Usually if you pass an introductory interview with an HR manager, on the next level you`ll have to get through a technical interview with your future team lead or one or two experts in this particular sphere. Technical interviews in IT are obviously quite stressful, that’s why it’s important to be fully prepared. In this article you will get some helpful advice which you can use in any technical interviews, regardless of your technology stack.
Types of technical interviews
Different companies have their own technical interviews. The way it goes could tell you more about the company, its rules and approaches. In a way it helps you to build up a bigger picture of how your future work would look like there. There are some standard formats of such interviews:
- Theoretical questions from the field of development and its algorithmic base;
- White-board – when you`ll be asked to write a programme or a code;
- Tasks for a code-review;
- Coding problem interview – when an interviewer gives you a coding problem prompt, giving some form of input, and you need to return an output.
During a technical interview, you may get completely different tasks. You shouldn’t be afraid of them. The main purpose of these tasks is to share your knowledge and experience. It is important for the interviewer to see how you think, what approaches you use depending on the situation, and how quickly you can read and understand someone else’s code. Based on this information the employer will build a further conversation with you and make a hiring decision. Employer will rate your experience, knowledge of the basics of the main stack, programming language and built-in library, knowledge of software design, special tools, frameworks and practices, etc., depending on the position you’ve applied for. Also he will pay attention to your ability to work in a team, leadership, communication and other soft skills.
Middle level specialist
Companies expect that middle specialists should be ready to solve problems on their own, for instance, you know how to figure out why a service has stopped working and how it can be fixed. During a technical interview candidates for middle-level vacancies will be assessed for practical skills and understanding of processes, also you need not only to know the definitions, but be ready to show how to apply the theory in practice. As a preparation for a technical interview, we advise you to look at the patterns and technologies used in your latest projects.
Senior level specialist
In a senior level position you will be able to take on the most complex cases. You should know and understand how to make a service from scratch so that it works without any bugs. In addition to theoretical knowledge and the practical application of technologies, in a technical interview for senior level candidates another principal key is to solve architectural problems and advanced soft skills are added. It is crucial to be able to understand a new issue yourself, independently find a solution to an unfamiliar task and understand its importance for business.
Tips for preparing for the technical interview
First of all, be sure that you’ve updated your portfolio and are ready to show the most relevant cases. For middle and senior level specialists you don’t have to learn all theory by heart, understanding is the key. At a technical interview company wants to see how you think logically, so don’t be scared to think out loud even if you`re not sure about the right answer. Potential employers will look at how you can mix and use SOLID and patterns together. When a candidate can give a practical example of how to use some theoretical thing, this is much more advantageous than just knowing the right formulation.
In preparation for the interview you can also use different thematic platforms such as Interview Cake, Interviewing.io, HackerEarth, HackerRank, etc., where you can find various examples of technical interviews, coding assignments and different courses to prepare candidates for IT interviews.
And last but not least, simply don`t forget to have a proper rest before the meeting, because fresh brains have never let anyone down.
