Raise your hand if you find talking about yourself really uncomfortable. But as awkward as it might be, being able to communicate well about one's values, personality, skills, and experience in behavioral and technical interviews is something many job seekers have to figure out in order to get hired in a developer role. Here are some tips that proved useful to me, particularly as a career changer coming from a non-technical background.

Keep Learning

I was aware that my skill level was very much that of a beginner, having learned how to code only months ago, so I understood that I still had so much to improve on -- and fast. In fact, after finishing an intensive web development bootcamp, I went back to basics and started over. I read and watched tutorials and brushed up on things I didn't quite fully grasp the first time. I remember the many aha moments I had while reviewing the course, and it reinforced many concepts in my head.

I also registered myself to online daily coding exercises on HackerRank, which was like hitting 3 birds at the same time. One, I got better at my coding and problem-solving skills. Two, I was able to make my GitHub account more career-forward with regular commits. And three, I got to write about my solutions to the coding exercises on my blog. This had been my main weekday routine for months while I'd engross myself in personal projects on the weekends. These activities really helped to boost my confidence going into interviews and made me feel less doubtful of myself and what I was capable of, a symptom of what's otherwise called impostor syndrome.

Build an Online Presence

Being on LinkedIn and GitHub is already a given. If everybody has it, then it isn't really a differentiating factor. So aside from making sure that my accounts were up-to-date and conveyed the promising developer recruiters are looking for, I figured I could be noticed more by creating a blog on HashNode where I talk about the things I have been learning. Being able to effectively communicate and document one's approach to a problem is a valuable skill to have in the tech industry, so showcasing that I possess this, or that I am working towards it, through my blog, was a very helpful exercise for me. Plus, it is something interesting to talk about during interviews.

Be Bold and Persevere

Rejections have a way of crushing us so we do not feel motivated anymore to pursue our goals. However, responding in exactly the opposite way is the challenge. I used to spend a day or two feeling bad about being rejected and pondering on what I did wrong or should have done differently. But after that, I made sure to get back on the saddle and send out an application. In fact, some of the jobs I applied for I didn’t have most of the competencies required. I think it's natural to hesitate when knowledge or experience in technologies we haven’t tinkered with before are needed, but really there is some benefit to just giving it a go. Risk it for the biscuit, as one of my friends used to say, because how else would you know if you're suited for the role, or the employer sees potential in you, if you do not try. When you take risks despite the likely possibility of your application being declined, your efforts are never wasted. Every experience you get is a learning step for the next one.

Once I had put in an application for an intermediate developer role at an insurance company that uses Java, even though I knew I was nowhere close to being at that level and I had never coded in Java before. I relied on the fact that it was an insurance company and I had worked in one before so, maybe, they will take a chance on me. Surprisingly, I made it to the last stage of the recruitment process and even almost got the job as per feedback. Because of that opportunity, I forced myself to learn the basics of Java in less than a week in preparation for the technical interview. In future job applications wherein some basic knowledge in Java is required, I realized could just pick up where I left off to bring myself to a higher level of competence in the language. Further, I gained experience interviewing for an intermediate role and obtained insights as to the kinds of questions asked. I took every interview as a golden ticket to practice on things I already knew and be compelled to learn something I would not otherwise voluntarily venture on at the time.

Welcome Unique Opportunities

Since coming to New Zealand, I have been presented with so many opportunities I could only wish for in the Philippines. While waiting to hear about my job applications, I received an invitation to take part in the AWS She Builds Hāpori Wāhine CloudUp Program. It was an initiative intended for women in NZ who want to learn about cloud technology and take up the challenge of getting certified as AWS cloud practitioners -- for free. You could do it online, self-paced, and you also get access to experts in the field. At the end of the program, you graduate and are bridged to potential employers. It was too good to be true, but it was the real deal. Through the program, I was able to increase my knowledge on the cloud and have a broader understanding about networking, cybersecurity, databases, and cloud architecture. It is one of those opportunities that is hard to take a pass on. At the time of writing this, I have passed the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam and am working on getting certified as an AWS Solutions Architect Associate.

With a bit of luck, while I was in the AWS program I also got an invitation to apply for a solutions specialist role through Summer of Tech, an internship program helping NZ companies connect with technology students in engineering, design, computer science or any other tech-related field. The role was a great opportunity to pursue the path of a solutions architect. Since I was coincidentally in the process of getting certified as an AWS Cloud Practitioner, there seemed to be an alignment between the role and my learning efforts then. So I interviewed for it, and I was seriously entertaining the possibility of taking a different path to development. But as chance would have it, I received a better offer to work as a grad engineer at one of NZ's leading cloud-based accounting software companies. In the final research and presentation, which was the last part of the hiring process there, I was able to make use of my new cloud knowledge to show my understanding of technology, and I think it really helped me make an impression.

Prepare for the Expected and the Unexpected

Ages ago back in university, I competed in extemporaneous speaking, and I will never forget how my coach emphasized on preparation. He used to say that with good preparation, the battle is won before the fight. Although he made it sound like it was his own words and not from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, the point is that this same principle holds true when it comes to getting ready for job interviews. I made sure to do prior research about the organization, their values and how they align with mine, the role, feedback from applicants about the recruitment process (there's heaps on Glassdoor), among others. Also, common questions such as what will you bring into the role and why will you be a good fit for the organization are just some of the things you should prepare answers for. If you cannot give coherent responses to these expected, basic questions, it can sometimes be a bit of a hurdle redeeming yourself in the same interview. I believe going into interviews with enough preparation will help you express yourself in a clear and organized manner, and it's surely appreciated by recruiters interviewing many candidates at a time.

Of course, you will not be able to anticipate all the questions. But as you gain more experience interviewing for different roles at different companies, you will gain more insight as to what questions will likely be asked. I had experienced many times feeling that the interviewer was not really prepared with their questions. It was as if they were only pulled from whatever they were doing that day and quickly perused my resume to come up with last-minute questions. So, at the very least, be ready to expound more on the skills, qualifications, and experience you have written on your resume.

Have a Mentor

Certainly, there is almost nothing these days that you cannot just google or find a resource on YouTube. But if you can enlist the help of a mentor, I would highly suggest doing so. They do not have to be someone who can give you feedback on code-specific matters, although lucky you if you have access to one. At the very least, a mentor is someone you can talk to about your plans, bounce ideas with, and one who can possibly share valuable advice on what steps to take or roadmap to follow so you will achieve your goals. Once in a while, it would be good to catch up with them to assess your progress and what strategic actions you can do next. In fact, your mentor might be able to connect you with individuals similarly situated to you when they started their journey in tech.

These suggestions are not exclusive. With more experience interviewing for tech roles, you will discover what things work for you and what don’t. You will find that, in time, you get better at it and the answers will just come out naturally. Having structure and coordination in your efforts overall is key as well because time is precious, especially for career shifters like me who started late in the industry. If you would like to learn more about how I changed careers, please read my blog Shifting to a Tech Career Before 40.

Cover photo by Lukas