This is a talk/discussion I gave at Django BarCamp 2014 on basic hints and tips for beginners to technical interviews. If you want a more detailed talk, see http://www.slideshare.net/rachelcordraysanders/technical-interviewing-a-primer

1. technical interviews
for beginners
what to expect when you’re expecting to get a job

2. before the interview

3. Resume / LinkedIn
• this is the only thing about you the interviewer
sees (probably)
• know what’s on it. we’ll ask.
• Linkedin is recruiter crack

4. Prepare like the SAT
• Programming Interviews Exposed
• Cracking the Coding Interview
• Project Euler, Career Cup, etc

5. Interview at bad companies
• Practice at companies you don’t care about
• Only way to get good is to practice

6. the interview

7. Introduce Yourself
• “So, tell me a bit about yourself”
• Doesn’t have to be super slick, but prepare
something

8. General tips
• Make sure you understand the question before
you start. Repeat it back to make sure
• Often I’m instructed to leave out information to
see if you’ll ask about it

9. Be interactive
• Talk, talk, talk. Talk out loud. Talk a lot
• If you’re quiet and not coding, I assume you’re
googling

10. Whiteboard
• We know whiteboarding sucks.
• Psuedocode is fine.

11. General tips
• Solve it the dumb stupid slow way first.
• Check all the edge cases (null input, etc).

12. If you get stuck
• it is okay to ask questions
• IT IS OKAY TO ASK QUESTIONS

13. At the end
• If you can’t solve it, ask how it would be solved
• Chances are, you’ll see it again

14. At the end
• ask questions
• ASK QUESTIONS

15. Good questions
• “What is success like”
• “What are your challenges”
• “What do you like best”

16. thanks!