Software Architect

CHAPTER 8Preparing for a Software Architecture Interview: A Winning Strategy

It's never a clever idea to show up for a software architecture job interview unprepared. The chance to ace the interview without performing due diligence is near zero. Not only is a considerable amount of time wasted on a failed attempt to get a desired position, but also the candidate's reputation could be damaged.

NOTE Therefore, never attend an interview before carving out a coherent strategy that will increase the odds of receiving a job offer. Never settle for less!

Interviewers and interviewees typically understand the undocumented job interview survival rule: at the end of the day, it's a zero-sum game. Simply put, only one candidate will be offered a single software architecture position, the others will be rejected. Nevertheless, flubbing an interview is not the end of the world. There are umpteen software architecture positions on the market. There is no defense, however, against being sloppy or not preparing adequately.

The term preparation pertains here to meticulous research and study conducted before a job interview in a field of expertise. The software architecture practice, in particular, covers a broad range of disciplines in which a candidate must demonstrate mastery. By showing up to an interview without laying the proper groundwork, a candidate might fail miserably.

So, how should one prepare ahead of an upcoming software architecture interview? There is no limit on the range ...