If you are an Engineering student who’s trying to get into software development, you are sure to face your Software Development Interviews. Be it an HR round or Data Structures interview, some tips that will help prepare you as you go forward with this major event of your life. These range from suggestions on what to do from weeks/months before the interview to the last few minutes of the interview. In this article, we will discuss some tips that will help you for the software engineering interviews.

Path To Software Engineering Interviews

Before we start with the Interview tips, here’s a general overview and structure of the hiring process, to acquaint you with what to expect from the process. 

• Job posting and screening rounds

Whenever you apply to a Software Engineering position, there is some amount of shortlisting involved. This shortlist could be based on resumes or on an online test. 

• Coding and/or Aptitude Test(s)

As a general practice, you can expect Aptitude and/or Coding Tests before you qualify for an interview with the company. Off-campus opportunities might expect you to qualify for an aptitude test and then a Data Structures test where you are expected to write working codes for questions asked. So, you should learn to code in an efficient manner.

• Interview rounds

If you’re shortlisted, you will be contacted by a recruiter and then invited to participate in the hiring process. The number and types of interviews vary from one firm to another. However, you can expect to have at least one Coding/ Data Structures based interview and one HR/ managerial Interview.

 A coding interview is where you can expect the interviewer to ask a Data Structures question you are expected to write the code of. Sometimes a pseudo-code and/or an explanation to the approach might be enough, while at other times you might be expected to write clear, readable code with proper naming conventions. Apart from typical coding questions, you can also be asked System design questions, or questions from subjects like Operating Systems, Database Management, and Object-Oriented Programming. 

On the other hand, in an HR round or managerial round, you can expect the interviewer or the panel to ask you about yourself, your projects and situations you’ve been in, and how you tackled them. They can delve deep into your experiences (for example past internships) or projects, and why you chose a particular tech stack or approach over the alternatives. You can also be asked behavioral questions related to your strengths, weaknesses, or hypothetical situations. 

Tips For Software Engineering Interviews

Revise Your Fundamentals And DSA Concepts

When you are applying as a fresher or a new college graduate, preparing for computer science fundamentals is essential. This includes subjects like – Operating Systems, Object-Oriented Programming, Database Systems, Computer Networks, etc. 

For preparing these subjects, you can go through your short notes, some frequently asked questions over the internet, or some videos to brush your concepts.  

Data Structures and Algorithm preparation is also equally, if not more, important. This includes going through various data structures, their implementation,  uses, and questions based on them. Also, go through named algorithms and where they are used. Another part of DSA Prep is practicing coding questions – this includes going through the details of the problem, understanding the approach and applying it, and then optimizing it according to the time/space complexity requirements.

Practice Writing Readable Code 

In most of the interviews, you will not be required to write a program from scratch, instead, you will be writing one or more blocks of functions. These functions may or may not have defined function prototypes and return types. In any case, what is important is the readability, accuracy, and coverage of the code. Readable code implies having proper names for variables, correct spacing between loops and brackets, etc. 

Go Through The Archives In Advance

It is extremely important that you go through the questions asked by the company in earlier interviews. A bunch of these are available over the internet. You can also ask your seniors/peers who have interviewed for the role to give you an insight into their questions.

Know Your Subjects Well, Your Projects Even Better

Be thorough with your resume and projects. Know your subjects and be clear on your basics. Your software projects are a very important part of your application and you will be expected to know about them inside out. Questions as to why a particular kind of framework/technical stack was used, what were the issues you faced while developing it etc are common.

Be Prepared. Have Mock Interviews

A few days before the interview, ask friends/seniors/peers to run you through a mock interview. Mock interviews are a good way to gauge your presentation and communication skills and also to relieve stress and nervousness before an actual session. This can be a great opportunity to do some research into suitable interview questions and answers for the kind of role you’re going for. By finding out some common ones used in the industry, you could put them into practice within the mock interview, this way you’ll get a chance to rehearse things as they might be in your actual interview. This can improve your confidence and allow you to relax a little during the real thing.

Some firms also ask behavioral questions. These can range from a discussion on your strengths and weaknesses to situation-oriented questions. 

Do Some Background Research On The Company

Towards the end of an interview, the interviewer is very likely to ask you for any doubts/questions you may have. This is a good talking point and an opportunity to ask your questions. Do some background research on the company, so that you can ask questions and talk about the company. 

Stay Calm And composed During The Interview

Take deep breaths, meditate. Do what helps you stay calm and composed before starting off with the interview. Starting the interview with a calm head is just as important as being thorough with your concepts. 

Dress Smartly For The Interview

 It is said that first impressions last long. Be careful you are dressed carefully and smartly. Don’t overdo it, but also don’t be shabbily dressed. Stay in clean business casuals. If you are sitting for onsite or on-campus interviews, make sure you are adhering to the dress code, if any is prescribed. 

Be Confident. Take The Interview As A Conversation

Don’t treat the interview as if it is a quiz with only a single correct answer. Treat it as a conversation and let it be natural. Breathe. Have a glass of water in between when you need to, and maintain your composure.

Ask Questions. Be Interactive

Show your interest in the company. Be it somewhere in between the interview or towards the very end, it is expected that the interviewer may ask if you have any questions for them. Use this as an opportunity to ask genuine questions you have that can help reflect your interest in the organization or passion for the job. Make sure to not ask questions just for the sake of asking, or asking generic questions you can easily find with a single Google search or navigating to the company website. That is why it is important to do your background research. 

Conclusion

To conclude, knowing what to expect in a typical software engineering interviews and getting yourself to stay calm and composed are what would help the most to prepare for the interview. If you have time (for instance a few weeks to go before the interview), make sure to cover the required concepts and solve previously asked questions for the company. As you move closer, practice mock interviews with your peers. 

We hope that the article helped you get an idea of the interview process and what to expect and gave you a roadmap to prepare for your interviews.Stay tuned for more informative articles.
Happy Learning!

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