Got a Tech Interview? Here's How to Rock It!

Hacking Tech's Diversity Problem - Part III

You've spotted a gig at a tech company that you absolutely want. But how do you turn that into a job offer? Getting your foot in the door requires more than just credentials. “A lot of people think about applying for the job, but not the job search strategy,” says Chelsea Cohen, a former recruiter at Google and founder of Synaptic Talent, a recruiting firm. “Then they wonder why they never hear back when they blindly apply for a position.” Perfecting your networking game and doing solid groundwork are important to landing that tech gig. Plus, the tech industry is known for being selective and stringent in their interview process.

Here are seven secrets to landing a job at a tech company [Download Infographic]:

1) Redesign your resume and know the industry keywords

Problem: Your resume is too cluttered and poorly designed, and your online profile is invisible or inconsistent with the job description for the gig you’re eyeing. Invisible profiles don’t make use of SEO (search engine optimized) keywords, and don’t shine when recruiters are trawling through the Internet for potential employees.

Tip: This is a big no-no. “Having a resume that showcases your impact, accomplishments, and skills succinctly helps you get noticed,” says Cohen. Additionally, some 91% of recruiters screen prospective employees through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, according to The Undercover Recruiter. Furthermore, 68% of recruiters hired based on what they saw about candidates on social networking sites. The ideals of positive personality and organizational fit, creativity, good communication, and well-roundedness were taken into consideration. So beef up--and clean up-- your profiles on these networks by using SEO keywords and matching them to your resume.

2) Familiarize yourself with the company’s corporate culture and stance on inclusion

Problem: “Cultural fit” is the buzzword for hiring managers. This means that they consider your suitability within the context of the culture of the hiring company. Recruiters are looking out for candidates with characteristics, beliefs, and values that align with the organizational culture at the company.

Tip: It’s important to remember that cultural fit isn’t one-sided. As a potential employee, you should consider how much the tech company embraces and values an inclusive corporate culture. Just as recruiters study you to determine if you’ll fit into their corporate culture, ensure that your individual culture will be a good fit as well. Look at their website for clues and create a list of your own cultural fit questions to ask in the interview.

3) Be aware of others’ biases

Problem: The cold, hard truth is that biases are real and can affect whether you get the position, regardless of your qualifications. Hiring managers are probably one of the most criticized groups for having unconscious bias – social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. The truth is, everybody has unconscious bias to some extent. This is due to our tendency to categorize people as we understand our social worlds. Bias affects a lot of our interactions, including the processes of hiring, evaluating, and selecting leaders or candidates.

Tip: Do your research beforehand and try to find common ground with the interviewer. Find out the name and background of your interviewer. Make a good impression by maintaining eye contact and find common interests to break the ice. Did you play the same sport, attend college in the same city or state, or share an interest for a hobby? Breaking down barriers and overcoming the challenge of unconscious bias will help you do well on your tech interview.

4) Cling to your authenticity

Problem: The tech company excites you beyond belief because you support their mission and are qualified for the gig. You want the gig so much that you’re tempted to say what you think the hiring manager wants to hear.

Tip: Don't create a story, persona, or script that disguises your weaknesses and only accentuates your strengths. We’ve all made mistakes at one point in our career and denying that during an interview raises a red flag. Instead, briefly talk about what the error was, but use the rest of the response as a time for you to shine. Let them know how you fixed the mistake.

5) Use your network

Problem: You need inside intel about the tech company because you’ve seen a job posting or a recruiter has already contacted you. Your ability to network effectively can be a great boon to your job search. When you see an attractive job posting or are contacted by a recruiter, the first thing you should seek is inside information about the company.

Tip: Use your LinkedIn, alumni, fraternity or sorority network to find current and former employees at the tech company. Make an effort to reach out to these people –ask for a brief phone conversation or quick coffee break. Send an email. Most people are willing to talk to you about their companies and what they do.

6) Practice answers--and rebuttals-- to tough questions

Problem: You’re sailing along well in the interview and all of a sudden the interviewer hits you with a tough one. Hemming and hawing won’t make a good impression here!

Tip: Tough interview questions challenge your ability to stay calm under pressure. Keep a cool head. It’s alright to take a few moments to think the question through. In the lead-up to your interview day, mentally prepare to honestly answer questions that show you are creative and can handle tough situations. “People who don’t think on their feet or practice answering equally tough follow-up questions are at a disadvantage,” says Cohen. This is especially true if you’re a woman. “I’ve seen women crumble when their response is challenged by the hiring manager, whereas men will defend their answers,” says Cohen. There are variations of these types of questions, but they generally go like this: Write your code on a whiteboard and explain it; give an example of an occasion when you used logic to solve a problem; describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it; name three images that would be in an infographic describing your career.

7) After the interview...

Problem: You feel like you aced your tech interview and you don’t know how long to wait before reaching out to the hiring manager or recruiter.

Tip: “Internal recruiters are sometimes bogged down with hundreds of candidates for multiple positions at once and they can have a hard time hearing back from the hiring manager,” says Cohen. Regardless, Cohen says it’s safe to send the recruiter or hiring manager a brief note after a week. That week you don’t reach out to the company is a good opportunity to come up with relevant ideas that showcase how your expertise will help the company and to think about how to creatively address or clarify some points raised during the interview.

This post is the third and last of a trio of articles meant to spur conversation and provide the beginnings of a roadmap for meaningful change in the tech industry. The full series includes:

• How the Tech Industry’s Culture is Anything but Innovative
• 5 Ways a Tech CEO Can Make their Companies More Inclusive
• 7 Secrets to Rocking Your Tech Job Interview

(Re)Tweet these articles and share your recommendations for inclusive leadership in the tech industry using #HackTechDiversity.

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Todd Corley is the creator and catalyst of The TAPO Institute, a newly launched think tank and strategic advisor advocating inclusive leadership. He chairs both the National Society of High School Scholars Foundation, which serves 1M+ Millennials across 160 countries and the Chief Diversity Officer Consortium, at Georgetown University. He tweets at @CorleyTodd and @TAPOInstitute.