Today was my first Skype interview ever. I was punctual and armed with a pen, pad and a positive attitude. I had an idea of what to expect from reading several other blogs from other Dev Bootcamp candidates, but somehow I was still caught off guard.

Once the Skype tone turned on, I choked. My blank mind struggled to find words to express simple phrases like “Hi” and “How are you?” to maintain a decent conversation flow.

The interview had already begun, and I was greeted by Karim Bishay. After introducing myself, we shot a few questions back and forth about the Dev Bootcamp program.

Soon after we got settled in, he finally threw down the gauntlet and gave me a puzzle to walk him through. I was already somewhat familiar with the puzzle but I didn’t say anything because I still had no idea what the answer was even after several minutes passing. It was challenging only because my brain moves so much faster than my ability to explain things. Maintaining both focus and communication was the real challenge.

After solving the puzzle, Karim asked the big question. The question was “Why?” That was the one question I really wanted to answer. I simply gave him my own personal definition of success and explained how my actions aligned with my goals.

When I finished my explanation, he looked way more satisfied with my “Why?” answer than with my solution to the puzzle.

Overall, I feel really good about my prospects. It was a great experience to get a feel for the big interviews that we have to conquer for a respectable salary.

I look forward to the next one.