I just sat through two video interviews for our entry-level fedidev position. Both were good people, but it was painful watching them struggle through our questions.

Here's some tips for anyone applying for a similar position:

1. When an interviewer asks "what makes you stand out?", have a solid response already prepared. If you say "well, I'm a trans girl and I like rust" I'm going to have difficulty suppressing my eyeroll. Find something that is unique about your abilities, knowledge, personality, or experience and get us excited to hire you. Even if you're not asked something like that question, volunteer that information. Make yourself memorable.
2. Don't go into the interview cold. Do some prep. If possible, drink a cofe, dress in your best kneesocks, find your best lain avatar. Have talking points / notes pulled up to reference key data about the latest shitpost. Be eager to talk at length about anything you claim to know in your bio.
3. If you tell me you're learning Elixir, I should be able to ask you why ecto is the best and get a semi-coherent answer. At the very least correctly tell me why you should avoid generating keywords at runtime. Yes, this is an entry level position, but that is about the biggest softball question I can lob. After your fifth instance move you should have familiarity with the most basic of our concepts.
4. I don't expect entry level to do feature development, but at least know a few common replies like Suya and Cofe and what response is expected to them. Bonus if you point out it causes hellthreads.
5. When I ask if you've seen any fediverse stories in the news lately, the answer I'm looking for is NO. Show me you're keeping the gates shut to the network you say you live in.

Good tips? Bad tips? Am I the asshole for expecting the above from an "entry level" candidate? All feedback appreciated. #fedihired #interview #feditips