You sent your CV or LinkedIn profile, they called back and invited you for an interview. What now? First, it’s good to find some information about the company. The bare minimum is to look at their website or blog, and prepare the questions you’d like to ask in order to make the meeting productive for both parties.

What to expect from an interview for a developer position and how to prepare

Make sure you know how to get there. – as with any meeting, arriving late doesn’t make a good impression. I got lost my first time getting to eMan, and then I had to cross a six lane road to get there. 🙂

What to wear? Have a look at the company’s website or Facebook to understand their level of formality. Nowadays, it’s ok not to wear a suit, and no one will complain about a developer wearing simple jeans and a T-shirt. Wear clean, nice smelling clothing, as you would for a date. Usually, a smart casual style will work wonders, and I would recommend it when interviewing for a leader position.

It’s also good to know what the company does in order to know if you’d like working for them. Of course, they’ll tell you during the interview, but knowing it beforehand means you won’t get surprised. We develop apps for mobile devices, websites, cars, and also complex portals and software solutions. Therefore, we probably won’t be interesting to a developer that focuses on e-shops. On the other hand, developers interested in cars can unleash their full potential working on our automotive projects.

Don’t be afraid to ask the recruiter what you’re in for even before the actual interview. Some selection processes have only one round of interviews; others can have two or more. The recruiter will also probably show you around the company’s premises. As a developer, you can expect to be asked to do a trial assignment, so an experienced developer from the company can have a look at your code and assess its quality. Or you can be asked to do an assignment during the interview. So make sure you ask how long the interview will last.

Prepare and write down your questions beforehand. You’ll get a lot of new information during the interview, and you might forget what you wanted to ask.

What are the two most important rules? Don’t lie and don’t slander your previous employers. Both actions can negatively affect the way they’ll think about you.

Before the meeting finishes, find out what the next steps are, and when you can expect an answer. If no one calls (which should not happen), just call them yourself and ask what the holdup is. If you are not the chosen one, ask for feedback. You just might find out what to work on for next time.

And my last piece of advice: Act natural and be yourself.

Do you still have questions? Just let me know, I’d be glad to help.

Would you like to try an interview at eMan but haven’t found the right position? Not to worry, we can always talk over a coffee about other possible means of cooperation.

Zuzana Klímová