Chapter 38
Java Technical Interviews
Technical job interviewing is a game with well-defined rules. I’ve worn the hats of both interviewer and interviewee many times over the last 12 years of my Java career. In this lesson I’ll share with you my views on hiring Java developers and on preparing for technical interviews.
Regardless of whether the IT job market is hot or not, there are some rules and techniques that can increase your interview success rate. The process of getting a job consists of three separate tiers:
1. Getting the interview
2. Interviewing successfully
3. Considering the offer
I can’t stress enough how important it is to work on achieving each of these goals separately, one step at a time! Your résumé is the most important thing in the first step. Adjust it for each position you are applying for (no, I’m not asking you to lie). Make sure it’s short and to the point (not more than two pages long).
Getting the Interview
If you are applying for a Java developer’s position, nobody needs to know the details of that Visual Basic project from 10 years ago. Always update your résumé based on the feedback you receive from recruiters or more experienced programmers.
There is a summary section on each résumé and many people just waste this space with some junk like “I’m looking for a challenging position that will let me improve my talents.” What a waste! Use this summary line to show your relevant skills.
Say you’ve been specializing in Java messaging during the last ...
