Study and Practice to Ace Your Technical Interview

Once you’ve figured out the questions you’ll most likely be asked during a technical interview, it’s time to prepare. Revisiting algorithms and technical concepts that you haven’t used in a while will refresh your memory and boost your confidence going into your audition.

Review certification exams, take some online tutorials, reread key chapters in a book or manual or offer to exchange knowledge with a colleague or learning partner to brush up on programming languages, data structures or operating systems. Reacquaint yourself with formal technical jargon and acronyms so you’ll be able to communicate your ideas effectively. Get up-to-date info and rekindle your passion by attending a local meetup. You can’t lose if you’re technically proficient and enthusiastic.

Practice
Interviewing is a bit like acting. You’re bound to get bad reviews if you don’t rehearse your answers before you step into the spotlight. Practice in front of a friend or colleague until you’re comfortable deciphering and solving technical problems on-the-fly. Mental preparation is key. You’ll be a lot less nervous and a lot more eloquent if you’ve formulated and rehearsed your answers before the big moment arrives. Incorporate these best practices into your run through as you prepare to ace your technical interview.

• Clarify the question or problem you need to solve before you answer or start coding. Interviewers sometimes ask tricky questions to test your listening skills and composure.
  
• Break complex problems into parts and tackle them one at a time.
• Walk the interviewer through your logic, problem-solving methodology and code. Always verbalize your thoughts.
• If there’s more than one way to do something, give the text book answer first before offering a short-cut.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question, admit it, then explain how you’d find the answer. Interviewers don’t expect you to know the answer to every single problem, but they do expect you to know where to go to find the solution.

Next time, I’ll share some ways to break-down problems and communicate your solutions effectively.