Job Interview Preparation


Information Technology Salary Guide Ireland 2025

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by Namratha Ambat
Job Interview Preparation


The road ahead is uncertain, but what we do know is that flexibility, innovation, and adaptability will remain essential in both the software development and data centre operations sectors. To help you navigate these changes, we’ve created two highly focused guides focused on Software Development and Data Centre Operations


Top Questions Hiring Managers Need To Answer

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Job Interview Preparation


Preparing for an interview is crucial to making a lasting impression. Start by researching the company thoroughly. Visit their website, read news articles, and look into their latest developments. Whether it’s funding rounds, acquisitions, or new product launches, knowing the latest company updates shows your genuine interest. Jot down 8-10 insightful questions based on your research.


Preparing for a DevOps Interview: Key Technical Questions and How to Answer Them

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Job Interview Preparation


As a recruiter, I often see candidates grappling with technical questions during interviews. It’s essential to not only understand the questions but also to prepare answers that reflect your expertise, the role’s seniority, and the specific tech stack. Employers are not there to catch you out or make things difficult for you. At the end of the day, they are hoping you are the right person for the job.


Find Your Missing Pieces: Redefining Culture Fit for Success

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by Michael Lantry
Job Interview Preparation


As professional recruiters in GemPool, we are tasked with going out to the market and headhunting relevant talent for our clients. When we take on a role, we spend time qualifying the role with our clients. We ask questions about the technical skills required and other ‘must-haves’, the interview process, the salary on offer etc. These are clearly defined and factual. But there is one part of this conversation which is much harder to define. This revolves around understanding the kind of candidate that would be a strong culture fit.


Understanding the Vital Role of Cultural Fit in Hiring: Strategies for Interviewers

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by Tanisha Barkakaty
Job Interview Preparation


In today’s competitive job market, finding the right candidate goes beyond assessing technical skills and qualifications. Cultural fit has emerged as a crucial factor in hiring decisions because it can directly impact the success and effectiveness of an employee within the organisation. It’s about ensuring that a candidate’s values, behaviours, and work style align with those of the organisation. Ignoring cultural fit can lead to mismatches that affect team dynamics, productivity, and employee satisfaction as a whole.


Pointers On Post-Interview Etiquette For Employers

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by Sean Whelan
Job Interview Preparation


Over the years in recruitment, I learned how important it is for an employer to have a high standard and good post-interview etiquette with their candidates as this not only creates a good impression and builds a positive employer brand and it makes the whole process run more efficiently. The impression the candidate has of the company has become a critical factor contributing to the offer acceptance rate, as a company could provide the ideal salary and glorious benefits, but if the candidate feels like their time and energy have been taken for granted, they will most likely look for opportunities elsewhere.


A Deep Dive into Mastering Common Interview Questions

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Job Interview Preparation


Job interviews represent pivotal moments in anyone’s career journey, where the ability to effectively communicate experiences and skills can make all the difference. In my short stint so far as a recruiter, I have encountered numerous candidates who, with proper preparation and a strategic approach, have successfully navigated through commonly asked interview questions. In this guide, I hope I can help you going forward by delving into key strategies and techniques to master these questions, ensuring you can stand out amongst everyone else.


Points to Remember While Negotiating Job Offers

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by Namratha Ambat
Job Interview Preparation


Negotiating a job offer can be challenging, despite excelling in interviews and conversations. It’s crucial to express that while you appreciate the role, team, and company culture, compensation is also a significant factor. It directly influences your personal life, goals, and aspirations beyond the workplace. Balancing your enthusiasm for the job with the need for fair compensation is essential for aligning your professional and personal interests.


Is Your Recruiter Giving You The Best Interview Preparation Advice?

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Job Interview Preparation


Job interview preparation is a crucial step in the hiring process, and it can be nerve-racking for both the interviewer and the interviewee. So, by doing the right preparations you can ease this process for both you and the interviewer, increase your chances of impressing them, and hopefully land the job. Below I have formulated, through research and from personal experience, some quick tips to best prepare yourself for that interview:


Living in Ireland Guide 2023

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by Sean Whelan
Job Interview Preparation


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2022 has been a hugely turbulent year in so many ways. We have seen some crazy things happening. The war in Ukraine, the subsequent energy crisis, inflation, the threat of an economic slowdown and Newcastle United are third in the premier league. It’s been unpredictable, constantly changing and difficult.


