Things that you should aware before you facing your first interview as a trainee Software Engineer

All these things here i’m gonna share with you all by the experience and feedbacks i got from my first mock-interview with DirectFN.I hope these points will help you for your first interview as well.

First and most importantly you should have a proper Resume

• Make sure you put a proper photo of your self and it should be taken recently.Do not let them to ask “Is this really you” when you facing your interview.The photo is really want to be a professional(Some organisations doesn’t really concern about this but some companies really do) and presentable because that’s the very first impression they get about yourself and that can be a reason for you to not to go away from the selection process.

• Use professional fonts and Never keep your font size less than 10.

The person who is looking at your CV is not gonna put effort to find the things that they required from a candidate.So use a proper size of fonts(12 is better) in order to show the content really well even for a old guy.So DO NOT USE fonts less than 10.

Make sure you HIGHLIGHT the things that is really special in the CV.(ex – If you have the Island rank of 2 make that they sees it when he is going through your CV) Normally the person who get your CV will never gonna spend more than 10 to 15 secs if you don’t have anything special to show them.

• Do not go more than three pages of you CV only if you aren’t a 2,3 year experienced person in the industry.2 pages are better and organise the content well in a proper order.DO NOT put lies on the CV if you cannot defend them at the interview day(Even a single interest) and if you couldn’t defend your whole interview will be blown. 😀

• Better if you can put 2 referees at the end of the CV and do not put people who never knew you.He or she should be able to recognise you by your name and they should know about your capabilities,skills.

• Technical skills and the projects you have done will be key focused area in your CV.

Normally those are the things that they ask at the interview right after telling something about yourself at the beginning.Those things can lead the interviewer to another different area of the interview.So that the next set of questions can be way different than you expected.So explain them really well in the CV and let them to ask questions the way you want.

• Do not use colours like RED( Inappropriate ) for the backgrounds of the CVs and also don’t use lots of colours to make it beautiful.Coz It’s not a Birthday card or any other fancy thing.Keep it simple but well organised with using less no of colours.

Hope these points will help you to reconsider before you put any contact in your CV.

Lets talk about the INTERVIEW 🙂

• Be presentable on the interview day. Dress properly and definitely use a TIE if you are a Guy 😀

That shows the respect we pay for the company.So just do it.Don’t even think about it.

• Always keep your manners in a higher level

As a example Do not go to interview room before they ask you to come and do not get seated without asking their permission politely.The manners are really important and let them to act by your body language.Do not be a ACTOR.

• Show your confidence

The confidence is everything every time.They can see your level of confidence by different different ways.Such as the way you seated in the chair,the way you answer the questions(Not only the fluency of English) etc.They will let you to ask question at the end of the interview.Just take it and ask anything you like.(At least about the working hour? yeah shows your confidence).Do not let them feel like that is just another interview of yourself’s life.

What will you do if you served with a tea when you are in the interview?? The actions afterwards will change your whole interview.The floor of the interview will be changed.Your focus can deviate.So i prefer you to just reject the TEA simply and humbly telling by “I’ve just had a tea before the interview” or “I’ll take it after the interview”or something like that.That 10,20 time minutes of your interview is much more important than a cup of TEA.

What will you do if you cannot answer the question in English but you know the answer really well? Simply just ask for the permission to answer in Sinhala or in Tamil or what ever the language you are familiar with.Do not shy to do that. 

• Treat with a smile always

Don’t stay like a person who have accused for a murder and answering the lawyer’s questions at the court house.That’s also a way to show your low level confidence.Try to be presentable by treating with a smile all the time.This is not only advise for an interview but for the whole life. :3

• Do not talk more than they expect.

Try to answer the questions smart as possible without going around the bush.You have to have that capability of identifying what sort of a answer they requiring from you,so the perfect answer in your words.

Do not hesitate to ask for permission to draw whatever your idea and explain,more than talking if it’s a complex subject to talk.Just do it politely and deliver your idea smart as possible.Sometimes one picture can say more than 1000 words.

• Don’t lie and get caught 😛

That can be the only reason for you to get out from the league.

Here are some questions they asked from me 🙂

(01)First about my self as always? (Do not talk about your self,family background much more.Save this time also for showcase your Awards,Honours you got(Ex : If your Island rank is 3,tell it there).Show them that you are special than others.

(02)About your strengths and weaknesses?

(03)They can ask things that we know about their company. (Make sure you do a proper information gathering before you go for the interview but do not just refer the website of their and tell.Relate that with why you selected that company with your career objectives as well.)

(04)The projects i have contributed,My role and used technologies

(05)OOP concepts

(06)Some questions about the mentioned technologies

(07)Knowledge about databases,Difference between NoSQL databases and relational databases

(08)Applications of the NoSQL databases? (What is the database Facebook has used?)

(09)How long do you like to work with their company if the they offer me the job? (Sometimes your answer will lead them for more questions.So don’t look for trouble by giving unnecessary answers always)

(10)Is that ok to work at late hours?

(11)How much of a Salary you requires if we get you selected? (Don’t ask this question by yourself before the interview panel,and for the answer better you do a research about the market before you get their for the interview and come up with a average salary.Don’t ask for much more salary as fresh graduate and without experience)

(12)Do you have any questions ? (This will throw to you at the end of the interview and do not hesitate to ask questions as i said before)

Find some suitable answers 😀

So these are some points i learnt and feedbacks i got from my mock-interview.I’m happy if you get even a single point to your future interviews anddd GOOD LUCK with your interviews 😀 😀