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You’ve graduated and now you’re ready to start your first job as a software engineer. The trouble is, so are a lot of people and you want to stand out from the rest. The best way to do this is to craft a fantastic resume and cover letter and then prepare for your job interview.
We’re going to focus on the job interview and give you some tips for how to handle it with confidence and professionalism. We’ll also review some common interview questions, so you can better prepare. Remember that some of the interview questions will be very general and others will relate specifically to your dream job as a software engineer.
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Whether this is your very first interview or you’ve done several of them, there are a few things you should do to prepare for a job interview. The more preparation you do, the more comfortable you’ll be.
Think wardrobe. Whether you’re going in to meet people in person or doing a virtual interview, what you wear will matter. It’s tempting these days to stay in your pajamas for a virtual interview, but that’s definitely an example of something not to wear to an interview.
Instead, focus on dressing how you would if you already had the job. Making a great first impression is crucial. The only time this won’t matter is if it’s a phone interview.
Review the job listing. Whether it’s an online job posting or you were emailed information about the job, go over the information you have very carefully. See if you can glean even more about the position from the way the posting is written.
Research. You’ll want to dive headfirst into the reviews of the company that are posted online. Also, give their website a really thorough read through. Check out their social media and get a feel for their “personality” in any other way you can think of.
It will help you craft questions to ask them during your interview. It might also help you decide if this is the job for you or if it’s not really your type of business.
Review your skills. It sounds odd, but a lot of people find job interviews so stressful that they forget their qualifications and accomplishments. Try to think of things you’ve done that really apply to the job posting and keep them top of mind.
Come up with some questions. Most interviewers will ask if you have any questions for them. It helps to know if you’re interviewing with the hiring manager who works with the company or a recruiter who works for an outside company.
If it’s the hiring manager or some other person within the company, you will impress them if you have some well-thought-out questions about the job.
Ask about the infrastructure, the requirements for the position, what they expect from their hire and what they’re willing to train. Try to stay away from questions about money or benefits in the first meeting.
Now that you’re in the mindset of a job interview, it’s time to look specifically at some questions you might be asked if you’re applying to be a software engineer.
The answers the interviewer expects will be specific to your skill, experiences, behaviors, and other personal characteristics. This means we can’t really give you an answer, but below, we’ll tell you what they might be looking for as well as some questions that they might ask.
Tell us about the programming languages you’ve used.
Don’t just list the languages you’ve had experience in, give them some details. Let them know which ones you prefer and which ones you don’t like. Then go even further to explain what aspects appeal to or disappoint you. This shows that you actually know your stuff.
Have you ever reviewed code written by others? If so, what do you look for?
The interviewer is trying to dig into your thought process when writing code and reviewing code. What do you prioritize and what steps do you take. Keep this in mind when they’re asking.
If you’ve been told to focus on simplicity or speed in the past because that’s what your job or teachers told you – let them know that that’s why you’re answering this way.
Tell me about a project you worked on that you’re proud of.
This interview question will give the interviewer two different sets of information. The first is it will tell them about your level of experience and what you did on the project you speak about.
The second bit of information is your level of engagement and excitement. Be sure to explain this with enthusiasm. Let them see how proud you are and that this is why you belong in this job.
Tell us about a project that didn’t go well for you.
This is the opposite side of the same coin, but this time they’re looking at your behavior.
Do you accept responsibility for things that went wrong, maybe even if they weren’t your fault? Did you step in to help solve the problem? Did you walk away with a learning experience or just come away angry and frustrated?
Are you familiar with object-oriented programming?
Having familiarity with OPP can be very important because most programming languages support this. If you have used it, be detailed in outlining how you used it and what you thought of it. If you’ve only used it in passing, stress that it’s something you’d like to learn more about.
How do you organize your code?
You’ll often hear that there’s no right way to organize code. That might be true in most situations, but you’re going to want to be able to talk about class modules and assets with a degree of authority here. Some companies actually do have a preferred way to organize code, so showing flexibility in this instance can be a bonus.
Do you have a process for programming tasks from requirements to delivery?
This question is a lot like asking how you organize code. They’re just looking for your overall grasp of the entire process and your knowledge level. Your best bet is to be honest with your experience and don’t try to talk about things you don’t completely understand.
Explain what an SDLC is.
This one is tricky from the outset. SDLC stands for software development life cycle. You’ll be expected to know that, and you should know a few of the most popular SDLC models like Agile, Spiral, or Waterfall.
There are stages in programming and each of these models gives a distinct way of breaking that down and proceeding. The goal of all of them is to create code with a high degree of quality, quickly, and at a low cost. Being able to explain the systems you’ve used and your role in them should be good enough.
Explain fixed and fluid layouts and how they relate to responsive website design.
This comes straight from your school textbooks. You should know the answer to this question without any studying, but if you need it, this is your chance to brush up.
Why did you decide to go into software programming?
This is it. You get to shine here. Explain how you’ve always been curious about programming, you were a prodigy, you got hooked when someone explained it – whatever it is that made you initially excited about your career.
Show your enthusiasm, your special talents, areas where you want to work harder and learn more. Be the person that they want to hire because of your passion for this industry.
Very few interviewees walk away just talking about the job they want. They’ll have to go through some standard interview questions, too. Some may seem silly, like “What’s your superpower?”
And others will seem old and tired, like “Tell us about your strengths and weaknesses.” They all still bear a little review, even if it’s just to help you feel less nervous.
How do you handle tight deadlines and stress?
This is a two-in-one question that can be asked of anyone for any job but it’s especially relevant in the software programming field. Stress and deadlines are a common part of this job and the interviewer obviously wants to know how you’ll do. Be ready with some examples and detail how you handled them.
This is one of the most common interview questions and it can be one of the hardest to answer. If you haven’t already been given the option to express your enthusiasm for software engineering and computers, this is a great chance to do that.
Otherwise, you can detail your education and employment so far, but make sure to sound excited and driven.
What is your teamwork experience?
Another question that can be asked in just about any job interview. No reason to fudge on your experiences. Be honest and let them know what your experience level is and how it worked out for you.
What is your greatest accomplishment and/or disappointment?
You might be asked both of these questions or only one of them. Try to make your answer career-focused and be proud of your successes. There’s no crime in doing something fantastic.
If you’re explaining a professional disappointment, then make sure you’ve learned a lesson from it. Also, you don’t really have to tell them your biggest career disappointment, especially if it makes you look bad.
Do you have any questions for me?
We warned you that this question would come up and we’ve already given you some tips for asking questions. The main thing is to have a few questions to ask.
It makes you seem very interested in the position and it impresses the hiring manager. It can be the one thing that makes you stand out as a serious contender for the job opening.