you didn't expect to work overtime, but it turns out to be the norm in the company. This is how you should address your needs, by asking the right questions.
Technical Assessment
The technical assessment might be the most feared by the majority of interviewees. Some of it might be a bring-home assignment; finish it within a given time and present it in the following interview. Some of the interviews might involve a live assessment, where you share your screen and proceed to code.
Prior to the interview, don't hesitate to ask if there will be any tests, for mental preparation. Personally, I am not comfortable coding while someone else is looking at my screen, and I have been through these assessments a number of times. I overcame the fear through practice. Do it until you no longer fear it. There are a lot of coding interview websites for you to practice, such as LeetCode and CodeSignal.
In addition, some giant companies like FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) might include algorithm tests in their interviews, which requires a lot of practice; just make sure you are prepared for that.
Others
There are occasions where the position that you have applied for is not what you expected. Unfortunately, there are also occasions when recruiters match your expertise with the wrong description. When there is a chance to speak, tell the interviewer frankly. They are more than happy to halt the interview as you are not the one that they are looking for, and it goes the same for you. It is a friendly gesture that you can do to save both parties time by not proceeding further.
