How to Prepare for an IT Job Interview – A Response

Tech jobs are in high demand. Most companies use computers for almost every aspect of their company. Not only is it used for sales and marketing. It is also used for communicating, scheduling meetings, holding meetings, keeping track of databases and so on. Sometimes the product itself is computer based, like a software program or service. IT jobs are everywhere.

They are also harder and harder to find, because a number of college students decided to go into IT and computer programming specifically because it was such a good market. The more people there are applying for these jobs, the harder it is for you to get the job you want. So when we saw an article by Business Insider entitled “How To Prepare For A Tech Job Interview” we decided to check it out and see if they were supplying you with sound advice.

Just the Basics

The article itself is useful, but only covers the basics of IT job interviews, and not in much depth. It also gives some advice that’s questionable:

Don’t panic if you don’t know a technical answer: most recruiters are more interested in how your brain works than in the actual answer.

… Maybe, but that’s not really true. There are so many IT professionals seeking jobs these days that companies are finding it harder to find employees that actually know how to do the job. The market is filled with workers that are ill equipped for the tasks needed by the company, and a bad coder or someone that doesn’t understand networking can set the company back for months.

Solving Problems

Problem solving is a large part of Tech job interviews, as noted in the article, but the companies want to know that you actually can problem solve. It’s not good enough to simply show that you will be patient, as the article implies. You should be ready to give a logical, problem solving answer. Companies like Microsoft ask logic puzzles completely unrelated to IT because they give good insight on how an applicant solves problems. Other companies will supply you with an actual problem that may occur, and you will have to try to solve it.

IT job interviews are not easy. They can’t be, because there are far too many unemployed Tech workers that aren’t able to handle the jobs the companies need. The only way to filter them out is with a difficult interview. We feel the article itself downplays how hard these interviews are. You need to be ready, which means studying your field and making sure you apply to jobs in which you are knowledgeable in the work they will need.

Take Away Interview Tips

• IT job interviews are difficult.
• Continue to study your specialty until you are employed.
• Apply for jobs when you are a good fit.

What is the Standard Process for IT Job Interviews?

When it comes to job interviews, the field of the job usually plays no role in how the interview is set up. Most jobs have a first interview, followed by a second interview. No matter what field you are in, two interviews is fairly standard.

However, the same is not true with IT job interviews. With some exceptions, IT job interviews tend to have a different setup than other job interviews.

How the IT Interview Process Works

• Step 1: Recruiter Intake Phone Call

Many times the first step is to impress the recruiter. The recruiter’s job is to gather preset, very specific information from you. The same questions are asked to all applicants without exception. It is designed to compile information more so than find out if you are the candidate they want. The recruiter will also let you know details of the job(s) that are available.

• Step 2: Phone Interview With Hiring Manager

If the data collected by the recruiter shows you are suitable for a job, you will receive another phone interview designed to supply the company itself with information that shows whether or not you are a good candidate. If you have the resume, skills and knowledge, you will be called in for an in person interview.

• Step 3: In Person #1

The first in person interview is similar to in person interviews at any location. First interviews ask you more about your experiences and knowledge, introduce you to the team, and see if you are a good fit.

• Step 4: Second Interview

It is common during second interviews for IT jobs to meet the department lead and answer any remaining knowledge questions from the staff. The intensity of the second interview is relative to the number of people still in the running for the position. If the job is pretty much yours, you will likely have a fairly easy second interview. If the job is still competitive, expect to be grilled with questions. You have no way of knowing so always come prepared.

Not a Rule

IT interviews can be conducted any way that the company prefers. Startup companies, for example, often do not use recruiters for their hiring needs. However, the steps above seem to be prevalent in the industry in a way that is not true with most other jobs. IT job interviews can be quite tough, but if you have the knowledge the end result is well worth the effort.

Take Away Interview Tips

• IT Interviews generally have four steps.
• You need to prepare for phone interviews in order to get an in person interview.

How to Prepare for an IT Job Interview

Imagine a scenario where you woke up on morning and had forgotten everything you were good at. You do not remember any of your work history or what you have been trained to do. You do not remember your education and you do not remember your career goals. Then let’s say your friend decided to put you in a job at random. That job could be executive level or entry level. It could be in sales or research or marketing or social work. It could literally be any job, at any level, in any field, anywhere. Could you succeed?

In some jobs, it is easy to say “You know, I probably could do okay.” Maybe you won’t be great in your field – maybe you won’t be very good at all. Still, there is a good chance you could be “not awful” despite not knowing anything about the field before you were placed in the job.

