面試與履歷技巧

The goal of a interview is to promote you,
you are the product!

Preparation

• Research the company
  • values, products
  • your apply department
  • recent talking point
• Understand industry trends
  • major competition, market
  • core technology
  • business trend, hiring trend
• Know your interivews
  • how to find out?
    • using Linkedin
    • ask recruiter for names
    • ask friend, family
  • understand their career history
  • find some common connection
• Evidence based interview

  幫履歷內的每一句話、每一件事都想好"證據"。

  • show, don't tell
  • STAR method (situation, task, action, result)
  • prepare some actual things: code, project, …
• Practice makes perfect
  • online mock interview services (really helpful)
  • with friends or family in the industry (don't chat, talk like formal interview)
• Know yourself
  • why I am passionate about the industry, company, role
  • which question do I want to ask?
• Plan your logistics
  • getting "everything" ready in advance
    • does your computer work?
    • does the code you want to show working?
  • try your commute route (don't be late)
  • scout the interview place

During Interview

Common question type

• Technical: role related knowledges
• Behavioral: the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour, provide specific examples
  • tell me the most difficult problem you faced, how you solve, what you learn
• Hypothetical: apply knowledge to an unfamiliar situation
  • you are a project leader, if a member quit, what would you do?
• Factual (generally ineffective): looking for specific job-relevant facts or verifying candidate's resume
  • tell me about your life in university, your project

Common questions

• can you tell me about your educational background and work experience?

  focus on “you”, you are the product
  don’t shit about the school or your classmate

• reason for applying / what's your career goal

  this answer should let you different from other candidates

• can you describe a challenging situation you faced at work and how you handled it?
• what would you say are your greatest strengths, and how do they apply to this role?
• tell me about yourself: your passion, your experience, your qualifies

  don't waste time rehashing your resume

• what's your greatest weakness?

  choose a minor flaw and explain how you manage it effectively

Tips

• When facing a difficult questions

  • don't be afraid to ask for clarification if you're unsure about a question
  • it's ok to ask for some time to think → 這些問題本來就是要用來考倒你的
  • its not good to answer the question directly without knowing any condiction → 這會讓你看起來沒在思考、而且你想的情境和面試官想的不一定相同

• How to ask a question

  • be insightful and passionate
  • what these question tell about yourself?
  • follow up on difficult questions: “how would you solve the question you just ask me five minute ago?”
  • ask about the role, responsibility, expectations, challenges in the team
  • ask for feed back: “how do you feel i performed in this interview?”, “what do you think i can do better?”

• Don'ts

  • using pharse like “commercially-driven”, “results-oriented”
    • only useful WHEN BACKED-UP BY EVIDENCE
  • don't boast about rudimentary or unrelevent skills, ex: “我最近剛學日語”
  • don't boast about achievements that took a big team effort and was not directly led by you
    • group result can be mentioned but focus on what you done in the group
    • “和隊伍參加比賽拿了第一名” → “做了什麼幫助隊伍拿第一名”

• 談薪資

  generally, interviews don't deal with salary range

  • research the industry, provide a salary range based on your findings
  • don't back-up, it makes you look unconfident
  • try throw the question back → “我覺得我的能力值得這個薪資，你認為我有這個資格嗎?”

After Interview

• end with a smile, thank the interviewer for their time
• express your continued interset in the position and inquire about the next step
• send a thank-you follow-up
  • within 24 hours
  • answer the question that you don't answer well during interview
• when receive a reject, politely ask for feedback

Common Questions

General Introduction Questions

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why are you interested in this position? Or, why do you want to work for us?

   如果你的說法可以套用到任何職位，任何公司，那可能要更具體一點。

3. What would you say are your greatest strengths, and how do they apply to this role?
4. What do you think it takes to be successful in this position or field? In what ways does this fit you?
5. What about this organization impresses you in comparison with others in the field?
6. What do you believe are the key issues and problems in the field/industry today?
7. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization?
8. What are your long/short-term goals and objectives? How will this job help you achieve them?
9. What is your greatest weakness?
10. Why should we hire you? What could you offer us that other candidates do not have?
11. What class has had the greatest impact on your thinking?
12. How do you choose your extracurricular activities? Or, why did you choose those you're currently involved in?

Behavior-Themed Questions

1. Tell me about a time when you worked effectively under pressure.
2. Tell me about a time when you were creative in solving a problem.
3. Describe a time when you were a leader. What is your leadership style?
4. Describe a time/activity when you were highly motivated to complete a task.
5. Describe a time in which you were required to work with people different from you.
6. Can you describe a challenging situation you faced at work and how you handled it?
7. Tell me about a time you made a mistake or failed at something.