My name is Roman, and I've been a backend software developer for 10 years. My main stack is JavaScript, TypeScript, NodeJS, AWS, PHP, and Postgres. I have also worked with many others, not only with these technologies. I have conducted more than 100 tech interviews, and this is my recommendation list.
Make notes
Make notes before interviews, greetings, self-presentation, and storytelling. Your speech should be concise and relevant to the vacation you applied for. Your notes can help you remember crucial keywords and strong hooks to engage interviewers.
Don't provide too many details about past projects, but ask questions to build a dialogue with interviewers instead. Try to find a contact and be unique to them as a candidate.
Numbers mean a lot
Numbers mean a lot for HR/Recruiters. They aren't really non-technical people, but they have a checklist for numbers: years of experience, a list of skills, and your CV, salary level, and notice period. They honestly don't care how good you are as a tech expert. They just validate your LinkedIn profile and collect exact numbers and information. My recommendation is to be ready for that, and if you say 2 years of experience instead of 1, they actually don't care if it's true, but your chances will be higher. And the same about skill list, you can add more than you have, even if you don't have strong expertise in this skill/technology. HR/Recruiters don't care, but if it's in their checklist, they mark it as "Yes".
Live coding
The point of a live coding session is not to write working code right away, but to learn how to find solutions. Your code may not work perfectly or may even be broken, but the main thing is that you understand it and are moving in the right direction. No one writes perfect code in real projects because there is no time/money for that, but understanding the basic principles is the key to success on live coding sessions. Think out loud and don't be afraid to ask questions and clarify the implementation details.
Record interviews
Every time you have an interview, record it on video (if possible) and note down all interesting questions, keywords, and technologies. This information is very helpful in preparing for future interviews.
It is not the cheaters who win, but those who can make a positive impression and connect with the interviewers. Present yourself as a problem solver, not just a coder.
Best regards, and follow me on 🐦 Twitter to see more content.
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