How I coached a software developer to get the job - Episode 70
03:22
5 jun. 2024 11:47
03:22
5 jun. 2024 11:47
Omschrijving
Robert, a talented but interview-anxious software developer, landed his dream job interview. He had the technical skills, but his past experiences with open-ended questions left him feeling unprepared. To help, I, his career coach, introduced him to the power of behavioral interviewing.
We started by dissecting the job description. We identified key skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and communication. Then, I crafted mock behavioral questions targeting those skills. For example, "Tell me about a time you debugged a complex coding error while collaborating with a team."
Next, I introduced Robert to the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). We practiced crafting compelling responses using his past projects. For the example question, Robert described a project with a critical bug impacting user experience. He highlighted how he collaborated with his team, broke down the issue logically, and ultimately identified the root cause, leading to a successful fix.
The coaching didn't stop there. We role-played the interview, focusing on clear communication and confident delivery. I encouraged Robert to use action verbs and quantify his achievements where possible. Instead of simply saying "fixed the bug," he could say "identified and resolved a critical bug, improving application performance by 20%."
The interview day arrived, and Robert aced it! He later told me the behavioral questions felt familiar thanks to our preparation. By showcasing his past experiences using the STAR method, he convinced the interviewer of his skills and fit for the role. Robert's success story is a testament to the power of behavioral interview preparation.