How Do I Recruit QA Engineers?

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CV Assistance IT Jobs and Recruitment Insights Job Interview Preparation


It’s safe to say that there is a lot going on in the talent market and as a candidate, who has a certain salary expectation, you need to stand out from the rest. Luckily, you’re in good hands. I recruit in the QA space and have the inside scoop that will help you stand out from the crowd.


Mistakes Companies Make During an Interview Process

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by Tanisha Barkakaty
Job Interview Preparation


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As a company, if you’re looking to create a great first impression in the mind of your candidates, you need to ensure you provide a smooth interview experience. However, as tech recruiters we have often listened to stories our candidates shared with us regarding poor candidate experiences they have faced while interviewing for jobs.


What do IT Recruiters Look for in a Design Portfolio?

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CV Assistance IT Jobs and Recruitment Insights Job Interview Preparation


Have you ever thought about how Hiring Managers examine your design portfolio and how you can set yourself apart from the rest of the applicants? As an IT Recruitment Design Consultant, it’s my job to investigate a designer’s portfolio every day before forwarding their job applications over to my clients. This has helped me learn significant details on what works and what does not.


Preparing for Your Tech Interview

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by Mark Prizeman
Job Interview Preparation


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Preparation is vital for anything you plan on doing, whether that be training for a marathon or interviewing with a company you are excited about working with. Regardless of the situation, if you don’t put in the work, the results are going to be disappointing which will then hold you back from your end goal.


How do Employers Select Candidates to Join Their Teams?

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by Sean Whelan
Job Interview Preparation


For all those candidates who are open to the market and looking for a new opportunity, it’s important for you to know the selection process that goes on behind the scenes. There are many stages that take place in a selection process.


Preparing for and Negotiating a Job Offer

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by Cathal McAliskey
Job Interview Preparation


In the current IT market, software developers change jobs roughly every 2 years, so it is extremely important to be well equipped in dealing with offers and hiring processes. Before entering interview processes, I would recommend doing these 2 things:


3 Steps to Improve Your Design Portfolio

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IT Jobs and Recruitment Insights Job Interview Preparation


As a Recruiter for UX, UI and Product Designers, I get to look at dozens of portfolios a day. My job is to figure out whether the work showcased demonstrates the right skills that the hiring manager is looking for. As enjoyable as it is to wander through peoples’ work, it has become a much quicker process with experience. I can now identify whether a candidate is suitable for a role within seconds. It has come to my attention that this rapid decision-making process is a norm in the design industry. A trained eye can pick up what it needs and move on.


Top Interview Tips to Secure A Job in A Data Centre

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Data Centre Guidance Job Interview Preparation


So you have decided to start a new career in a data centre and you are wondering what to expect, how to prepare, wondering about the interview process, what questions they will ask, will it be formal or informal, and how can you stand out from the competition?

Well I am here to help guide you through the process and give you some insight on how to secure a job in a data centre.


Top 7 Red Flags Employers Notice in an Interview

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by Namratha Ambat
Job Interview Preparation


While attending an interview as a potential candidate there’s a long list of elements for you to focus on. Starting from preparing technical answers for the given job description, to learning more about the company and then preparing questions by yourself for the interviewer.
We’ve gone through all the various stages of interview preparation in our previous blogs, but today what I would like to focus on is things to avoid in an interview setting.


Top 7 Remote Job Interview Questions

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Job Interview Preparation


I think it’s fair to say that remote work is here to stay and whether you’ve been with the same role for the past 2 years, or you are just entering or re-entering the workforce, this means it’s the first time going through an interview process for remote work. If this is the first time you’re attending a remote interview let me share a few pointers that will help you prepare better.


