jsync | Java Staffing Specialist

"The Intangibles - Why Your Tech Skills Alone Sometimes Aren't Enough"

08/06/2008

by Dave Fecak

There are millions of people who can write good Java code, and probably thousands in this area. Hopefully you are one of them. Even if your technical chops are solid, it doesn’t guarantee that you are going to get an offer at every interview.

The job market for your Java skills is strong, but companies are not at a point (as they were in 1999-2000) where they are throwing sign-on bonuses and huge salaries at anyone that can spell Java. Even if you are competing with candidates with lesser tech skills, many of you may be losing out on great opportunities simply because of a set of intangibles that hiring managers are looking for that don’t show up in a white board exercise or coding test.

Based on feedback from hiring managers, I would venture to guess that 30-40% of our candidates that did not get offers after interviews this year were technically as qualified as the person who did get the job, and the difference was this set of intangibles that only become tangible during both phone and in-person interviews. Below I have listed some of the more common characteristics that are often the difference between a great offer and a ‘no thank you’.

Energy – Perhaps you are a morning person and feel most alive at 7 AM, or maybe you don’t like crawling out of bed before 11. Tell us your preference for an interview time (we’ll usually ask anyway) so you can perform your best. If you need a grande from Starbucks or a few Red Bulls to get awake and alert, get your fill.

Enthusiasm – Be sure to show that you have passion for your work and your career. If you do some work with contributing to open source products, delivering technical presentations (even in-house), or writing tech papers, be sure they know that Java isn’t just a job for you. Also, make it known that you have interest in the company where you are being interviewed. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about X and I’m eager to learn more!”

Positivity – Bashing your current boss or complaining about the grind of your current job isn’t the best use of your time in an interview. When asked why you are on a job hunt, instead of saying how miserable your job is, maybe say that you are a passive job seeker and you heard such great things about this company that you had to check it out for yourself. (Not effective if you are unemployed!) Then ask the interviewer, ‘Why did you decide to come work for X?’ or ‘What do you like best about working for X?’ This gets things on a very positive track.

Fire and Hunger – If you’re not afraid of a few extra hours when necessary, make sure to get across that you are a hard worker. Let the interviewer know that you are a ‘go getter’ and want to be successful on every project that you are on. Be sure to convey that you don’t expect promotions and raises to be handed to you without putting forth a great effort, and that you want to come in and quickly earn their trust and respect.

The Look – Dress up a little bit and you’ll instantly feel more confident, and carry yourself like someone who has been there before. Look them in the eye when answering and asking questions. Keep control of your body – no fidgeting or excess motion. Although your physical appearance should not play a part in the hiring process, the air of confidence will certainly influence them subconsciously.

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