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How to approach a job interview.
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Italiano (Italian)
During my years as an IT director at a service company, I often had to select personnel for various departments, both for the IT offices and for other sectors, together with my recruiter colleague.
I was personally responsible for evaluating the candidate’s technical knowledge, and my HR colleague assessed their psychological profile.
Over the years, after conducting hundreds of interviews I’ve seen it all, and I’ve come to understand the typical mistakes candidates make in interviews: first and foremost, inflating their résumé and, in some cases, listing skills they don’t actually possess.
I vividly remember the period when we were searching for a Senior Full Stack Developer—a professional capable of working across the entire stack, both front-end and back-end. Among the various applications that landed on our desk was a truly impressive résumé: in-depth knowledge of several back-end programming languages—PHP, C#, Java, Python—and their frameworks; expertise in HTML, CSS3, JavaScript, and various JavaScript frameworks; familiarity with SQL and NoSQL databases; proficiency with the Adobe suite, including video editing software, and even advanced skills in After Effects!
Intrigued by this résumé so rich in skills, despite its numerous short-term work experiences, we decided to invite the candidate for an initial interview.
On the day of the interview, a young man showed up looking unkempt, wearing a t-shirt with his hair all over the place… It was not a good first impression!
He sat down in the meeting room, and we began with the routine questions: what his previous work experiences had been, what he had worked on, what skills he had acquired, why he had decided to change jobs, why he had stayed so briefly, what he was looking for, what his ideal position was, where he wanted to go in his career, etc.
We then moved on to the technical interview to assess his actual knowledge, and I suggested asking him questions based on the required skill set (we didn’t need him to know languages we didn’t use)… There was total silence, to the point that starting with the hardest questions we had to keep moving to increasingly easier topics in the hope of getting a satisfactory answer… In the end, exhausted, I simply asked him to write me a login form in HTML for entering a username and password, without worrying about backend validation. Again, complete silence when faced with a topic that is the ABC of web development.
I asked for an explanation, politely and respectfully, asking why on his résumé he had claimed certain skills that clearly weren’t there.
He grew agitated, ranting about development environments and saying he couldn’t write code with pen and paper because he was used to autocomplete features. In an altered tone, almost shouting, he demanded a computer—which we of course provided; we wanted to see how far the charade would go, and naturally there was still nothing… At that point, even non-experts could see that all the skills listed on the résumé were nothing but an endless string of nonsense, and we had only wasted half an hour.
I wanted to share this example, without naming anyone, of course, simply to highlight everything that can go wrong when you’re job hunting, because that interview was the perfect example of what not to do. If I had to assign that candidate a score out of 100, taking all aspects of the interview into account, it would certainly be 0/100.
Résumé
We need to start debunking the myth that “the more you write on your résumé, the more authoritative you are.”
No! That’s a lie! You don’t write a résumé by listing everything you know how to do; you write a résumé that interests the recruiters who are looking for that specific type of candidate to fill that role.
If I need a front-end developer, I don’t care that you know how to ride a horse or that you can wire electrical panels… okay, good for you, but that’s superfluous information unrelated to what I’m looking for—I need a front end.
Another mistake… Including false information. There’s nothing worse!
What’s the point of claiming to know how to develop in PHP if you’ve never written a single line of code?
Do you think that in an interview for a PHP developer role they won’t notice? It will likely be the central topic of your interview, and they’ll bombard you with questions about PHP.
The person interviewing you, besides exposing you in a nanosecond and getting annoyed at the time you’ve wasted, will also think that you can’t be particularly bright for having applied for a PHP developer position without ever having written even…
<php echo('Hello World!'); ?>
Perhaps you thought you could take a PHP course on Udemy and learn to program in two days if the interview went well? Doubly foolish!
To properly learn a high-level language takes years, plenty of practice, and extensive study! You can’t just improvise as a developer overnight, let alone fill a Senior position.
Résumés must contain only truthful information!! Otherwise, it will be a total and complete waste of time—for both you and the recruiter—and there’s more. If you tell the truth and make a good impression in an interview, even if you’re not selected, the company will likely consider you for other positions that open in the future. If you report falsehoods, you will be automatically excluded from any further job offers with that company: you’ll be burned!
