The Software Developer's Career Handbook

Chapter 6. The Button

Getting your head on straight and having well-constructed answers to questions is only half of the game. An interview is an exchange of information, and the first and best way to screw that up is to forget that it’s as important for you to gather information as it is to give it.

You may really need this job, and this might give you the impression that the steady flow of people who are grilling you are calling the shots. And yes, if you let them, they will be, but while they need to learn about you, you need to learn about them. You need to figure out their Button.

Creatures and Structure

Before you start pushing buttons, you need some context in the form of the interview list. Some employers don’t want to share this until you’re in the building, but even in that case, you can spend a few minutes figuring out your day.

Who do they have talking with you? Is it just your peer group? OK, then this is round #1, and if things go well, there will be another round. Is it the entire org chart? Well, looks like you’re interviewing at a startup and will be exposed to the entire business. Awesome.

The next thing you want to discern is whether the interview schedule is structured or unstructured. This is likely not going to be obvious until the interviews have begun.

In a structured interview, each person interviewing you has a specific topic area: people skills, technical skills, etc. This means that each interview has a specific purpose, and no two interviews that ...