Coding Interviews 101: How to Land Your First Coding Job

You’ve attended a San Diego coding school and gained the skills needed to work as a web developer. Good job! You can finally dive into all those job listings and send out your resume to tech companies that require your particular skill set. 

This is also an excellent time to familiarize yourself with how the hiring process in tech companies usually work. Doing a little research will go a long way toward preparing you for the coding interview and increase your chances of landing the programming job you want. 

Keep reading to learn more about what to expect (and be on the lookout for) during coding interviews. 

Table of Contents:

• How do coding interviews work?
• What 3 types of questions do coding interviews feature?
• How do I pass the coding interview?
• Where can I find a top-notch San Diego coding school?

How do coding interviews work?

First off, it’s important to note that no two companies have the same approach to interviewing prospective employees. The reality is that every business has different needs and its own internal culture, and the way they do interviews naturally reflects that.

For example, smaller companies will rarely take you through more than 2-3 interviews before making final decisions. On the other hand, more prominent companies usually start with a phone screening, then a few remote interviews, and finally an onsite interview if you pass everything. 

What 3 types of questions do coding interviews feature?

1. Technical questions

These typically include questions about languages and frameworks used at the company you’re interviewing with, but may also include in-depth algorithm and data structure questions. 

2. Design questions

During these, interviewers may provide you with a product and ask you to design its system architecture. While junior developers aren’t actually expected to be able to answer these questions correctly, the interviewers will use this opportunity to judge how you approach significant problems. 

3. Behavioral questions

Interviewers will also try to figure out if you fit their company culture by asking you questions such as “What are your best character traits,” and “What’s the most difficult task you’ve faced as a team and how did you solve it?” Always be honest when answering these questions.

How do I pass the coding interview?

There’s no such thing as a foolproof way to pass a coding interview or any other job interview. Even if you display incredible technical knowledge and your personality suits the company culture, you may still be rejected in favor of another candidate who was a better fit. 

Whatever happens, don’t be discouraged. Keep trying and keep improving your coding skills. If you present yourself well, there’s no doubt you’ll eventually get your dream job. Also, please don’t be reluctant to establish a connection with the interviewer: making them like you can only increase your chances. 

Here are a few ways to do that:

• Speak in a way that fits the interviewer’s age (e.g., don’t be overly casual with someone who is 20 years your senior)
• Don’t speak in an overly-formal manner (be expressive)
• Be ready to showcase your potential
• Dress in simple, clean, and inoffensive clothes
• Be a good listener and don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions

Where can I find a top-notch San Diego coding school?

Located in the very heart of Downtown San Diego, Learn Academy provides intensive coding bootcamps designed to turn a complete newbie into someone who can get a job in web development in only 4 months.

Our classes follow a tried-and-true curriculum and are taught by world-class teachers who know precisely how to present complex programming concepts in an easy-to-understand manner. All bootcamps can be attended both remotely and in-person. Enlist today.