How to properly pass an interview and get into your dream company

Ksenia Toropova, HR Director at Kolesa Group

How the interview goes and how to prepare for it

How to prepare for an interview. First, study information about the company. Everything it publishes on social media. If you know the first and last name of your future manager, find their accounts online and see what they are interested in. Look at the company description, products, find sources where and when information about the company was published, and what the media says about it.

Second, review the requirements for the candidate. We have had cases where a person comes to an interview, you say, great, mobile development, and they say: “I thought I was applying for a frontend position.”

In reality, the conversion rate from application to offer is quite strict. On average, about 1,000 people apply for one junior developer position. Dozens of resumes arrive daily. That’s a lot. Therefore, make sure you stand out from the crowd. Prepare. HR professionals at any company will appreciate it if you are knowledgeable and know more than just the job title.

Time. Set aside time for the interview in advance. This is a very important factor. It is important that you are not distracted and that you are not late. Allocate time. At least one hour for the interview itself and one hour for travel there and back. Then nothing will distract you, everyone will know you are at the interview, and you will be focused right here and now.

Appearance. I recommend not stressing too much about suits, shirts, and the like. Just be neat. But an important point: remember that you will spend this hour in a confined space with two or three people. Do not overdo it with perfume. Even if it is your favorite scent, minimize its use during the interview.

Online interviews

Due to the coronavirus, many Kazakhstani companies have switched to remote work. And now most interviews are conducted online, so I have several recommendations regarding this.

The most important thing is the location and silence.

Interview in a coffee shop. Many people like to take interviews in coffee shops. In this case, you need to find a quiet corner where you can be heard. Remember that there should be a good connection quality.

Interview in a park. Another unsuitable place for interviews is a park. We even had a case where a young man was taking an interview on a bench and, in the middle of the questions, asked if he could smoke an iQOS. He was surprised when we refused his request.

Parks, streets, benches are not the best places for conducting interviews. First, it is noisy there; second, the connection quality is poor; and third, someone might distract you. And you only have 30 minutes to impress the employer.

Interview at home. In this case, do not forget to warn your relatives that you will be busy. We had a moment when, during the interview, mom or dad would come in and ask questions. For us, this situation is understandable, but for the person, it is always a big stress, which prevents them from concentrating and causes them to fail the interview.

Your appearance during a home interview should also be neat, not in a bathrobe or kigurumi. It can be a t-shirt, hoodie, any sweater and pants, the main thing is that you are comfortable and look presentable.

Questions in IT company interviews

The interview is divided into two large categories: technical and personal questions. That is, soft skills and hard skills.

Technical questions. The easiest way to prepare for them is to look at the job description, the technologies the company requires, and the tech stack. Popular companies maintain blogs on social media and share advice on LinkedIn. Familiarize yourself with them; this will definitely put you ahead of other candidates.

What to do if you do not know the answer to a question? Do not lie. This is the most common mistake when a person starts trying to wiggle out of it. Googling during an interview is a gross error.

It is better to say honestly: “I don’t know, but I assume…” and share your thoughts.

Personal questions. Here it is very simple: look online at how soft skill interviews are conducted correctly and prepare in advance.

Nervousness. From my experience, many specialists are very nervous. This is an adequate reaction. But remember — the recruiter is also a human. You need the job just as much as it is important for them to fill the vacancy. You can honestly admit that you are nervous, but the main thing is — do not let this throw you off. Remember that the company needs you just as much as you need it.

Tips that will help before the interview:

1. Be friendly and open. Even at the reception, be polite, otherwise, they might “tell on you.”
2. Distribute your attention to everyone participating in your interview. Not only to HR but also to the manager, director, or team lead.
3. Ask HR questions about the vacancy. Once, a candidate asked me why I have been working at this company for 8 years; I was surprised and started thinking.
4. Read the book “The Art of Recruitment” by Svetlana Ivanova — 90% of interviews in Kazakhstan are conducted based on this book.
5. Follow the company’s social media.