Technical Mock Interview Takeaways

[Alice G]

Hi Everyone,

Jaysen and I have been hosting our technical article interviews for premium members and we felt it would be a good idea for us to create a thread to bank all the things we have noted since doing them. We will be posting in this thread the things which we think make candidates stand out and also the things to watch out for/to be mindful of. We host the sessions on a Wednesday and Thursday night so we will post our updates shortly after the sessions.

We really hope this will help you all to prep for virtual interviews, group simulation tasks, as well as technical interviews as we test all of these things in these sessions!

 

[Alice G]

To kick things off here are a few tips:

1. Make sure your name in a group meeting is definitely your name! If other people in your household have used the device before you then perhaps their name will default in Zoom or whichever service is being used. It is also possible that you might have your surname as your defaulted name so really make sure that your full name is onscreen and if you prefer to use a different name to your legal name, which might have been on your app, make sure you put the preferred name in brackets or something and explain that is how you would like to be referred to for the session if possible. The more clear you can be the better and you can easily adjust your name in Zoom and the like.

2. If you have a complicated name or one which is tough to pronounce, we have found it is so effective when a candidate introduces themselves upon joining the call and repeats how to pronounce their name really clearly. Not only does this show confidence and give you a chance to make a strong first impression, but it really helps HR and the rest of the group too so they can be confident in speaking your name correctly.

3. It is great to build on points made by others or to congratulate people on a good point in a group task as it can show your team working skills and camaraderie. Always try to refer to someone by their name though as it is much more personable. There is a huge difference between saying 'building on that point' and 'building on that great point made by Jaysen...' This is also why it is super important to follow points 1 and 2 so that people are able to do this more easily.

 

[Alice G]

Ok guys - update 2:

Be careful if you have reflective glasses which show your computer screen. This could be an issue if you are googling stuff in the session or on websites etc you shouldn't be

One good thing to do which we have found is effective is to give personal examples in interviews. If your family have a business and you can link this to a point then share this experience. Or if you have worked in retail and you are discussing that sector then share your learnings and things you took away from that. By giving personal examples you humanise yourself and you become more relatable and personable. It means the interviewer gets a sense of who you are and it makes you naturally more likeable as there is a sort of connection that is forged there.

 

[SLKEJRWOI97]

Ok guys - update 2:

Be careful if you have reflective glasses which show your computer screen. This could be an issue if you are googling stuff in the session or on websites etc you shouldn't be

One good thing to do which we have found is effective is to give personal examples in interviews. If your family have a business and you can link this to a point then share this experience. Or if you have worked in retail and you are discussing that sector then share your learnings and things you took away from that. By giving personal examples you humanise yourself and you become more relatable and personable. It means the interviewer gets a sense of who you are and it makes you naturally more likeable as there is a sort of connection that is forged there.

The first point... I needed to know haha thank you so much!

 

[Alice G]

Another takeaway for you all! Have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend everyone

1. Do not be too self-deprecating. I used to do this so much and really wish I had had the opportunity to sit as an interviewer in the past as it has really allowed me to appreciate what this actually does. What we have found is that when a candidate is doubtful of themselves, you already start to doubt their answer. You have been given a preconceived idea of how someone might perform because of their own admission and this sets you up to expect it to be a cobbled-together answer or one which is pot luck as opposed to it being through genuine knowledge. I never appreciated how much of a difference it makes to just state an answer with confidence and conviction. At the end of the day, if you get it wrong, it generally doesn't matter and you will be guided and helped. But what does matter is the way you come across and the way you deliver your points.

The next time you come to give an answer and feel the urge to self deprecate and doubt yourself, please stop. Take a moment to breathe, consider the question, and launch into your chosen answer with confidence and conviction in yourself and the point you're making. This takes practice, we know and appreciate that, but by being more mindful of this going forwards hopefully you will be able to stop those negative thoughts or urges to put yourself down.

 

[Alice G]

Some more tips from this week and food for thought:

1. Interviewers can only assess the things you do say. Whilst you might not always know an answer, try to offer your thoughts so as to give the interviewer the opportunity to gauge your thought process. They are not looking for experts but for potential! Just try to take a moment to think and structure your thoughts and try to offer these as clearly as you can

2. Building a rapport in a virtual setting can be harder - you do not have the usual icebreakers of people asking you for water or walking down the corridor to an interview room. Try to be prompt for the interviews so you might be able to have a couple of minutes at the start to make conversation and build a rapport. Try to remember to smile and say hello and introduce yourself - sometimes we don't do this as we know our names are visible, but this is really effective and is a really memorable thing to do! Setting yourself up well at the start and making that first introductory 'hello' will hopefully help to ease your nerves a little too.