With the current increase in advertised technology jobs in the South African job market, now is the time to pounce for all job seekers with highly sought after skills such as engineers and program developers. The job description is a perfect match, you’ve impressed with your resume and now you have to shine in the interview. So many technology candidates frequently make the following mistakes during interviews. Mistakes are easy to make and everyone does it. Here’s what you need to know and how to avoid them.
Appearance 
Techies are often guilty of underdressing. Startups are famously relaxed with their laid back company culture and quirky offices but this doesn’t mean that technology job seekers shouldn’t dress to impress. Creased clothes and casual footwear are not exactly the image you should be projecting. This doesn’t mean that you have to wear a suit and tie, but make sure you arrive at the interview like you mean business with tidy, ironed and clean clothes.
Arrogance
There is currently a surplus of tech roles and a lack of qualified candidates in the South African job market and this means many techies come across as arrogant in interviews. They know they are highly sought after and their talent is a rare commodity but it is still important to be a team player as well as being confident. Nobody wants to hire someone who is too self important and big headed. Be careful not to overplay your confidence.
Over-emphasizing Skills
Your technical knowledge and amalgam of skills is hugely important, but it is a mistake to assume that just because you’re a whizz on J2EE or Java the job is automatically yours. Remember it is not about you, but rather what you can do for the company and how you can help them achieve their goals.
Not Communicating
If the interviewer asks if you’ve worked with C++, don’t answer with a monosyllabic “yes”. All too frequently tech candidates make the mistake of failing to elaborate or convey their communication skills. Think of each question as the start of a conversation and think about the importance of your response in terms of what you can bring to the company.
Unprepared
Just because the job market supply and demand imbalance is in your favor, there are NO excuses for turning up to the interview unprepared. There is a wealth of information at your fingertips online and via LinkedIn. It is your responsibility to do some research into the company, the relevant industry and the hiring manager. The more prepared you are the better your chances of success.
Lack of Interest
A crucial part of any interview is when the interviewer turns the mic over to you. Come prepared with a few questions to ask them about the role and the company. Tech candidates are often guilty of showing lack of interest by not asking any questions. It communicates that a lack of preparation and that you don’t really care about the job. Employers want to know that this job is important to you.
Too Eager for Perks
Perks are a great part of any job from free food in the office to company holidays and additional benefits. Avoid the “what’s-in-it-for-me questions” in the initial interview. It looks greedy and unprofessional.
Too Casual
Technology interviews tend to be a little more casual than others. However, a common interview mistake for techies is their casualness translates as a lack of seriousness, or even a lack of interest in the job.
Too Negative
While things are looking up for the majority of tech job seekers, there are some that have had some tough times recently. From failed startups to corporate redundancies be careful not to treat the interview as a counselling session. While interviewers are keen to get a clear picture of your employment history, not be too negative about your past experiences.
Failure to Close
Remember to sell yourself! Don’t let the interview fade to a close. It is your responsibility to make sure they leave with a great impression of you, your skills and how much you want the job. Thank them for their time and emphaise how excited you are to join the team.