One job type where this is not possible, however, is an IT job. If you know nothing about IT, it is extremely difficult to succeed at an IT job. How are you going to know how to fix a server that is being hacked if you don’t even know how to log in to the computer? It would take years to train you in IT, and even after all of that training you still may not succeed.

It is because of that job difficulty that IT job interviews are so difficult. Unlike other interviews, IT job interviews put a great deal of focus on knowledge, testing you on your ability to solve complex computer problems. You must have familiarity with the terminology and be able to problem solve on the spot. To be able to succeed at the job interview, you need to prepare a great deal. Below are several IT interview preparation tips.

IT Job Interview Preparation

• Brush Up on Your Software

Anything you claimed you knew on your resume may be tested. If you say you know how to reprogram routers, you need to be able to prove that you can reprogram routers. If you know how to use some type of advanced software you need to be able to prove you can use the software. You also need to be able to apply this knowledge in words, by explaining the solution rather than performing the solution, since it is unlikely they will test your computer skills on the spot.

• Research Current News and Trends

It is vital that you brush up on current trends in the industry. If you have time, you should study these new pieces of software or data systems, but if you do not have time you should still be up to date on any changes in the industry. In addition, see if you can practice what you are learning on software or hardware.

• Study the Job Description

The job description will often list every piece of modern software and knowledge you need to know. Check it thoroughly to ensure that you have that knowledge. If you don’t, see if you can learn it. If you cannot, see if you can come up with a way of easing the concerns about your ability to learn it.

• Research the Company

For IT jobs especially, it is vitally important that you understand the future of the company, including what is in development. This will allow you to see what your role might be and help you learn what to expect from the IT department within the business.

Standard Interview Tips Apply

In addition to all of these interview preparation tips, you should also study basic interview tips and common interview questions and answers so you know how to answer them effectively. IT job interviews have a lot of knowledge testing, but they also have some basic questions. You need to answer all of these questions well if you hope to succeed in the interview.

Take Away Interview tips

• Refresh your knowledge of software and hardware on your resume.
• Brush up on new advances in the industry’s technology.
• Research the company and the job description in full and adjust your studies accordingly.

Interview with Joey, an IT Professional From Seattle that Recently Completed a Phone Interview for an IT Job

Our goal at Everyday Interview Tips is to bring you interesting and unique perspectives on the job interview process. Today we sit down with Joey, an IT Professional from Seattle. Joey is 27 years old and has been working in various IT roles for over 7 years. He has just completed the first of several interviews for an open position in Bellevue, Washington.

Joey, you just completed a phone interview, correct? Tell me about the company and position you were interviewing for.

That is right. The company I interviewed for was local internet service provider. The company provides Internet connections wirelessly. The position that I interviewed for was Network Administrator. As a Network Administrator your job is to maintain a wide range of different network equipment, made up of communication devices from routers to switches.

What did you do to prepare for your interview?

Preparing for an IT job interview is difficult, because you never know what the interviewer will ask. Questions can be about any type of technology, and may be about something that has come out so recently you haven’t even heard of it.

When I prepare, I start by reading the job descriptions since it can give me a clue of what will be in the interview. Next, I go through and read the resume I Sent them. Afterward I should have at least some understanding of what will be in the interview, so I start to study for it, using the Internet and the terms/equipment listed in the job description. I also might refer back to my textbooks and study notes.

By the time you had your interview, did you feel ready? Confident? Something else?

By the time of the interview I felt uneasy. I had no idea what types of questions or details the interviewer would ask. With technology, there are always new things being released, and since I have not done much networking in about 3 years, it was difficult to keep track of the new types of equipment that are in use today.

Do you remember some of your job interview questions?

Yes.

What were your most difficult job interview questions?

I think the most difficult ones were when they asked me to explain the process of using command lines as well as what I used to accomplish tasks at my old job involving the technologies that he company is looking for.

Were there any questions that surprised you? If so, what were they?

The interviewer asked detail in terms of command lines to program a router.

What was your response?

I gave the interviewer some commands that would be used.

How would you say this interview compared to other job interviews you have experienced?

I would say they were similar, nothing too surprising.

How would you rate the overall experience?

8 out of 10

What do you think you did well?

I think it was telling the interviewer about my experiences that closely match the job and interaction with previous co-workers/managers.

What areas do you think you could have improved?

I wish I was more relaxed during the interview.

If you could give advice to anyone applying to an IT job, or anyone that has to undergo a phone interview, what would that advice be?

Study up on the job. Find out what the company looks like in terms of new products or expansions.

Study your resume. Make sure you can prove that you understand everything you have placed on there.

Try to make some conversation during the interview. The interviewers seem to like when you relate to them. Try to keep it about something related to the things you are talking about.

If you can, ask the recruiter for advice or feedback on the interview.