SXSW Recap & Interview Prep Reminders

Hey friend! I am back and survived SXSW. It was an unreal experience. I want to give you the cliffs notes version in case if you want to attend next year…

• You don’t need to buy an actual ticket to the event. All the good hangs/parties are ‘free’ aka you still need to register for them but they don’t cost anything.

• Everything happens downtown— so while hotels are $$$$$ it’s worth it where you are not driving/Ubering everywhere (I hit 10k steps everyday to put it in perspective).

• This conference is really good for developers to attend to network with founders to find a job.

• I think this conference is not the best if you are a company looking for developers because this conference seemed to be more focused on VC’s and Founders.

• I lived off of good coffee and amazing tacos for 5 days, and I’m not mad about it.

• No business cards in sight. Everyone was getting everyone into their LinkedIn’s using their QR code.

• I went for 5 days (4 full days of networking) and it’s a lot. In hindsight, I’d probably do 3 days. That was enough for me. But if you are a extrovert then the entire tech/founder part of the conference is 5 days. 

• It goes down in the chat apps. The entire conference communicates through various WhatsApp/mobile apps. There isn’t a dedicated SXSW chat app (or at least that I know of) so you really need to find your way into those apps. 

Any other questions you may have from SXSW email me and I’ll answer!

We’re just going to keep these tips rolling with some interview prep reminders. Even if you’re not actively looking for a job right now, go ahead and file this email/checklist to have on deck for when you do. Trust me.

• Have your resume printed out and in front of you. Printed? What year is this 1995? But you have to trust me on this. For online interviews, if you have your resume up on a separate screen your eyes tend to wander and your interviewer may start thinking you’re off checking Reddit. For in-person interviews, it’s great to have in front of you as a reference because anxious interview you and regular you don’t necessarily have the same memory of your work history.

• Research the company and the people interviewing you. Want to have an engaging conversation and ask questions that actually lead somewhere? You have to do your research. A little LinkedIn sleuthing never hurt anyone, right? Keep it company and work centered of course. AKA don’t be creepy about it y’all. But if you and the person interviewing you went to to same college or love the same sports team, it’s a no-brainer way to make a connection.

• Have a pen and paper out to take notes. Your computer is open, the obvious move would be to type your notes, right? Good ole pen and paper makes you look more focused and allows you to very quickly jot down notes, ideas, thoughts or questions that come up while the interviewer is talking. It’s a quick reference so you don’t feel the need to interrupt. If you're online, mention to the interviewer that you may be looking down from time to time to take notes.

• For online interviews, please make sure your room is clean. Will anyone understand if I make a Room Raiders reference right now? Make sure that your room (wherever that may be) is well-lit, private, and free of outside sounds and distractions. If you’re interviewing on a laptop, consider propping it up with books to make the camera closer to eye level. We’re not even going to talk about trying to interview via your phone camera. Check out your local public library for free laptop rentals instead.

• Make sure your equipment is working properly ahead of the interview. Wipe your camera and please make sure your microphone is working and clear. Do a test call with a friend if you need to. And if you’re stealing your neighbor’s spotty wifi, consider moving to a location with a more secure connection. If you want to be extra thorough, get the direct contact for someone in your interview session so you can contact them quickly if things go south (tech wise).

• Dress business professional. Yes, this includes online interviews. Well at least the top half of them. You only get one first impression, and, honestly, clothes can help you get into a better mindset. “I’ve got on my business pants, it’s time for business.”

• If you have specific questions or talking points, write them out in a way that’s easy to read. Maybe for you, this means sticky notes behind the monitor or a bulleted list. Bonus points if you prioritize your points so you’re not reading through them all while everyone sits in silence. Awkward.

• Practice. Speaking of awkward, have you ever audibly practiced for an interview? Yeah, it’s weird. But the more you practice, just like any skill, the better you will get and the more confident you will feel. You can start really cutting down on those conversational pauses where you find yourself saying, “um…” and “yeah...” Try running through answering some questions with someone that knows your job history, too. They might pick up on something you’ve done that you forgot to include. OR they can tell you if something sounds weird or out of place.

Man, look at all them bullet points. If you didn’t pick up something new about the ins and outs of SXSW or interview prep, that’s on you. But really, hopefully you feel more prepped to start prepping. You’ve got this.

Don’t forget, you’re not alone.

-Taylor

Gun.io/Taylor