What you should definitely ask during an interview at an IT company

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

Where to go: product, outsourcing, startup?

The opinions of JavaRush graduates are divided: some recommend starting a career with a product company, others recommend outsourcing. Here are the advantages of both options.

Why choose outsourcing:

• Most often this is already a large company. You may be assigned to support a project, which is not bad for starting a career;
• Working for a foreign customer (improving language skills);
• New technologies, advanced team leads;
• Large selection of projects, you can quickly upgrade your skills;
• It’s easier to get into outsourcing and they’re more willing to train.

Why choose a food company:

• More stable position (compared to outsourcing), experienced mentors;
• More time for adaptation, the result will not be demanded instantly;
• Training new employees;
• Comfort at work: deadlines are not as strict as in outsourcing;
• Company mission (especially suitable for those employees who seek special value in their work).

What to ask the 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 integrate into the work.

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

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

Here's what JavaRush graduates advise you to clarify during an interview:

• Who is the customer of the project and what does it give to the end user? (a particularly important question for those who in their work are looking not only for a salary, but also for a global mission);
• Is this a new project or a modification of an existing one? (in a new project you will write code from scratch, in a 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 here, 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 views the quality of work, this says a lot);
• Team size (the larger the development team with which you will have to interact every day, the more likely it will be to have people with whom you can quickly and greatly improve).

You may already know many of the details before the interview, but if you couldn’t Google them, then these questions are worth asking during 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's what JavaRush graduates advise you to clarify during an interview:

• Ask directly what the situation is like in the team: you will immediately understand how people feel about the company and their colleagues;
• Is it possible to work remotely? (during a pandemic this is a particularly important point);
• How flexible is the work schedule?
• How does interaction take place in the team, who can you contact with questions (only the mentor or other colleagues?), is there a subordination and is it respected?

Contract clauses that should be discussed with the employer

This section mainly concerns such a concept as NDA ( Non-disclosure agreement ) - an agreement on non-disclosure of confidential information. Cooperation agreements with many IT companies include 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 after dismissal, the employee cannot, for example, work for competitors for 5 years. This is often also done to protect copyright. It is worth clarifying the nuances of how wages are calculated and whether overtime work is paid.

What JavaRush graduates advise you to clarify during an interview:

• How long will the NDA be valid?
• Will it be possible to use the title and summary of the project(s) you are working on in your resume?
• Does the company practice overtime and how is it paid?
• How are salaries paid: officially or “in an envelope”?

Prospects for development in the company

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

What JavaRush graduates advise you to clarify during an interview:

• How long did the previous employee work and where did he transfer/left? Find out how high the turnover rate is in general?
• What needs to be done to increase your salary?
• What skills are needed for advancement?
• How long does it take for an employee to reach the rank of middle or senior?
• Do they have individual development plans, how does growth in the company generally occur, are there any certifications?

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

What answers should an employer be wary of?

Perhaps already during the interview it becomes clear to you that you do not want to work in the company. The employer's answers 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);
• “We have a project here that was 20 years old and all the developers who worked on it quit, we need to figure it out...”;
• “Are you ready for processing?”;
• “We will answer you shortly”;
• “Our salary is small, but the bonuses are big.”

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