Job Searching Guide. Part 2
Welcome to the second part of our Job searching guide, prepared by the Customertimes TA team — Olha Hodz, Olha Bednarska, Inna Bondarchuk, Inna Parkhomchuk, and Alona Rydun.
If you haven’t seen the first part yet, which covers tips for creating a CV, enhancing your LinkedIn profile, and keeping an eye on the best job portals, you can find it here. In this section, we’ll share tools and strategies to help you prepare for a job interview.
Let’s dive in and embark on the next step of your career journey!
How to prepare for the first stage of a job interview — with a Recruiter or HR
- Review the job description.
Start your interview preparation by reviewing the job description. The job description contains crucial details, including the required hard and soft skills. The job description is a clue for you. If the job description mentions a skill, you must be ready to demonstrate it at the interview!
- Research the company.
Take the time to research the company. Visit the company’s website. Additionally, look at the social media pages. Try to learn as much as you can about the company’s products, corporate values, structure, and mission statement.
3. Prepare answers to typical questions.
Think of answers to common interview questions, such as these:
- Tell me about your experience.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What are your short/long-term goals for your professional development?
- What is important to you in the company?
- What do you value in the team you work with?
- What are you looking for yourself right now?
- Why are you interested in this position?
- What is your motivation to work in this company?
4. Practice your answers.
Conduct a practice interview with a friend or colleague to rehearse your responses and receive feedback.
5. Prepare questions for the interviewer.
Think about questions you would like to ask about the company, working conditions, team, and other additional information that is not mentioned in the job description. But remember, a recruitment interview doesn’t cover technical questions.
How to prepare for the next stage — technical interview
- Review the requirements.
Read the job posting thoroughly and understand all the technical skills and experience requirements for the position.
- Refresh your knowledge of the theoretical part.
Review the basic concepts of programming languages, algorithms, data structures, databases, and other key technical aspects.
3. Prepare for the interview questions.
Answer questions related to knowledge of programming languages, basic algorithms and data structures, principles of working with databases, etc. Find out if live coding will be part of the technical interview and prepare for it.
4. Study the company’s previous projects (if possible).
Thoroughly review the company’s previous projects and their technical stack to be prepared to discuss them during the interview. Sometimes, information about the clients and projects is available on the company’s website.
5. Prepare technical questions for the vacancy that the recruiter may not be able to answer.
General recommendations to ace a job interview
Before each stage of the interview, ensure you have your CV, job description, and company information prepared in advance. Please do not be late for the interview. In case of a force majeure situation where you cannot attend the interview, please notify the recruiter immediately. Try to plan your time to avoid rescheduling the interview.
After the interview, it is appreciated when you provide feedback to the recruiter after each stage of the interview, as it demonstrates your interest. Additionally, upon receiving final feedback from the company, regardless of the outcome, respond politely and express gratitude for the opportunity. This approach will allow you to showcase your professionalism and interest in further interaction with the company.
How to answer typical questions
During the interview, the following are assessed:
- Hard skills: assessment of your technical and professional competencies.
- Soft skills: assessment of your personal qualities and abilities.
- Motivation: determining your interest in the position and company, as well as your readiness for long-term collaboration.
What do you know about our vacancy or company?
This question helps recruiters assess your level of preparation, understand your alignment with the job requirements and company culture, and verify your motivation.
When answering this question, strive to demonstrate all your knowledge about the company and express your motivation to work specifically in this position and for this company. Emphasize how your experience and skills align with the company’s needs and goals.
Why are you interested in this position?
The purpose of this question is to assess your motivation. When answering, focus on how this position aligns with your experience, skills, and career goals. Emphasize what attracts you to this company and role, and why you believe you can contribute positively.
Tell me about yourself.
Always start with the main points. Share a brief story about your work experience, education, and something that inspires you in your professional field. Highlight key moments that are most relevant to the position you’re applying for. Talk about your current role, detailing your responsibilities and any successes you’ve achieved.
What relevant skills and experience do you have?
Describe your key skills, responsibilities, and if possible, share the results you have achieved, for example, on your last or most challenging project.
Can you describe a difficult situation you faced in your previous job and how you managed it?
The purpose of this question is to assess your ability to handle complex situations, make decisions, and effectively communicate with different people. When responding, it’s important to be specific and structured. Describe the situation, outline the problem, and explain how you managed to solve it. Focus on your actions and the outcomes and emphasize the lesson you learned from the experience.
Talk about your strengths and weaknesses.
The purpose of this interview question is to assess your ability for self-analysis and honest evaluation of your qualities. Additionally, it aims to understand how you work on your weaknesses.
Be honest and objective. For strengths, choose several key qualities and support them with specific examples from your work experience. For weaknesses, select areas you are actively working to improve. Remember to emphasize your readiness for self-development and professional growth.
What are your short/long-term goals for your professional development?
The purpose of this question is to assess your motivation, ambition, and alignment with the company’s goals. Name specific skills and knowledge you would like to gain in the near future and in the long term. Try to highlight goals that match both your personal growth and the company’s aims.
What are your financial expectations?
Please prepare an answer to this question in advance. Analyze the market, assess your capabilities and skills, and be ready to specify a minimum amount below which you are not willing to consider offers, as well as a maximum. Be open and honest when discussing this issue.
Important: Don’t change your financial expectations at the offer stage, as it can negatively affect your personal brand.
Preparing for the interview will help you feel more confident and remember important aspects during the interview. It’s also important to take care of your physical and emotional state before the interview: get enough sleep and do something to help you relax. Confidence and authenticity are key to making a lasting impression and acing the job interview.
