During a job interview, a recruiter may decide to ask you a technical question to evaluate your knowledge level within your chosen field.
Here are a few methods you can use to answer technical questions during your next job interview.
The question about knowledge
A recruiter may ask you to define something particular – for example, “What is a dynamic cross table?”
Or they may take the question a step further by asking “In Excel, how do you create a dynamic cross table?”
They could also ask you to resolve a specific, complex problem. “I’m having problem X when working with a dynamic cross table. What do you think is the best way to resolve it?”
If you are very confident in your technical abilities, you have nothing to worry about, of course.
Make sure your response is clear and precise. Try not to over-elaborate in an attempt to impress the recruiter, which may lead you away from the original question and make you come across as cheeky. Pay attention to the recruiter’s body language; it should provide you with cues as to whether it’s time to stop talking or keep going.
If you don’t know the answer to the question, it’s better to admit it rather than try to come up with an answer off the cuff.
Avoid trying to justify your lack of knowledge: “Where I studied, they never taught us that. It’s really not my fault.”
Also avoid trying to compensate with knowledge of a different subject: “I’m a fast learner, you know. I don’t know this aspect, but I can talk about X that I know very well.”
Believe me, telling the truth often pays off. Yes, the recruiter will become aware that your knowledge could be developed further, but that doesn’t mean they will reject your candidacy outright. Particular technical knowledge can always be acquired later, once you have the job.
The takeaway is that being too nervous to know what to answer can come across as more problematic than just admitting your ignorance of a subject.
Of course, it’s impossible to learn everything before a job interview. For example, if you don’t speak a word of English, it’s unrealistic to think that you can learn the language in a few days before the interview.
That said, there are ways to make sure you’re aware of certain technical aspects related to the job to be sure that you’re prepared at interview time.
If you need to, ask a friend who works in your field and who is more knowledgeable than you to help you out.
The question related to taking a position on something
Another way to formulate a technical question is to ask your professional opinion on a topic that’s recently been in the news, or the subject of debate.
“I’d like to know what your opinion is on the new law that was voted on in the National Assembly last week. How do you think it could affect your work?”
First of all, in order to answer this question you will have to be up-to-date on the subject being asked about. For example, if you aren’t aware of the law in question, it would be very hard to take a position on it.
Therefore, before the interview, it’s a good idea to brush up on news related to your industry. You don’t need to learn or know everything, but try to be up to date on the major happenings.
Once you’ve let them know your opinion, it’s important to be nuanced in what you talk about. It’s rarely a good idea to reveal everything you think, even if it’s on a subject you’re passionate about.
Yes, you can express your preference about something, but be nuanced – it’s a quality that is appreciated in a professional. As well, you don’t know how the recruiter feels about the subject, and you don’t want to find yourself in a frustrating situation.
For example, it’s a good idea to point out two or three different points of view on the subject in question, before ending by detailing your opinion.
Try to be original and surprising. That’s part of the goal when answering a question like this.
This will allow the recruiter to evaluate if you will simply reuse the same answers expressed by many candidates, or if you’re able to come up with new ideas by taking a completely different angle.
Unlike a question about your knowledge level, you won’t be simply evaluated on whether or not you know something, but also on your analytical abilities, your communication skills and how you manage pressure.
Prepare yourself to answer some follow up questions that will give you an opportunity to support your opinions. A recruiter may purposefully contradict you just to see how you react.
“A lot of people would disagree with your opinion on X. How would you respond to them?”
This response doesn’t mean the recruiter doesn’t agree with you, or that your candidature has become any less interesting to them. Take their response as a hypothetical scenario.
It goes without saying that it’s a good idea to prepare yourself well for these types of situations. The simple fact of preparing beforehand will go a long way in helping you respond well when the situation arises.
In conclusion
There are industries where technical questions are more important than others. If a recruiter is looking for a programmer-analyst or a journalist, technical questions will be particularly important and can determine who will get the job.
But if a recruiter is looking to hire a manager above all else, they will be looking for a good leader and their selection criteria will be markedly different. They may still ask some technical questions, but the answers will be less important in the selection process.
Many candidates I work with have a tendency to overestimate the importance of the technical part of the interview, which can lead them to ignore other more-important aspects of the interview.
Don’t forget that the interview isn’t an exam in and of itself, even if some questions can give that impression!
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