What you need to ask at an interview in an IT company

When preparing for an interview, many applicants forget that not only employers, but also themselves can ask interview questions. Sometimes the job description does not give an exhaustive answer, how friendly the atmosphere is in the team, how often the salary is reviewed in the company and how legally it works. In order not to get lost in the interview, it is better to prepare questions for the recruiter in advance. We asked working CodeGym graduates to share their tips on what to look for when choosing a job and what questions to ask the interviewer.

Where to go: product, outsort, startup?

The opinions of CodeGym graduates are divided: some recommend starting a career with a product company, others - in outsourcing. Here are the benefits of both options.

Why choose outsourcing:

• Most of the time it's a big company. You can be put on project support, which is not bad for starting a career;
• Work for a foreign customer (leveling language skills);
• New technologies, advanced team leads;
• A large selection of projects, you can quickly pump skills;
• It is easier to get into outsourcing and there are more willing to train.

Why choose a food company:

• More stable position (compared to outsourcing), experienced mentors;
• More time to adapt, the result will not be required instantly;
• Training new employees;
• Comfort at work: not as strict deadlines as in outsourcing;
• Mission of the company (especially suitable for those employees who are looking for special value in their work).

What to ask a recruiter:

In addition to questions about what the company does, it is worth clarifying the prospects for its development and how a newcomer will be helped to join the work.

How do you know if a project is right for you?

Having decided on the company, you proceed to clarify the nuances of working on the project. There are quite a few of them: technologies, project team, approach to work.

Here is what CodeGym graduates advise to clarify at the interview:

• Who is the customer of the project and what does he give to the end user? (a particularly important question for those who are looking for not only a salary, but also a global mission in their work);
• Is this a new project or an improvement on an existing one? (in a new project, you will write code from scratch; in revision, you will refactor someone else's code or write features);
• What technology stack is used on the project? (there is nothing to comment on, if you were not told this right away, then it is better to clarify, it may turn out that you simply do not know some technologies);
• Is there a corporate training program? (this will greatly facilitate the adaptation process);
• What are the code quality requirements and how are they checked? (you will immediately know how the company treats the quality of work, this says a lot);
• Team size (the larger the development team that you have to interact with every day, the more likely it will be people with whom you can quickly and strongly pump).

Perhaps you already knew many of the details before the interview, but if you couldn’t google them, then these questions are worth asking at the interview.

What about corporate culture?

Corporate culture is not only goodies and board games with colleagues, but also a team environment, the ability to work remotely, and much more.

Here is what CodeGym graduates advise to clarify at the interview:

• Directly ask what the situation is in the team: you will immediately understand how people relate to the company and their colleagues;
• Is it possible to work remotely? (during a pandemic, this is an especially important point);
• How flexible is the work schedule?
• How is the interaction in the team, who can be contacted with questions (only to the mentor or to other colleagues?), Is there subordination and is it respected.

Points of the contract that should be discussed with the employer

Basically, this section deals with such a thing as NDA ( Non-disclosure agreement ) - an agreement on non-disclosure of confidential information. In cooperation agreements with many IT companies there is this agreement, including because the written code is also subject to copyright. But the reasons may be different: the company may have other confidential information that cannot be disclosed. Also, the contract may contain clauses stating that an employee after dismissal cannot, for example, work for competitors for 5 years. This is also often done to protect copyright. It is worth clarifying the nuances of how wages are calculated and whether overtime work is paid.

What CodeGym graduates advise to clarify at the interview:

• How long will the NDA last?
• Will it be possible to use in the resume the name and brief essence of the project (s) you are working on?
• Does the company practice overtime and how is it paid?
• How are wages paid: officially or “in an envelope”?

Prospects for development in the company

You can become a team leader in one company in three years, and in another - sit in one place for five years. Therefore, if you dream of career development, it is better to clarify at the interview how often the staff is expanded, whether there is a possibility of promotion.

What CodeGym graduates advise to clarify at the interview:

• How long did the previous employee work and where did he transfer / left, to find out how big the turnover is in general?
• What should be done to raise wages?
• What skills do you need to get promoted?
• How long does it take an employee to grow to middle or senior?
• Do they have individual development plans, how does the company grow in general, are there any certifications?

If you cannot clearly answer these questions, then you should consider whether you need a job in such a company.

What responses from the employer should alert?

Perhaps already at the interview it will become clear to you that you do not want to work in the company. The answers of the employer can determine this.

For example, these:

• “We cannot name the customer of our project” (you can get into a “bad” story);
• “We have very easy tasks” (maybe the employer wants to reassure him that way);
• “We have a 20-year-old project here and all the developers who worked with it quit, we need to figure it out ...”;
• “Are you ready for processing?”;
• “We will answer you as soon as possible”;
• “We have a small salary, but big bonuses.”

These answers do not mean one hundred percent that the company is bad, but it will definitely make you think about whether to accept the offer, even if you are an inexperienced June.