Topic 1.4: Interviews

• Completion of the AIO course is mandatory by March 1st
• Access assignments via Brightspace: Content > Assignments > A1

Learning Outcomes

• The goal is to confidently answer interview questions
• Tailor information to fit job requirements
• Present effectively on camera during virtual interviews

Interview Question Types

• About you
• Behavioural
• Hypothetical
• Technical
• Brainteasers

"About You" Questions

• "About you" questions are designed to break the ice and establish initial trust

Example "About You" Questions

• "Tell me about yourself"
• "Why have you applied for this role?"
• "Why do you feel you would be a good fit?"
• "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
• "What is your greatest strength?"

Behavioural Questions

• Behavioural questions are commonly asked
• These questions are based on past experiences
• They are focused on specific skills
• Responses should include clear and relevant examples

Example Behavioural Questions

• "Tell us about a time when you worked in a team."
• "What was the last project you worked on?"
• "Describe the most challenging coding problem you have faced."
• "Describe a time when you have had to balance the needs and requirements of different groups."

Hypothetical Questions

• Hypothetical questions are usually role-based
• Often connected to real challenges
• Designed to reveal thought processes

Example Hypothetical Questions

• "How would you deal with a client who has strong ideas that are not practical or feasible?"
• "A team member is not completing their work on time, how would you deal with that?"
• "You accidentally push an update to production that prevents Windows from booting correctly; what would you do next?"

Technical Questions

• Technical questions assess knowledge and skills
• They provide a chance to demonstrate comprehension
• Questions are connected to required skills

Example Technical Questions

• "Please explain how a computer allocates memory."
• "You need to find a matching item in a list of 5M. Explain how you would search that list."
• "Review this code. What output would you expect? Are there any errors?"

Brainteaser Questions

• Brainteaser questions are rare
• They are generally considered poor practice
• Meant to test logic and reasoning skills

Example Brainteaser Questions

• "How many basketballs would fit in this room?"
• " If you wanted to rewrite Facebook's source code from scratch, how long would it take?"
• "How many cows are there in Canada?"
• "Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?"

Reasons for Interviewing

• To meet the candidate
• To verify provided information
• To check if the candidate is a good fit
• To assess communication skills
• To evaluate understanding

Interview Approaches

• Structured
• Unstructured

Structured Interviews

• Use prepared questions
• Follow a clear process (e.g. who asks what)
• Include managed interaction (e.g. prompts)
• Documentation is required
• Often include a rubric or marking scheme

Unstructured Interviews

• Involve general conversation
• Have limited pre-planned questions
• Evaluate candidates holistically
• Rank candidates by overall perception

Benefits of Structured Interviews

• More objectivity and less bias
• Clearer connection between the job and questions
• More legally defensible

Challenges of Structured Interviews

• Limited conversation
• Heavily reliant on preparation
• Limited recruiter discretion

Benefits of Unstructured Interviews

• More opportunity to meet the candidate
• Less formal so candidates may feel more comfortable
• Can highlight unexpected skills

Challenges of Unstructured Interviews

• Potential for bias
• Risk Inconsistency and less connection to the role
• Legal risk

Answering Behavioural Questions

• Use the Problem-Action-Result, or Situation-Task-Action-Result framework

Answering Behavioural Questions: Key Considerations

• Provide clear examples
• Mention the outcomes
• Explain the relevance to the role

Answering Situational Questions

• Connect experiences
• Show reasoning

Preparation Steps

• Consider potential questions
• Review the job description
• Consider job tasks
• Understand why you want the role

Using Generative AI

• Generative AI can suggest interview questions
• Generative AI can provide feedback on answers

Handling Unexpected Questions

• Breathe, pause and consider
• Use examples
• Connect answers to task performance

Virtual Interview: Key Considerations

• Gestures
• Lighting
• Sound Quality
• Eye contact
• Camera layout
• Headspace to camera

Virtual Interview: Audio Best Practices

• Ensure audio is clear and audible
• Use a strong internet connection
• Eliminate loud background noise

Assignment 1

• Requires submission of a résumé, a cover letter (both by the 29th), and a recorded interview (5th)
• Assignment A1B
  • Complete this as soon as possible
• Assignment A2
  • A2 is significant, ensure you leave enough time - it will be introduced next week.

Rubric

• Engagement (/4)
• Content (/4)
• Delivery (/4)
• Evidence (/4)
• Organisation (/4)

Interview checklist/Engagement

• Language should be tailored to include key words
• Avoid technical terms
• Voice should be dynamic and varied throughout the recording
• Respond naturally, not reciting memorized lines or reading

Interview checklist/Content

• Response fully answers the question with specific details
• Include all details that the audience may need to know to understand the response
• Response should be connected back to the role and the company

Interview checklist/Delivery

• Maintain eye contact with the camera throughout
• Camera should be at eye level
• Use appropriate gestures for the camera frame
• Background and recording environment should be free of distractions
• Lighting should be adequate and coming from behind the camera
• Ensure the recording is audible and clear

Interview checklist/Evidence

• Include relevant and specific examples used throughout the interview
• Examples align with the other elements of the submission

Interview checklist/Organisation

• Response is in a logical order
• Clearly describing the situation, the role, and the outcome