How to Be Successful in a Video Interview

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Job Interview Preparation


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Ever wondered why you are being invited to a job interview and not making it after the first, second or third stages? It is true that most companies have different reasons for recruiting in a particular role. However, if you are called for an interview, the employer already thinks you are a good fit for that role.


Checklist to go Through While Preparing for a Tech Interview

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Job Interview Preparation


Preparing for an interview entails taking the time to deeply consider one’s qualifications and how they relate to the position advertised by the employer. In order to accomplish this, a few steps need to be followed to ensure a successful interview session and even employment prospect. The following are some of the steps one can easily follow while preparing for a technical interview.


The 3 Best Questions To Ask During An Interview In A Tech Start-Up

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by Michael Lantry
Job Interview Preparation


Taking a longer term view of your career should make you more focused on the learning rather than the money you can make. Taking on a role in a really interesting, well led, start-up can put you on a faster trajectory towards your career goals.


Top Tips on Answering Job Responsibility Interview Questions

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Job Interview Preparation


In every job opportunity nowadays, there is usually a list of criteria that defines exactly what the company is looking for, and what the job responsibilities will be. This is the first line of screening, and gives any potential candidates a good idea of what to expect in their day to day - should they wish to work in the position.


10 Best Questions to Ask During a Job Interview

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by Namratha Ambat
Job Interview Preparation


In every interview process, it is important to bring your own questions to the table. In 99% of interviews, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions. This is an opportunity to gain more insight into the role and the company, amongst other things.


How to Ace Your Interview Using STAR Interview Technique

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Job Interview Preparation


It is the goal of any employer to question aspects of soft skills during the interview process. They are looking to recruit the best candidate who is capable of changing in a variety of circumstances. Displaying one’s soft skills shows how one performed in previous roles to accomplish one’s goals and objectives.


10 Best Questions to ask a Software Engineer During an Interview

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by Cathal McAliskey
Job Interview Preparation


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From speaking to many candidates and hiring managers I have compiled a list of the best questions to understand software development candidates. These questions cover a range of topics from ideal environment to interests and motivations. An interview must be considered from both points of view.


Top 5 Interview Rounds to Prepare For in IT

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Job Interview Preparation


Preparation for an interview is a big part of the process of finding a new job. The key to giving yourself the highest percentage chance of success in an interview is to prepare, prepare and prepare. In this blog, I will mainly focus on technical interviews and the questions that can get put in front of candidates. I will also reflect on certain scenario-based questions, and how best to answer them.


Why Now Is The Best Time For You To Upskill?

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by Cathal McAliskey
Job Interview Preparation


In the current climate there are great opportunities to upskill within software development. We are no longer wasting time on long commutes so we should have a lot more spare time on our hands. If you want to get ahead of the competition you should think about investing some of this time into upskilling and keeping up to date with modern technology.


Top Tips While Negotiating Salaries

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Job Interview Preparation


When changing jobs, there are many factors that can determine somebody’s decision to accept an offer. An obvious, but highly important factor is the salary and package that is offered by the company. This can result in tense salary negotiations and if not handled correctly by either the company or the candidate, can result in the hire not being made at all.


Candidate Interview Experience Survey And Analysis

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by Namratha Ambat
IT Jobs and Recruitment Insights Job Interview Preparation


This survey was conducted from February 2020 to March 2020, just before the COVID-19 outbreak in Ireland which created a huge shift in the market. However, there are many valuable learning points to takeaway from this analysis.


Video Interviewing Due To The Coronavirus Outbreak? Here Are A Few Tips!

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by Namratha Ambat
Job Interview Preparation


Nailing video interviews is important now more than ever. With social distancing being one of the key factors in flighting the Covid-19 outbreak, all interviews are now taking place virtually.


The Interviewers Got Back To Us And This Is What Went Wrong Last Time

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by Namratha Ambat
Job Interview Preparation


You could be the best candidate out of the pile of applications and one wrong step from your end could change the course of your chances at bagging the job. We have had candidates that meet the job description to the mark and a slip up from them during their first interaction with the interviewer cost them a wonderful opportunity. From the direct feedback we have collected so far we are going to try and prep you for your next shot at an interview.