Tips for Technical Interviews: Beyond the Xs and Os
Technical interviews have evolved over the past five years as certain technical skills, particularly software development and testing skills, has been somewhat commoditized. Interviewers are now looking to assess not only your technical abilities but your ability to think critically, to solve problems, and to work on a team with well defined business goals and objectives.
By Chris Alfe, Thingamajob.com Staff Writer
It is true that, above all else, technical professionals gain or fail to gain employment based on the breadth and depth of their technical abilities and the demand for their specific skills. Increasingly, however, many managers are looking for candidates who balance their technical acumen with a broader interest in and understanding of the business world.
This quick guide provides you with two tips to help you appeal to these managers by weaving business topics into your technical discussions during a technical interview.
(1) Understand (and be interested in) their business
Many interviewers are seeking technical candidates with a seemingly genuine curiosity about their company, their products and services, and their plans for the future. Knowing this, research the organization before your technical interview and know at least the following:
* The industry or industries in which the organization operates
* The main product / service lines
* When the company was founded and by whom
* The firm's primary competitors
* The overall size and health of the firm, including revenues, growth and size
* Any major industry news or trends
Armed with this information, accent your interview responses with tidbits about the organization; doing so can really set your answers apart from the typical technical candidates.
(2) Ask questions about how their business decisions impact (and are impacted by) technology decisions
It naturally follows that if you are genuinely interested in a job, a company and an industry, you are going to want to know more about each of them. The best way to express these interests is to enthusiastically ask thoughtful questions whenever appropriate during your technical interview.
It can be difficult to segue from technology discussions to broader business discussions, and you certainly don't want to veer off course or appear evasive- it is, after all, a technical interview. You can, however, skillfully craft questions and responses that exhibit your curiosity about the position and the business, show that you've been paying attention during the interview, and show your technical talents.
And nothing demonstrates your eagerness and inquisitiveness like well-crafted follow-up questions.
Here are some sample questions that firmly illustrate your curiosity while relating directly to the technical interview dialogue:
* You mentioned that your company is acquiring another organization this fall and integrating their HRIS into yours. How will this initiative affect the launch of the applicant tracking system on which I'd be working?
* You mentioned your upcoming product launch and its potential impact on your web severs. What was your last major product launch, and did you see a significant affect on system volume then? Did the systems perform well?
Chris Alfe is a staff writer for thingamajob.com. He has ten years of experience in staffing and human resources and currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland.
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