You don’t need to have just one résumé; you need to have many.
Resumés should be tailored specifically to the job you are applying for, and it’s best if they are accompanied by a cover letter. If one of the key requirements is a good command of English, it’s good practice to submit your résumé in English as well—perhaps introducing it with a brief cover letter, also translated into English. Conversely, if you’re applying for a position within an Italian company that operates solely in Italy, has no ties abroad, and does not require English, it’s completely pointless to show off by attaching your résumé and/or cover letter in English, because it’s very likely that the person screening applications won’t understand English and will simply discard a résumé they can’t read.
There’s no point in including redundant information; limit your résumé to the details and experiences that are strictly relevant to the position.
It has been statistically shown that in most European countries a résumé with a photo is met with greater interest by recruiters, since they can put a face to the profile. However, there are different points of view: some argue that it’s irrelevant, others that including a photo is discriminatory, and still others that it’s necessary. In the end, what really matters are the statistics… In Italy, it seems a résumé with a photo is preferred—so let’s include one!
Cover letter.
I’ve seen cover letters that go on for miles. There’s nothing worse! A cover letter must be very concise—just like the résumé, which should only include information relevant to what the recruiter is looking for. Recruiters typically review hundreds of résumés each day. Five-page cover letters and endless CVs aren’t even read—unless applications are scarce for that position (which is very unlikely given the current job shortage). A cover letter should be at most 10–20 lines and serve as an introduction to your résumé. Write something that grabs their attention. Explain in your cover letter why you’re suited for the role, perhaps by citing a similar experience in which you excelled. No recruiter cares that you were born under Pisces or that you were top of your class in multiplication tables as a child.
A good sample cover letter.
Let’s see what a good cover letter for applying to a PHP + MySQL developer job might look like.
“Dear Company,
With reference to your job offer, I would like you to read this brief letter of mine carefully in order to introduce myself and facilitate the reading of my Curriculum Vitae. I have already worked for six years at an IT company as a Senior Backend Developer, where I was responsible for developing web applications in PHP. I have worked in a team on large projects both using frameworks such as Zend and Laravel, and in pure object-oriented PHP. In my previous role I learned to use the GIT versioning system.
Regarding databases, I possess strong knowledge of MySQL, and I have also had the opportunity to work with NoSQL databases (MongoDB) and graph databases (AWS Neptune). I am very familiar with MVC architectures and headless architectures, which over the years have introduced me to developing REST microservices both in pure PHP and using Node.js. I have always managed heavy workloads while strictly adhering to company deadlines. I consider myself punctual, serious, and motivated.
I decided to apply for this position because I have read excellent reviews about your company and I am seeking a work environment where I can continue to grow and further develop my skills.
As a PHP + MySQL developer, I believe my profile perfectly matches the candidate you are seeking; therefore, I refer you to my résumé and look forward to your kind response to arrange, if interested, an introductory interview.
Thank you for your attention and the time you have dedicated to me thus far; I take this opportunity to extend my most distinguished regards.
Mario Rossi”.
This cover letter introduces the recruiter to the résumé and provides the candidate’s reasons for why they could be the ideal fit for the role, highlighting skills acquired in previous work experiences. From this letter, it is clear that the candidate has a solid command of the language, has already worked in a team and is therefore familiar with collaborative development processes, understands version-control workflows, and can handle stress by meeting deadlines even under heavy workloads. They are punctual and never late for work. They explained their decision to change jobs as an investment in themselves and their professional growth.
After receiving a cover letter of this kind, the recruiter will certainly feel inclined to view the résumé favorably, ensuring that the candidate passes the first selection phase and moves on to the second phase: the interview.
The interview
Looks matter too…
Depending on the type of interview you’re attending, it’s essential to dress appropriately, in contrast to the photo on your résumé, this is not optional. A candidate interviewing for a position must meet all the outfit requirements that the work environment demands, out of respect for colleagues and the workplace. Yes, I said respect. Dressing well is a form of respect toward others, especially during a job interview. In offices, people wear shirts and jackets. You don’t show up to a job interview in a T-shirt. A T-shirt is for wearing at home when doing DIY chores—definitely not for coming to the office!
