“Yes, I do remember him. He was standing just outside the door to the Laboratory, poring over his notes for the umpteenth time. You could tell that he was very nervous. But there was nothing to worry about, he successfully passed to .Net,” Mariia Basiuk recalls one of the candidates in the Kyiv lab.
“Although we do not require any super-knowledge, it’s worth preparing for an interview. We’ll even share useful links, materials that will be discussed at the interview,” adds Oleksii Dyshlevyi, Head of EPAM University Programs in Kiev and Vinnitsa.
As to what you should not do, what may prevent you from gaining useful knowledge and skills and mess up your chances to move into the IT, we decided to ask experienced trainers, laboratory managers. Over the years of RD service existence in EPAM, a lot has happened, so here we have collected the most common mistakes candidates have made:
- “Underenrolled” situation. Some of those who register on the training.epam.ua believe that is enough to show their willingness to learn. “They will find me, interview me, invite me,” they think apparently. In fact, the enrollment works in a slightly different way: you should register on the site, choose a direction, leave your application.
- Interrupted communication. For example, some candidates would put the wrong contact email / phone on an application, leave an unsigned application, would not check the mail specified during registration for the course. There are no comments: their IT education will remain a dream.
- And vice versa – spam. Some candidates would register and then call daily, write messages and emails with the question: “When will you contact me? What is my result?” Be patient, we will contact you at the appointed time. We do contact absolutely all candidates.
- To arrange an interview, then not to show up for it without notice. Of course, afterwards you may try to register again, but this incident may affect the further development of the situation. By the way, when you come for an interview, bring along some ID.
- To play cunning. For example, to register three emails to pass an interview three times. Or to take the credit for projects in which you have not participated. It doesn’t pay to praise yourself to the skies or hide behind false modesty. As you know, honesty is the best policy.
- To be unprepared. Let's face it, there are “stars” that can come to the interview unprepared and pass it successfully relying on their previous experience. But this is rather an exception to the rule. Get ready! Search for selections of books, sources of information, useful tips from old hands. By the way there are a few on training.epam.com.
- Not to know English and think that no one will notice. There is a joke that the most important programming language now is English. Only it is not a joke. We are serious. Spoken English on level B1 would be optimal to get on training. There are lots of online resources where you can test yourself beforehand and pull up knowledge, if necessary. Do not forget to pass an English proficiency test online before the interview.
- To answer in monosyllables, yes or no. In an interview where a level of spoken English, communication skills and an ability to work in a team are assessed, detailed answers would work better for you. In practice, when choosing between candidates, the one with average technical knowledge and a high level of soft skills is more likely to be chosen than a candidate with a high level of technical knowledge and average soft skills. That is, an interview is your opportunity to show your ability to present yourself, cooperate, and negotiate.
- Be consistent. At times to the question “Why did you choose Java or testing?” candidates answer: “Just because it was the nearest date to apply” or “My brother / neighbor / classmate said it seemed to be OK.” It’s better to figure out first if you really like that particular technology, since you will study it for a long time and work with it afterwards. Show that you have made your decision thoughtfully, not impulsively or based on the results of a cursory Google search. Some candidates enroll for one direction and then on an interview they say they are “in love” with another. This is surprising to say the least.
- The attitude "I know it all", "Here I am, teach me" or "I’m not learning it, I don’t need it." When you start your studies, it is important not only to listen to the trainers and complete tasks, but also to do some research yourself, to self-learn, to read the recommended literature and go beyond the established framework. To think "I’ll try, and then I’ll see when I get there." makes a bad beginning. You will not, unless you don’t objectively evaluate your strength. Learning is a long game. Those able to prioritize studies, leisure, hobbies, etc. will achieve success. Training may be the first, but not the last step in your career at EPAM.
