Interviewing for a mobile app developer position can be stressful. It’s a competitive, fast paced industry with many smart candidates vying for the same position.
Today’s post, the third in a series on how to get a mobile development job, will walk through the critical steps and tips you need to follow to maximize your chance of getting the job offer.
In Part 1 of this series, we talked about having the right mindset for the whole job search process. That comes into play in the interview as well, so be sure to read that first.
Part 2 talked about the Job Search itself, and how to approach it to find the type of position you are most interested in.
Today in Part 3, I go over the 5 most important things you must do before, during, and even after the interview to land that job, and even more tips at the end of this post.
Preparation is Everything
There is no feeling like walking into an interview knowing you’ve done everything you can to prepare. You become more confident, less anxious, and it allows you to just be yourself in the interview.
So how do you prepare?
Research the company as much as you can. Find out how it started, who the current leadership is, and what challenges they may be going through now.
Try to get the names of the people who will be interviewing you. They won’t always provide the names up front.
If they don’t provide names, I like to ask the Human Resources person for the names of the people I’ll be meeting with, so that I can prepare any questions accordingly.
If they don’t want to provide them, that’s fine. Don’t push on this issue, as you need to leave a positive impression with everyone.
Your goal should be to know more about the company than the people interviewing you.
In an interview I did for a Fortune 100 company, I was asked what I knew about the company. I almost cracked a smile because I had done so much research on the company. To collect myself, I asked him to repeat the question.
The interviewer thought I was stalling for time, but you should have seen his reaction when I started with the exact date the company was founded (over 20 years prior), the name of the founder, and what their focus was when it started.
The two interviewers glanced at each other, and I could tell they did not normally get this much detail from other candidates (yes, I got the invite to the company headquarters after that, but ultimately decided to accept an offer from another company).
Share your Thought Process
Interviewers are not necessarily just looking for the right answer. They want to understand how you think.
Don’t just think about the answer in your mind and only speak with you think you have it.
Rather, think out loud, helping them understand your train of thought. Even if your ultimate answer is different from what they thought, the important thing is they know how you got to it.
Ask Questions
Interviewers expect to be asked questions. Remember, as a mobile app developer, you are sought after. You need to make sure the environment is the right place for you.
Below are some of may favorite questions to ask:
- If you could change one thing about the company, what would it be?
- What development tools do you use here? Can developers use their own?
- How will my performance be measured and tracked?
- Why keeps you here (working for this company)?
I promise you these questions will help you understand the company culture, and will leave a positive impression on the interviewer.
Treat Every Person at the Company like the CEO
They say that some of the most powerful people in companies are the administrative assistants and office managers. It’s important to always treat everyone with the utmost respect and gratitude.
Some of those people might even give positive feedback to their manager, which could sway a job offer decision in your favor. Not all candidates will do this, and it can be an easy way to stand out from the crowd.
More importantly, these are people like you and me, and deserve our respect regardless of their role in the company.
Send Thank You Emails
Hiring managers often have multiple interviews in the same day, and it can be tough for them to remember their impressions of each interview.
Make their job easier by sending a Thank You email to each person you spoke with that same day. That will show that you care about working for their company, and that you have good social awareness.
Thank you emails are another easy way to stand out, and I’m always amazed at how many candidates do not do this.
More Job Winning Tips
- Bring Copies of Your Resume.
- Be Yourself.
- Be Honest.
Bring 5 copies of your resume. These people are busy, and some of them might have just found out they need to interview someone. Helping them with a copy of your resume puts you in a positive light from the beginning.
If you’re going to work for this company, it needs to be a fit for both parties. So be relaxed with who you are. It’s good to smile and show some personality. If there’s a fit between you as a person and the environment and culture, it will be obvious.
Never lie about your experience. It is almost never the case that one little fib will help get you the job offer. It can only make you more nervous during the interview, and even worse, that lie could be hanging over your conscious later. Besides, many employers can sniff out a lie pretty easily, and will quickly discard your resume.
I hope this series was helpful. Don’t forget to read Part 1 and Part 2 if you haven’t already.
