You're getting close to the final stage of the job search process. Today's mission is about job interviews. This mission is split into two parts. Part one is about the interview prep you need to do before the interview. Part two will focus more on the day of the interview and everything you need to do post-interview to wrap up the interview process.

Challenge participants posted what job interview prep advice worked for them and what they were looking forward to trying in future interviews in the CNC2018 Get a Job Facebook group or on social media using the #CNC2018 hashtag. You can post your challenge homework in the comments of this post or ask for advice from others here too.

Job interviews are different from informational interviews we discussed in a previous mission so the advice might seem similar at times. You can still use the tips from informational interviews to help you prepare for job interviews. However, the biggest difference between these interviews is that there is a lot more pressure job interviews have than informational interviews.

Informational interviews have less pressure since they are informal chats. Job interviews are much more formal since both parties have to see if they are the right fit for each other. Code Newbie thinks most people don't like job interviews because candidates are being graded and evaluated on everything they have ever done so there is a lot of focus on giving the right answers.

Code Newbie encourages participants to avoid thinking of job interviews like this and instead think of them as a way to educate the interviewer about you, a subject you know better than they do. What Color is Your Parachute points out to job seekers that job interviews are a lot like dating. Job candidates aren't the only ones being evaluated here.

Candidates are evaluating potential employers too and seeing if they want to work there. Interviewers act as ambassadors for the company and they set a candidate's impression of the company. This is even more important in today's job market where candidates can read reviews about a company and easily find information about what it is like to work there.

The most important thing to keep in mind about job interviews is that it is a cue from the employer that they are interested in getting to know you more and seeing if you would be a good fit. Code Newbie encourages participants to think of this as a way to fill in the blanks for them.

The interview process is going to vary for every industry. At the time of this post (2025), hiring is a growing concern no matter what industry you are in, and new problems are emerging when that comes to finding work. It can feel like finding a job is an actual job these days, but Saron (founder of Code Newbie) pointed out that you need the one yes.

What type of interview is it?

Congratulations! You've been asked for a job interview. Now the prep work can officially begin.

The first thing you need to figure out is what type of interview you are having. If you aren't sure, send a message to the contact at the company. Most hiring managers and recruiters will mention what type of interview they are having and what to expect for the interview.

When they email or call you, you can use that contact to ask and see what they say. Code Newbie encourages participants to ask their contact how to best prepare because most should know what type of interview they want. Below are ways to prepare for different types of interviews you will encounter.

Phone interview/Zoom interview

These types of interviews are often good for screening interviews to see what candidates move on to the next phase. These questions will look at your resume and skills. You will want to find a space where you can work on your computer during a call.

Sometimes the interviewer might ask you to solve a problem you might want to keep their computer close by. During the COVID pandemic, video calls became much more common. You will want to see what software they want to use for the interview and make sure everything is updated before your interview.

Technical Interviews

Schedule a time a week ahead of your interview. This way you have plenty of time to practice before your interview. Some resources you can use to help you prepare are:

• Project Euler
• Hacker Rank
• Interview Cake

These are ways to practice the kind of problems employers like to use to assess potential job candidates. Next, you want to find out what type of technical interview you will have. There are two types of assessments employers like to use.

• whiteboard interviews
• pair programming

Employers also use take-home assignments as a way to assess a candidate's technical skills. If you get a take-home assignment, check the deadline when it is due. Then set aside time to do the challenge and check if over before you submit it. These assignments will vary depending on what the employer wants to use so they could take a couple of hours or a few days.

Think about the employer's needs and how you will meet those needs.

You will need to think of your target audience for this step. Your audience isn't just who is interviewing you. You want to think beyond that person and think of the company you are interviewing for.

What are their needs? Having an idea of what they want will allow you to target your answers towards them. Think of it as a way of connecting the dots.

First, you need to have a copy of your resume and job description. Code Newbie recommends printing these out for this task since you are going to be highlighting things. Next, find the top deliverables the employers put in their job description.

If you can't find any, Code Newbie suggests looking for top skills in the required section or mention throughout the posting. As you go through the job description, think about what examples demonstrate that you're a great fit for this role. These examples will become talking points you will use to show how you are a good match for them.

Pick your top two projects related to this job and create explanations for them.

This step can be tricky because it depends on the interviewer's preference. Some might want to look at the entire portfolio while others want to focus on specific projects. Others might concentrate only on the code of certain projects.

Regardless of what their preferences are, you need to be prepared to explain your projects. So Code Newbie recommends having 2 explanations ready for two projects you've made. As you put together each explanation, your answer can answer the following questions:

• How would you explain these projects to a 5-year-old?
• What problem were you trying to solve?
• What obstacles did you face?
• How did you overcome them?

Once you are happy with both of your explanations, start practicing them. You will want to practice both of them out loud as many times as you can. Some of the ways you can practice are in front of a mirror, with your pet or another person, or even practice recording yourself.

Identify your limitations and how you address them.

Interviewers can ask some tricky questions. Some of the toughest questions might focus on your limitations or weaknesses. You want to anticipate these concerns and have solutions prepared to alleviate these concerns.

First, go to the job description. This time you will want to circle skills or phrases that employers might see as a problem. Next, think about how you would resolve these concerns. Interviewers will be paying attention in particular to your solution rather than the problem itself.

You will want to have a plan in place for addressing these weaknesses. To help you, you can use these questions as a guide.

• Are there gaps in your skills? If so, do you have related skills? For example, could you produce a similar output using a different framework?
• Are you interested in learning new skills for this role? How would you do it?

Research the employer!

This is the most important thing every job seekers must do before any interview! Interviewers can tell who does their research versus those that don't. So don't skip this step!

You will want to read up on the company, its products/services, and the team you will be working with. Google and LinkedIn will be your friends here to find everything you need. To help you research your companies, Code Newbie put together a list of questions that will help you prepare for your interview.

• How large is this company?
• How long have they been in business?
• If this is a start-up, what stage are they in? Did they recently raise any money?
• Search for news about this company. Any big-name hires? Any recent layoffs? Any transitions or big announcements they’ve made recently, especially any that may affect the job you’re applying for?
• Who leads this company? Who leads your team? What other teams/staff are mentioned on the website?
• Check out some reviews on Glassdoor. It might not always be accurate, but the employee reviews may inspire some excellent questions to ask during your interview.