Non Technical Interview Tips

After writing my previous topics that covers only technical parts of interviews, I received questions to cover the non technical skills needed for interviews. So I decided to talk only about this in a separate topic.

Rejection Reason Example

The reason was that I'm not good in communicating my ideas, and didn't prepare for the interview environment which was a bit messy.

I think the following points are really important to care about when you have an interview, feel free to send me other tips to include.

Interview Environment

• Make sure that you set the best appointment for the interview which you are free and can sit in a quite place concentrating a solving very hard problems.
• If you are not sure that the internet speed will be stable for a Skype interview, ask them to call you on your phone.
•  Make a small test for your microphone, sound, internet, ...

Listen

One of the important skill interviewers assess is that you listen to questions, understand them, and not approaching solutions before making sure that you understand the problem and corner cases.

Hints

If you can't find a solution or struggled in one, you can ask them for hints.

Answers

Try to give short answers, and avoid speaking too much.

Internet Connection

I prefer DSL than Wireless and 3G. Its more stable. 

English

Try to speak slowly because they don't expect that you are super fluent in English. 

Assumptions

If you have assumptions write them on the shared document, so that they feel you know what you are doing.

Feedback

Never ever ask for feedback within the interview. 

HR vs Technical

Ask technical questions to tech people, and other questions like Salary, Vacations, Benefits, ... to HR.

Say No

If they asked you about something you don't know, feel free to say I don't know about this topic or technology. It would be ideal if you know something close to it and try to talk about instead.

Example

Do you know framework X? 

No. But I know framework Y which does the same task, and I think the concept is the same, So you can ask me about the concept or I may answer according to my experience to Y.

Feel free to comment and share the topic :).