HACKER Q&A
📣 SMAAART

Is there a generic algorithm for passing interviews?


You know the situation, you are looking for a job and you land an interview. Alas most people don't interview well.

Can the people who interview well, what is the overall high0-level algorithm?

Let me attempt one, Cunningham's Law's style:

* study the WIIFM of the interviewer (IF HR, then.. CEO.... COO.. Hiring Manager... peer...)

* create rapport

* eye contact (look at the top of their nose, center of the eyes)

* listen, really listen

* active listening (this is a bit controversial, some people believe is damaging)

* use "I" when talking about accomplishments and "we" when talking about teamwork

Anything else?

  👤 PragmaticPulp Accepted Answer ✓
As a hiring manager, I can tell you that there’s a very obvious difference between candidates who are trying to have authentic conversations and those who are trying hard to do or say whatever they think I want to hear.

In engineering interviews especially I don’t penalize people for being nervous, anxious, not having perfect social skills and so on. However, it does get old to see candidates who are trying to flatter their way through interviews or who think they can simply game their way past the questions.

👤 tedmiston
Did you see this thread posted a few hours before your post?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29775023

👤 poletopole
I got my first job simply by saying I don’t know.
👤 stevenalowe
I read that as 'genetic' and thought 'nepotism'?

Which might also answer your question (though it's not a reliable algorithm!)