Congratulations! You’ve landed a job interview for a front-end engineering position. Your job hunting seems to be paying off, but it all comes down to nailing that interview!If you come across the perfect job, you will need to portray yourself in the best possible light to show that you are the right person for the position.
Preparing for an interview as a front-end developer is hard. There is no ‘standard’ interview, and what was relevant last year might no longer be relevant today. To make the process even more complicated, each company has its own desired skill set for the new developer and its own way of interviewing candidates.
In the MENA region, the IT sector has a relatively new array of opportunities and talents in the front-end engineering field which makes it one of the most exciting fields to build a career in.
Here are a few steps to follow if you’re an aspiring front-end developer preparing for a job interview:
1. Get the inside scoop
To be adequately prepared for your interview, you need to know all about the company that you’re applying for.
Research their website, watch their videos, and read their customer testimonials. Look through their support forum. Read their blog posts. In other words, learn about them in every single detail and show them that you are diligent and did your homework.
Whether you’re a fresh graduate or an experienced developer, knowing the company you’re applying for is a must. It shouldn’t be a huge time and effort investment, but rather a focused 30-minute search. Your research should include the following:
1) Get a general understanding of the company’s business, location, and market. This information is usually readily available on the company’s website. Many companies have
pages on Bayt.com. They use these pages to interact with potential candidates, display stories about their company’s culture, and give the latest news about job vacancies for job seekers.
2) Learn about the company’s culture and its dressing code. A company’s dressing code can be somewhat predicted based on the industry of that company. Web companies usually have a more casual vibe and dressing code than banking institutions, for example. But it’s still helpful to get some insights from employees at that company. So if you happen to know anyone there, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask. You can also search for the profiles of the company’s employees on Bayt.com, either through the company’s page or through the Bayt.com
People platform.
3) Learn about the technologies they’re using. You can discern a company’s visual identity by looking at their website. Study the company’s website as if your life depended on it; get a feel of who they are as a brand and learning about what technologies they’re using. Another way to learn about what technologies they’re using is to run their website through builtwith.com.
2. Update your portfolio
Portfolios are as important to Front-End engineers as they are to graphic designers. Having a portfolio to showcase the projects that you’ve worked on is essential in today’s cut-throat competitive world. If you already have a portfolio then make sure that it’s updated. Online portfolios are time-efficient and easy to share, while custom designed PDF ones provide more flexibility and control for the developer. If you don’t already have a portfolio, then don’t try to create a PDF the day before your interview - go with an online one for more ease and speed. I recommend using behance.com; it’s good and free for basic users. Remember to post your best and most relevant work first!
If you haven’t sent out a link to your portfolio to the potential employer before, then sending it in an email confirming the interview would be good.
3. First impressions count
The interview process can be stressful for both the interviewer and you. Making it a pleasant and comfortable experience for both of you could leave a good impression.
A smile, some courtesy compliment or workplace appropriate small talk to break the ice: “You have nice offices here.” or, “I like your space.” for example. Starting off the interview on the right foot will give you a massive advantage over other candidates. Being polite, calm and courteous will put you in a good position.
Having a couple of hard copies of your CV on hand can be helpful too. I would recommend 3-4 copies, as some interviews have multiple interviewers.
4. It’s all about storytelling
As all other job interviews, one of the most common questions in front-end interviews is the open-ended question to talk about yourself and your career. This is not the time to generally talk about yourself, but rather the time to talk about what makes you perfect for this position. Create a scenario in your head, look at your CV, and tell it as a story, focusing on what you’ve done or learned – anything that could be relevant to what the company is looking for. For example if the company is looking to hire a JavaScript expert, then focus on all learning and training you’ve had in JavaScript, in addition to projects where you’ve showed great skills in Javascript. The same applies if the company is looking for a UI engineer that excels in Photoshop or flat design.
5. Your happy ending
Every story needs an ending, make yours a happy one. At the end of your narrative, try to conclude with how all this puts you in a great position, alongside your drive and passion, to bring value to the job you’re applying for. Talk in less than 2 minutes about what you would do if you were hired - make your happy ending about joining them!
At the end of the day, no matter how well-prepared you are for your interview, being relaxed, confident, and letting your passion shine through, can also play a large deciding factor on whether you get the job or not, so breathe, smile, and go ace that interview!
