Chapter 7 The interview: what to expect and how to handle it

If you stop and consider the process of an interview you might realize just how tricky it is: somehow you need to show total strangers that you would be good at a role you only know about from a few paragraphs in a job posting. In the interview they may ask you technical questions of all different levels about all different technologies—some which you may not have even used before. Further, during the interview you’ll need to learn enough about the company to be able to decide if you’d want to work there. You will have to do all of these things in only a few hours, all while acting professional and proper. It’s enough to give you some serious anxiety sweats.

7.1      What do companies want?

7.2      The interview process

7.3      Step one: the initial phone screen interview

7.4      Step two: the on-site interview

7.4.1   The technical interview

7.4.2   The behavioral interview

7.5      Step three: the case study

7.6      Step four: the final interview

7.7      The offer

7.8      Interview with Ryan Williams, Senior Decision Scientist at Starbucks

7.8.1   What are the things you need to do knock an interview out of the park?

7.8.2   How do you handle the times where you don’t know the answer?

7.8.3   What should you do if you get a negative response to your answer?

7.8.4   What has running interviews taught you about being an interviewee?

7.9      Summary