How to ace your technical interview

When it comes to hiring, the tech world is currently a candidate-driven market. Which is good news if you’re looking for your next gig and have the experience companies are looking for. But, just because tech talent is in high demand, doesn’t mean you can slack off when it comes to your interview prep.

Whether you’ve been working in tech for a decade or you’re fresh out of school, here are five tips to help you ace your next tech job interview.

(Editor’s note: Put these tips to use at our annual job fair, NET/WORK, Tuesday, Feb. 7. Get tickets here. See a list of the more than 50 companies who will be at NET/WORK here.)

• Come prepped and ready to speak to the experience on your resume.

One of the top complaints I hear from hiring managers and hiring departments is that tech candidates aren’t able to speak to the experience on their resumes. Sure, your resume may be amazing, but if you can’t discuss the process behind the app you recently developed or the reasoning behind the cybersecurity initiatives you implemented, then you won’t get the job or even a call back.

Analyze your resume. Come up with talking points for each position listed that allows you to really speak to what you did. It’s a simple step that could be the difference between landing your next job or losing it.

• Prepare answers to commonly asked interview questions at top tech companies.

Although tech interviews are challenging because questions differ greatly depending on the position, you can still prep by sitting down and thinking through potential answers to commonly asked interview questions at top tech companies, which local companies might ask variations on. How do you find these questions? Websites like CareerCup, Glassdoor and Technical Interview provide you with the exact questions asked in interviews at Facebook, Google, Amazon and more.

• Be ready for anything.

You will be asked to problem solve. It may simply be a question you’ll need to answer, or it could be working through a problem on a whiteboard or solving a coding error on a computer.

• Talk it through.

Don’t be afraid to talk everything through. Trust me, they won’t think you’re talking too much. If they ask you how you identified a key data insight or handled a cybersecurity alert, talk them through every step you took. The interviewer wants to see how you think and whether you are truly qualified for the position or not. Bring them with you through the problem-solving process to give them the best idea of how you work, and whether it would fit well with the company and team you’ll be joining.

• Make a point to show your personality.

Even though you’re going for a tech-heavy job like data analytics or app development does not mean you should overlook how much your personality matters in an interview. Along with the required experience and skill sets for the position, interviewers will also be evaluating whether or not you’re the best culture fit.

Ask questions. Come in with a good attitude. Express curiosity and enthusiasm, but keep it genuine. Everyone wants to like who they work with.