IT Interview Advice - Senior Software Engineer (1 Viewer)

[JaxBill]

Background: Been in programming since 1989. Since 2001 I have been java / oracle/ html css.

So I have been increasingly unhappy/stressed/frustrated at current job. Tried posting out to other departments a few times unsuccessfully.  

After 17 years with current company, I have a job interview with another company. New company is in town, would offer similar base pay but actually offers bonuses which I haven't seen in 8+ years.

I already had lengthy phone interview with HR guy to understand reason for applying.  He sounded like they were sold on me and was trying to sell new company to me.

Interview is with 2 managers, a project manager and the product architect. One of the managers is a senior manager, a step below CIO.

What are they going to ask with that mish mash of people? Is the architect going to ask technical questions to trip me up? Are they going to run through a scenario?

 

[belljr]

Take this FWIW .... any time I interviewed in that setting it's been one guy asking career goals, while the other asking technical questions.  However, depending on the manager sometimes the technical questions were so "buzz wordy" I feel like I ended up looking like an idiot because I didn't know the "high level" definition answer they may have wanted.  

As as example off the top of my head -   Manager may ask "how do you currently persist your data?"   Wasn't sure how detail an answer he was looking for so I broke down how we did it   And I'm not sure he knew what he was asking 

I've been on interviews where I had to flow chart a problem....

I've had no real tough technical questions and just wanted a general project flow ....

So I guess sadly the answer is depends.

 

[VA703]

scenarios to see how you handle yourself and where your heads at

why not ask for more than what you are making now?

 

[JaxBill]

why not ask for more than what you are making now?

Because their salary system is set up with substantial annual bonuses i.e > 15% annual salary.

So even if my base is just equal , I would get a substantial chunk in 15 months. ( I wouldn't be eligible for bonus until after 2017)

 

[ren hoek]

you gotta flip it on him!  

https://youtu.be/URtQAa3Y-ns

 

[rascal]

try to get their background maybe?

 

[Godsbrother]

Years ago I had an all day interview for a small software company that was going well.  At 2:00 I meet this project leader and he pulls some of their source and started quizzing me on C++.   I was answering his questions a bit and after a while I started seeing that his coding was crap and began to ask questions like why in the heck are you doing it that way when you can just do it this way, etc.

He was scratching his head and saying things like "yeah that would be better...".   

I did get the offer but accepted a different job for other reasons but in the back of my mind I was thinking that if I did take the job I was going to be dealing with a lot of bad code.  

I always thought the project leader that pulled out the code 6 hours into an interview was being a jerk though.

 

[eoMMan]

Yeah, no offense, but you might be a bit rusty on your interviewing skills. There's a lot of helpful articles online but a few general tips:

1. Be nice and likable. Regardless of great of a programmer you are, no one wants to work with a jerkface.

2. Be prepared for the typical interview questions  (what's your weakness/area for improvement, where do you see yourself in 5 years, yada yada ).

3. Look everyone in the eye and give firm handshakes. Just don't be creepy.

4. Don't mention Footballguys. 

5. Don't wear your Blake Bortles jersey.

6. Don't talk salary, benefits, etc. at the interview. Try to divert if it is brought up.

 

[NutterButter]

I would certainly expect someone is going to ask you a bunch of technical questions.  

 

[BrutalPenguin]

If it's a software engineering position, I'd be ready to write some code.  I know that Google does white board coding interviews, and everyone wants to be like Google.

 

[Poke_4_Life]

I'm sure you'll do fine on the technical side, you've been doing the job long enough.

I'd ask HR more about the bonuses.  What % of the people with the title you're interviewing for got the full 15% last year?  I've seen companies sell bonuses before and then nobody gets 15% and most get 3-5%.  Not really a bait and switch, but it would suck.  I'd also consider asking for more base salary, waiting over a year for the raise when you're the one taking the risk by changing jobs would suck.  I usually want 10% increase minimum to make a move.  

Ask about the position, how did this come open.  Did someone leave, are they expanding, etc.  Also ask about upcoming projects, what are the type and nature of the projects?  Finally ask about the other team members, have they been around for a while, what levels of experience do they have?  

