How to ace your upcoming technical interview (with a checklist)
Tags: interview, career, careerdevelopment
Published: 2023-05-04 15:50:59

Congratulations on being selected for a remote interview! As a technical recruiter, I understand that interviews can be nerve-wracking, but it doesn't have to be. It's not a trap; my goal is to guide you through the process, help you prepare, and ease any concerns or worries. For the interviews, I'm using Zoom and Calendly, but the overall guide is universal. 

Firstly, the interview will be conducted on Zoom, so it's essential to download and install the latest version to avoid any technical glitches. You don't want to be late because of technical difficulties. So ensure that your audio settings, microphone, camera, and screen-sharing options are in working order before the interview.

Also, you need to have a stable internet connection and appropriate lighting during the interview. You don't want to be in the dark or with a distracting background. Minimising background noise and distractions is also critical, so find a quiet space where you can focus.

Arriving on time to your interview is a must. You can set a reminder on your phone or calendar to avoid missing the scheduled time. Also, reviewing the job posting or your CV ahead of time can help you better prepare for the interview. 

Just so you know, the interview will be recorded, and I will take a screenshot of you at the beginning of the interview. If you do not want this to happen, please notify me clearly at the beginning of the interview.

Now, let's talk about the interview itself. During the interview, you'll have the opportunity to speak about yourself and your job history. Be prepared to walk me through your CV and highlight your accomplishments. Describing your previous work experience using real examples is an excellent way to showcase your strengths and working style. Additionally, it would be best if you were prepared to tell me your favourite tech stack so I can highlight it to future employers. Remember, your tech stack is your tool of the trade.

Now that I've covered the basics of preparing for the interview let's talk about the coding exercise. Don't worry, it's nothing to be afraid of! The exercise will be a small programming task allowing you to showcase your skills and expertise.

To get started, make sure you have your IDE or code editor ready to go. You can choose the language, editor, and frameworks you like, but make sure you are comfortable with them and can run your code. This is not the time to try out a new language or editor.

During the coding exercise, be prepared to walk me through your code, explaining each step and the thought process behind it. If you can, try to explain your code as you write it, but don't worry if you need to focus on writing the code first. Anyway, be as verbose as possible when explaining your thought process.

Overall, the coding exercise is an opportunity for you to showcase your skills and highlight what you can bring to the team. Don't be afraid to ask questions and clarify any doubts before getting started. Remember to take your time, focus on the task at hand, and enjoy the challenge!

It's important to note that Github Autopilot and similar tools should be disabled during the coding exercise. I want to see your true coding abilities, not just what an AI tool can generate.

Finally, when discussing programming, be sure to give detailed answers to any questions asked. Remember, the interview is an opportunity for us to get to know each other better and for you to show me why you are the best fit for the job. 
Keep in mind, that if you're applying to a company or even for a specific job, you need to do your research about the company and the position and highlight what you will bring to the table.

If you need to reschedule the interview, please use the Calendly link provided to do so. If you need to cancel, please use the Calendly link and avoid not showing up. If you have any difficulty connecting to Zoom, please double-check the date and time, and try exiting the interview room and re-entering. Please just wait in the Zoom room if I am late for the interview.

I'm here to help you succeed in your career, and this interview is a great opportunity to show me what you can do. So, take a deep breath, relax, and let's have a great interview!

Best of luck with your interview, and I look forward to speaking with you soon!

---

## Your Checklist 
- Download and install the latest version of Zoom.
- Check your audio settings, microphone, camera, and screen sharing functionality.
- Ensure you have a stable internet connection and appropriate lighting, with minimal background noise and distractions.
- Review your CV and the job posting to refresh your memory.
- Prepare to speak about yourself and your job history, highlighting your accomplishments and working style with real examples.
- Be ready to discuss your favourite tech stack and tools of the trade.
- Remember that the interview will be recorded, and notify the interviewer if you do not wish to be screenshot at the beginning of the interview.
- Be prepared for a small coding exercise, and make sure you have your IDE/code editor ready and are familiar with the language and frameworks you choose to work with.
- Give detailed answers and be ready to walk the interviewer through your code during the exercise.
- If you need to reschedule, use the Calendly link provided by the recruiter. If you need to cancel, also use the Calendly link and do not simply not show up.
- If you experience issues connecting to Zoom or your interviewer is late, stay in the Zoom room and double-check the meeting details.

--- 

## Further Reading

Take your career to the next level and check out my [LevelUp: Elevate your career today](https://dev.to/martinkr/series/22804) series. Here, I'll help out to achieve your professional goals. 
Each article focuses on a specific aspect of the interview process, with topics ranging from optimising your resume to preparing for the most common interview questions. In addition, I will walk you through the most common pitfalls and provide insights on how to elevate your career in your current company.


LevelUp: Elevate your career today](https://dev.to/martinkr/series/22804) for additional resources about 

---

[![MODERN FULLSTACK DEVELOPMENT by Martin Krause](https://www.usemodernfullstack.dev/assets/marketing-banner_583-110-dev-to.png)](https://nostarch.com/modern-full-stack)

---

## Dive Into Modern Full Stack Development

Read ["MODERN FULL STACK DEVELOPMENT"](https://nostarch.com/modern-full-stack) to learn everything you need to know about Modern Full Stack Development and to kickstart your career as a full-stack developer. 

It's a hands-on introduction to creating web applications with today's full-stack developers' most popular tools, libraries, and frameworks. It covers Modern JavaScript, TypeScript, React.js, Next.js, MongoDB, Mongoose, REST APIs, GraphQL, OAuth, Docker and JEST.

---

Meet me on [Linekdin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkrause), [twitter: @martinkr](http://twitter.com/_martinkr) or Mastodon.

Photo by [Ingo Joseph](https://www.pexels.com/photo/purple-armchair-609768/) on [pexels](https://pexels.com)
 
---