The two most important interview questions in my opinion are around your passion for technology and the company. Interviewers want to know that you are technology focused and that you are particularly interested in serving their organization.
How do you stay up on technology?
The core of this question is an attempt to assess your passion for technology. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your methods for ongoing education and how you use technology in your daily life. They are not asking you what tools you use or what websites you frequent. They are not asking how you spend your spare time. Prove to them that you have a deep passion for learning and technology.
Good:
- Tell a memorable story (not a list).
- Discuss how you use your knowledge and experience to teach, mentor, and assist others.
- Your proven method(s) for learning a new topic or preparing for a certification exam.
- Your investment in your education (time, financial, personal sacrifice, etc.).
- Examples of how you went to great lengths to learn something new (or how you learned a current skill).
- Personal projects and hobbies involving practical applications of technology.
- How you got into technology and how you are motivated to learn more.
- Unusual or interesting learning tools or resources.
- Focus on what you do in your personal time (this is not about on-the-job training and experience).
- Get excited and expressive. If you want to convey passion be passionate.
Bad:
- Simply listing social media, news outlets, YouTube, classes, and online learning tools. [This is the most common response]
- Providing an example that downplays your technical skills. For example, “ I really like video games where the character performs computer hacking” or “I always help my grandparents fix their VCR”.
- Telling a story that is too obvious or cliché.
- Talking about work-related training or complaining that your past employer didn’t provide you with training.
- Being unprepared or tying to BS this question rarely goes well.
- Being too generic in your response.
- This is not the time to discuss your non-technical hobbies and passions.
- This is not the time for a brief or dismissive response.
I once bombed this question by saying, “I work on technology at least 50 hours per week. The last thing I want to do when I get home is learn about technology”. I went on to explain that my focus outside of work was on developing non-technical skills but the damage was already done.
Why do you want to work here?
Though not a truly technical question this may be the most important question in your interview. Companies are focusing more on cultural fit. Part of that is finding people that are knowledgeable about the company, have a very positive feelings, and a strong personal connection. Even if they do not ask this question it needs to be answered.
Good:
- Really know the company’s mission statement and how it aligns with your personal values.
- Share some meaningful knowledge about the past and current CEO (names, tenure, famous quotes, leadership style, etc.)
- Volunteer or introduce these topics in your introduction or leading up to this question (they really should not have to ask).
- Share your perspective on the company’s culture and how you would be a great fit.
- Share how you became so interested in working for this company (maybe a positive experience as a customer, inspired by an employee mentor, companies response to a social issue, etc.).
- This is a good time to reinforce your value. For example, if the position involves travel you can express how you love to travel.
- Get excited and expressive. If you want to convey passion be passionate.
- Be genuine and make it clear that being here is no accident (this interview is the result of an intentional pursuit of your dream job).
Bad:
- This is not a question to BS your way through.
- Do not say the equivalent of this is a big company and I hear they pay people well.
- Do not talk about “opportunities for advancement”.
- Do not stumble over the mission statement or fumble to recall or properly pronounce the CEO’s name.
- This is another question where responses tend to be cliché and lacking any real passion.
- Do not fail to answer this question because it was not specifically stated.
- Do not give the impression that your shotgun approach to job hunting somehow landed you here (just another interview).
Leave them saying, “Wow! This person really wants to work here!”.