Just thought of one more, ask about their code review process.  Is it all automated, who coordinates it?  How does it work?  Etc, etc.

Oh, you didn't mention it but most coding jobs now are work from home or very flexible with work from home >50% of the time.  What about this company?  (Another HR question probably.)

 

[Card Trader]

Remember, they need you, you don't need them.  So be confident (not cocky) and don't be afraid to ask questions of them.   I'm sure you'll do fine on the coding side, they might want to know how you've worked in the past to see if you fit with their culture (WFH? Agile vs. Waterfall, stuff like that)  If your current job doesn't do CI/CD you might want to brush up on that

 

[whiskey7]

I'm sure you'll do fine on the technical side, you've been doing the job long enough.

I'd ask HR more about the bonuses.  What % of the people with the title you're interviewing for got the full 15% last year?  I've seen companies sell bonuses before and then nobody gets 15% and most get 3-5%.  Not really a bait and switch, but it would suck.  I'd also consider asking for more base salary, waiting over a year for the raise when you're the one taking the risk by changing jobs would suck.  I usually want 10% increase minimum to make a move.  

Ask about the position, how did this come open.  Did someone leave, are they expanding, etc.  Also ask about upcoming projects, what are the type and nature of the projects?  Finally ask about the other team members, have they been around for a while, what levels of experience do they have?  

Just thought of one more, ask about their code review process.  Is it all automated, who coordinates it?  How does it work?  Etc, etc.

Oh, you didn't mention it but most coding jobs now are work from home or very flexible with work from home >50% of the time.  What about this company?  (Another HR question probably.)

I, too, have seen companies that pimp a double digit % bonus for IT as though its automatic but the reality is that is the optimal amount IF you are rated top performer AND the company fully funds the bonus pool. If I was OP, I would get clarification on that before banking on it. I would be asking for a bump in base, too, either way.

The advice about asking a lot about the circumstances of the position is outstanding. One lesson I learned the hard way was not asking enough questions about the position, team, expectations, circumstances, etc. Got the job and then wondered what I had gotten myself into. That is a bad feeling.

And flex hours/WFH is huge if permitted. I am so used to WFH at this point that I cant see taking another job that doesn't allow it.

ETA: good luck, JaxBill

 

[JaxBill]

Was supposed to have the interview last week but the interview was pushed back to today.

Overall did fairly well but blanked on a couple of technical questions.  Most of the interview was give examples in my career where I did something ( thrust into unexpected situation, complex problem where I had to make decision, etc. ). 

Lasted about an hour and thought I did fairly well but who knows.

Question re: Thank you email. I was never provided email of people I interviewed with. Everything emailed thru HR.

Do I try to figure out email of hiring manager and thank or is that too stalkerish?

Just email HR guy I did phone interview with?

 

[Mr. Ected]

Was supposed to have the interview last week but the interview was pushed back to today.

Overall did fairly well but blanked on a couple of technical questions.  Most of the interview was give examples in my career where I did something ( thrust into unexpected situation, complex problem where I had to make decision, etc. ). 

Lasted about an hour and thought I did fairly well but who knows.

Question re: Thank you email. I was never provided email of people I interviewed with. Everything emailed thru HR.

Do I try to figure out email of hiring manager and thank or is that too stalkerish?

Just email HR guy I did phone interview with?

It's not stalking, it's proving your research capabilities!!!

 

[Plaid Boxer]

If you can't find them reach out to HR and ask. I like the thank you emails, shows me who can put together a sentence in written form.

 

[Poke_4_Life]

If you can't find them reach out to HR and ask. I like the thank you emails, shows me who can put together a sentence in written form.

I've asked HR to pass along an email before.  I figure they didn't provide you an email directly because they don't want that direct line of communication open, it's too easy for a manager to say the wrong thing to applicants, that's why HR filters everything.

 

[Kanil]

I think the biggest thing we look for (outside of making sure someone is not lying on their technical experience) is someone who can manage themselves.  Nothing sucks more than hiring a senior position that requires constant supervision.

Are you in PA?  If so, anywhere near Slippery Rock?  If so, do you think you'd have any problem getting a security clearance?

 

[RokNRole]

Have you slept with his wife yet?