Certainly, I wouldn’t show up in a suit and tie for a dishwasher job interview in a kitchen, but if I were a restaurant owner I’d appreciate a candidate wearing at least a shirt. As for office jobs, on the other hand, a jacket is mandatory!
The visual approach is the first thing to catch a recruiter’s eye. It’s like a virtual handshake before the real one.
Therefore, let’s begin to outline the general rules for presenting yourself at a job interview:
- Dress appropriately for the workplace where you’re attending the interview.
- Hair washed, clean, and pleasantly scented… Neat! (We’ve encountered candidates with greasy, unkempt hair. Needless to say, it’s best to take a good shower before attending a job interview.)
- Other relevant notes: impeccable fragrance and cleanliness.
Behavior
It’s just a job interview… Try to stay calm and don’t let anxiety get the better of you, because one factor very often assessed in recruitment is the ability to manage stress and nerves. A recruiter will notice right away if you’re an anxious type—they’re psychologists, it’s their job! Aim to be composed; you’re not facing a firing squad. Be relaxed, communicative, and cooperative, but poised. Don’t sit as if you were at a café, but neither as if you were wearing a brace: the keyword is “relaxed.” Imagine you’re speaking with a respected friend. Courtesy comes first. Simply answer the questions and, above all, be honest.
If you’re asked for a requirement you don’t have, tell the truth: “I’m sorry, but I’ve never done that before. However, if you give me your trust and support, I can learn to handle this aspect that I’m not familiar with in a short time.”
Honesty has always been appreciated since the dawn of time. If you possess all the necessary skills and stand out from others in those areas, it’s very unlikely you’ll be eliminated from the selection process for missing just one—you’ll always be kept in consideration.
Studies
Aside from certain roles where a formal qualification is strictly required for safety reasons (think nuclear engineers at a power plant), more and more job postings prioritize what you can do over how many pieces of paper you hold. I say this as a degree holder myself: the diploma is important, but not vital for some positions. In my field, I’ve always preferred smart people who can learn new things quickly over those who had the piece of paper but couldn’t do anything and were as thick-headed as a Roman cobblestone.
Here there is room to introduce a rather broad discussion on the responsibilities of Italian universities in preparing students for entry into the workforce. Universities provide a lot of theory, but in terms of practical work experience: very little. The fact that there are no courses on HTML at university (which is the foundation for beginning to work on web projects) says it all. Graduates usually have the basics to learn new things quickly, but that’s not always the rule. It depends on how the university education was structured and in which areas one has applied all the acquired knowledge. The intellectual factor should not be underestimated either.
Personally, I would a hundred times rather have a non-graduate who is intellectually gifted than a graduate of average intellectual ability.
Precisely on this point, my company interviews have always been much talked-about because they were somewhat sui generis, especially when they involved people who would have to work in close contact with me in the corporate divisions I headed. I never limited myself to purely technical aspects but always tried to go further to understand how the candidate reasoned to solve a problem, and often during interviews I presented intellectual “tricks.” I wasn’t so interested in whether they could solve the riddle, but I asked them to think out loud to understand the mental processes they employed in their attempt.
I realized that very often—almost one out of every two people—even basic text comprehension wasn’t clear. This is very significant because it perfectly matches estimates of functional illiteracy in Italy (Level 3, ages 16 to 65: 46.3 % of the population). Essentially, it refers, in simple terms, to the inability to understand a text after reading it or to grasp a complex verbal message unless it’s repeated several times.
Another strength lies in the ability to work as a team, and this is very easily revealed during the job interview. It is particularly understood from the atmosphere that permeates the interview.
A job interview—as the term “colloquiale” (conversational) suggests—should be friendly and engaging; a joke is fine, of course without forcing it. You need to show that you can blend in with people, that you can socialize easily and quickly with colleagues, and that you know how to be cooperative. Nobody likes someone who always tries to be the teacher’s pet. Cooperation means making yourself available to others when you have a skill they don’t, but also knowing how to listen and learn humbly from people who know more than you.
By following these simple tips, I assure you that you will enjoy great benefits at work as well as in your everyday life!
