How to dress and behave for a software engineer job interview

“To be prepared is half the victory.” - Miguel de Cervantes

Your resume is up-to-date. You studied for the technical. You practiced answering behavioral questions in the mirror. What else should you prepare for? Let's talk about interviewing etiquette and style.

Dress for success

As a developer, we may feel more comfortable wearing a Star Wars shirt and shorts. But, your attire at an interview should be business casual on a video call -- from what the webcam can see. If you're in shorts and slippers we'll never know. ;)

Interviewing in-person means ditching the stretchy pants and putting on some shoes. For men, slacks or nice jeans and a button-up shirt or polo work. A tie may be worn but isn’t needed. Business casual for a woman is a shirt or blouse worn with a skirt or slacks. Don't show up in shorts and t-shirt when it's not Hawaiian Friday. We’ll think you aren't taking this interview seriously.

The office admin

We may get back to a time where we interview in person. Your interview starts when you walk in the door. Don't be rude or disrespectful to the office admin who greets you. They are the backbone of the company. After an interview they will let us know their impression of you. Treat them as you would a hiring manager.

Technical difficulties

Make sure you test your connections before the interview. You don't want to find out your webcam or mic doesn't work as you’re connecting. Most video call software have audio and video testing capabilities.

Try to be somewhere quiet and if it’s a phone call, somewhere with reception. We don't care about your background on video if it's messy or kids are running around. Your room may show off your hobbies or interests but we aren’t really allowed to ask about what we see. In the age of video calls, you may even opt for a virtual background. We are interviewing you, not your room.

Be on time

Arrive early. We have scheduled this time with you and have another meeting scheduled right after. If you're late, we feel you aren't respectful of our time. Of course things happen and we’ll understand if your car broke down or your internet went out. The key here is to contact your recruiter and let them know.

Interview us

Ask us questions. You are interviewing us as much as we are interviewing you. This is your chance to find out what tools we work with, if we offer education budgets or how large the teams are. Be creative. Ask for feedback or if they have concerns. If nothing else, ask what the next steps are. Even if you know the answers to these questions, you’re letting us know you’re interested.

Follow up

After the interview, it’s always nice to send a thank you message. Recruiters and hiring managers remember those who thank them. On your drive home or after you close your laptop you may think of a few more good questions. Reach out. Let us know.

If you didn’t get the job, it costs nothing to be nice to the recruiter. They may keep you in mind when another position opens.