Interviews are nerve-wracking for most people. There isn’t a set way you can approach an interview because companies have different interviewing processes in place. However, what you can do is be well prepared and presentable and just do the best you can. When it comes to software development companies, however, you’re going to want to be a step-in front of the interviewer at all times. Here are a few tips that’ll better help you approach the interview with a software development company.
Dress in the Right Clothes
If you don’t look presentable going to your interview, your interviewer will not take you seriously. Whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s important you dress to impress but at the same time, you don’t go over the top. A job with a top software development company will require you to attend the interview dressed in smart clothes. This point may seem obvious, but it still shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re taking your job search seriously.
Research and Research Again
You can never do enough research when it comes to having ammunition to take into the interview. Interviewers will always want to startle you in some way or another, so asking you what you know about the company is a common question that’s likely to pop up. The key is to surprise them and come up with facts that even they don’t know. Of course, you don’t want to sound arrogant, but being knowledgeable will get you to work. You could even go as far as researching the interviewer – but of course, not too much in the sense that you’re going to scare them by knowing what they had for tea the night before.
Get a Referral
You’re twice as likely to land a job if you know someone already working at the company and they’re happy to give you a reference. If you don’t know someone that works for the company, don’t just stop there. Many employees are easy to find on the internet and, when it comes to software development, many of them have their own blogs and websites to showcase some of their work. Try to befriend them online by showing an interest in what they’re about and more often than not, this could lead to the conversation about you wanting to become a software developer. This step works a treat and it’ll always make the interview process that little bit easier if you know you already have an advantage over other candidates.
Ensure You’re Qualified
Just because you have an online MSSD degree (online masters in software development) doesn’t make you instantly qualified. Software companies want more than just a bit of paper to see what you’re all about. They want someone with previous software development experience. They also want someone who is highly motivated and just eats, sleeps, and breathes code.
You can approach an interview in whichever way you please. However, if you don’t research a company, dress appropriately, and show an interest in the company, you’re going to find yourself out the door quicker than you can say mumbo jumbo.