Nowadays, when looking for a job, many people face difficulty in selecting vacancies and preparing for interviews. In particular, this applies to interviews for positions in IT companies, where the competition is very high.
To avoid becoming just one of the dozens of job seekers and get your dream job, it is important to properly prepare for the interview. With this article, we begin a series of publications about such preparation.
In these articles, we’ll take a detailed look at the key aspects of preparing for an IT job interview, including research, making a resume and a cover letter, interview preparation, and analyzing the results. We’ll also cover the best practices and tips for communicating with a recruiter, stress-relief techniques, and the most effective question answers.
Proper preparation for an interview not only increases the chances of getting the desired position but also helps you gain confidence and discover your best professional qualities. This article will provide you with important knowledge and tools for successful preparation.
Research the company you want to work for
Before starting to prepare for a job interview at an IT company, it is essential to understand exactly what kind of company you are considering for employment. This will help you understand the values important to the company and what expectations it has for its employees.
To study the company, you can use sources such as its social media profiles, news portals, and specialized publications about IT. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to the following questions:
- Company’s values and mission. What values are important for the company? What is its mission? This will help you understand whether the company is right for you or whether your personal values match those of the company.
- Products and services of the company. What products and services does the company offer? This will help you understand which area of IT is core to the company and what kind of knowledge may be necessary for job candidates to have.
- Key projects of the company. What key projects is the company developing? What technologies are used in these projects? This will help to understand what kind of technical knowledge is important to work at the company.
- Team. What kind of team works at the company? Which positions are open? This will help to understand what roles are needed there.
- Company culture. Is there anything special about the company’s culture? What values does it support? This will help you understand whether the company is a good fit for you in terms of its corporate culture and whether you’ll be able to adapt to it.
After studying the company, you can list interview questions related to this exact company and its specifics. This approach will not only help you better prepare for the interview but also demonstrate that you are really interested in working for this company and researching its work.
Looking into the requirements and features of the desired position
After studying the company, you need to familiarize yourself with the requirements and features of the position for which you are applying. This will help you understand what skills are required for successful performance and what questions can be asked during the interview.
The main points that should be considered when familiarizing yourself with the requirements and features of the position:
- Job description. Look at the job description and understand what tasks you will be performing, what skills are needed, and what will be the main requirements for the candidate.
- Skills Look at the list of skills that are required for successful performance and see if you possess those skills. If not, add them to your learning and development plan. Be sure to add all skills to your DecisionWanted profile.
- Experience. Look at the job experience requirements to understand what level of experience is required for the job candidate. If you lack experience, consider doing internships or other training programs.
- Key competencies. Take a look at the list of key competencies required to succeed in the role and see if you have these competencies. If not, try to develop them, particularly by working on your personal and professional development.
After studying the requirements and specifics of the position, you can create an interview preparation plan that will include the skills, competencies, and experience needed for a successful performance. This plan can also include information on preparing for questions that may be asked at the interview.
For example, if the position requires knowledge of a certain technology and you don’t have enough experience in that area, you should be prepared to answer questions about your experience with that technology and how you plan to improve your knowledge in that area.
Additionally, interview preparation can include creating a portfolio of past work that demonstrates your competencies and skills. This can be especially helpful if experience in a specific area is required for the position.
Preparing for questions that may be asked during the interview
Preparation for the questions that may be asked during the interview is one of the most important components of successful preparation for an interview at an IT company. To do this, you should go through potential questions and consider what answers you can give.
The questions can differ: from general to specific, from questions about your experience to questions about your professional and personal values. For example:
- Tell us about yourself. This typical question usually requires a short, 2-3 minute answer that includes basic information about you and your experience.
- What skills and competencies do you have? This question is about your experience and skills in your chosen field.
- How do you work in a team? This question is about your ability to cooperate with colleagues and your ability to work in a group.
- What are your professional goals and plans for the future? This question is about your motivation and your career planning.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses? This question is about your self-esteem and openness about your imperfections.
- How do you solve problems and complex tasks? This question is about your problem-solving experience and analytical thinking skills.
You should also learn more about the company and its culture to prepare for the interview. This way, you can better prepare the answers to questions and show that you are really interested in working for this particular company.
Even if you’re not asked directly about the company during the interview, learning about it will help you better understand whether the company and its culture fit you.
Overall, preparing for interview questions will help you increase your chances of acing the interview and getting the job you want.
In the following article, we will discuss preparing a resume and a cover letter. By the way, did you know that on DecisionWanted you can easily create a resume for free?