The Best Way to Address Experience You DON'T Have in a Technical Screen

Key Concepts:

• Technical Screen: Interview phase focused on specific technical skills and experience.
• Analogous Experience: Relating past experiences to the required skill, even if not a direct match.
• Transferable Skills: Skills applicable across different technologies or projects.
• Neutralizing Language: Framing responses to highlight transferable skills and problem-solving abilities.

Responding to Skill-Focused Questions After Initial Technical Screen

The core issue addressed is how to respond when an interview shifts back to skill-focused questions after a technical screen, particularly when lacking direct experience in a specific area (e.g., "I don't have experience in X but have done Y").

Addressing Lack of Direct Experience

The recommended approach involves several key steps:

1. Acknowledge the Lack of Direct Experience: Directly state that you haven't used the specific technology or skill ("I haven't done that yet").
2. Highlight Analogous Experience: Immediately follow with a relevant experience that shares similarities or underlying principles ("I have used this which is analogous this way"). This demonstrates a foundation of knowledge that can be applied.
3. Explain Learning Approach: Detail your process for learning new technologies or skills. This shows adaptability and a proactive approach to acquiring new knowledge ("And whenever I'm faced with something new, here's what I do. How to learn it, shorten the learning curve, or whatever").
4. Troubleshooting Approach (for Product/Technology Questions): If asked how you would troubleshoot a product or technology you're unfamiliar with, explain your approach based on your existing knowledge. This demonstrates problem-solving skills and the ability to apply existing knowledge to new situations ("based on what I know now from the other things that I know, I would approach it this way").

Neutralizing Language for Transferability

The key is to "neutralize your language" to emphasize transferable skills. This involves framing your responses to highlight the underlying skills and processes involved, regardless of the specific technology or project.

• Examples of Transferable Skills:
  • Assessment skills
  • Creative problem-solving
  • Project management skills (if the question relates to project execution)

Example Scenario: Project Management

If the interviewer asks how you would run a project, focus on the general project management methodologies and principles you would apply, rather than specific tools or technologies.

Conclusion

The main takeaway is to address the lack of direct experience head-on, highlight analogous experiences, explain your learning approach, and neutralize your language to emphasize transferable skills. This demonstrates adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to quickly learn and apply new technologies.