Feels a bit stressed for upcoming interview

PenguinForce

Hi all, I got an interview coming up on Friday for a graduate position and I feel quite stressed about it. I'm not sure if there is anything against mentioning a company's name on here so I kept it out of this post. This is also my first interview so it would be great to get some tips from the experienced :P

I consider myself a mediocre coder at best so the technical question during the interview making me very worried and I would probably blank out due to stress :P Is there any tips on how to approach a problem during an interview?

This could be a bit off topic but I am scheduled to be away for six weeks over the Summer months before this interview was planned. So I am not sure if I should tell them straight away when the interview starts or something or I should email them now and say it.

Maybe I am just worrying way too much

Thanks.

Apology if this was in the wrong section.

padraig_f

Don't sweat it too much, for a graduate position, they're not expecting the world.

I'd say to prepare for the technical/coding part, do a little bit of coding in the language you expect to be tested on in the day or two before. Give yourself a couple of exercises for very simple programs, just to brush off the cobwebs.

If you're out of practice, even for a couple of weeks, it's amazing, you can easily forget the little bits of syntax, so it will help refresh your memory.

shanefitz360

'Hmm, I'm interviewing this graduate...'

• Can he/she solve a basic coding question while telling me how they are solving it and why they are doing what they are doing?
• Did he/she participate in group project? What was his/her role?
• Do they have examples where they showed a passion for technology? Maybe he/she did a project outside of their course purley because they wanted to...
• Do I think this person is willing to listen to advice and has an eagerness to learn?
• DO I WANT TO WORK WITH THIS PERSON FOR 40 HOURS A WEEK?

chakotha

Practice explaining a bubble sort or something like that to someone you know (or on your own) in front of an imaginary whiteboard.

It might be best not to mention the 6 week trip in Summer because if you do you surely won't get the position and if you get the position you'll have to drop the trip.

SalteeDog

Yes - don't mention the trip until you have to e.g. if they ask if you would you be able to start on a certain date.

Tar.Aldarion

Surely the job would be starting before this trip and you couldn't go on it if you got the job?

Giblet

You won't get a six week break from work, so you would have to start the job after, or not go. In my experience, we expect grads to start pretty quickly so this could go against you. Could be fine though, but you will need to let them know about it one way or another, no-one will give you six weeks holidays, so it will affect your start date.

stevenmu

It's probably best to bring it to their attention before you even do the interview if you can at all. Mention it to your contact there and ask if they would consider you starting after the trip, or starting, then doing the trip.

At least that way you will know their position straight away, and if it doesn't work for you, you can let them know straight away. And if you do go ahead to interview, you'll only have to focus on that and not worry about the trip situation. Also, they could be a little pi**ed off if you waited until the interview to bring it up, if it's not going to work out because of the trip, then you have wasted their time as well as your own.

PenguinForce

Thanks for the reply all. I emailed HR about my circumstances yesterday morning and they haven't replied back and they are suppose to give me a time to go in for an interview on Friday.

So I am guessing my interview are most likely cancelled since my friend got an email already, yesterday afternoon, regarding the time he is going in for.

meor

If it isn't too late, go to the interview, even if you know you won't get the job because of the 6 weeks leave. Do as many interviews as you can!

Tar.Aldarion

Hmm maybe you should try and do it regardless of the trip or not, however it may be too late. I had to go on a holiday during the second round of interviews for a position, but by then I had done an interview and said I couldn't go to the second. They cancelled the second round and gave me the job, and I went on holiday and started 6 weeks later. It could work either way, maybe they'll like you, maybe you'll like them/their offer and things could change.

jester77

And don't forget that the interview goes both ways. You are also interviewing them to see if they are a company you would want to work for. So make sure and get any questions you have answered before you leave.