[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_4KEasVSIw&wmode=window&h=315] Have you frozen during a technical interview, or been stumped by a question? Your answer should be "yes," and you're not alone. In fact, you're everyone who's ever lived through a technical interview. "No one has ever gotten every question correct," said David McCarter, who presented "Surviving the Technical Interview" at the 2012 Silicon Valley Code Camp.
Here's some stand-out advice:
- Know what you don’t know and admit it. Per McCarter, being upfront about where your knowledge exists and doesn't exist is something the interviewer looks for. So be truthful.
- Don't be stumped by silly, logical questions. They aren’t meant to be answered correctly. They’re designed to see how you go about problem-solving and hear how you think.
- McCarter recognizes that developers sometimes have a hard time expressing their thoughts. He advises putting the discomfort aside for the interview and allowing yourself to think out loud.