So, you've got an opportunity, what to expect (tech).

So you pushed the button, your resume got through the screen and you're selected to talk. What happens next? I'm not HR, I'm tech - what happens before you hit my desk I can speculate at, but I can te

So you pushed the button, your resume got through the screen and you're selected to talk. What happens next? I'm not HR, I'm tech - what happens before you hit my desk I can speculate at, but I can tell you what happens from the moment you make my calendar. I cannot speak to the world, but I've worked in a lot of organizations over my career, I've done (in the literal sense) hundreds of interviews - so I'll generalize, but don't take as gospel. Everywhere is different and my experience isn't yours. - First/second

phone screen I'm the resume checker. You've literally handed me a piece of paper with a choose your own adventure of things to talk about, and I don't have an easy exit strategy for 45 minutes. Guess what happens, I look for things I know, and ask you to talk about them. In detail, until I know you actually know it better than me or you dont, and then I put a number next to it. The topic may have been irrelevant, I don't care if you used to manage UUCP mail hubs or tiktok feeds - the problems are the same - it's how you dealt with them, learned, and matured that's important. - Deep dive (virtual on-site, etc) - same thing, but deeper, I will question your experience until I find something interesting to talk about (and the thing I find interesting _will_ be the thing you misunderstood). And then I will talk about it. Until you've proven you've done it, or you didn't (to me), and that's it. You (the candidate) are looking for an entry level position managing (foo), there is a non-zero chance I'm on the RFC's for foo - so the difference between confidence and competence is paramount. I'll take an eager under-informed learner over an over-confident prick any day. People often think the tech screen is what killed them - and it may well be - but true story - I've been interviewing people for more than 20 years - it's not my job, just a thing I have do do as a senior. I have two "entry-levels" that blew me away, and I directed them to their appropriate departments, and they got jobs accordingly. I have had hundreds of "I'm smarter than you" that couldn't learn when I asked them to drill deep, and then go deeper. I don't care that you're smarter than me. I care that you can understand when you're wrong, and learn. All of this has happens in 15 minutes, maybe 20. I decided "no" within 20 minutes, yes will take you to the length. The last 25 minutes is just me confirming things and throwing you life-rafts.