Tech interview job tips: top five to follow in H2 2025

When did tech interviews become such an unpaid side hustle!?

That’s the question I pretty much asked last week, writes Natalie Bowers, founder of boutique recruitment agency Bowers Partnership.

The question needed asking because marathon IT job interviews are becoming so overly long that tech candidates should probably get paid just for turning up and going through the many stages!

Tips for a tech job interview in 2025’s second half be like…

Due to the extraordinary amounts of stamina required to endure the multi-stage interview on steroids, I want to now provide some tips to survive the tech interview in H2 2025, through the lens of these extended interviews, yet not blinded by them.

Put another way, the following top 5 tech job interview survival tips should help if you’re an IT job candidate facing or dreading a marathon interview, but they constitute good advice for standard tech interview durations too.

Or at least, my 25-plus years of professional recruitment experience of technology workers tells me they constitute good advice!

Here’s my top 5 tech job interview survival tips for H2 2025:

1. Read, re-read, and read again the job advert’s interview details

Translating the language of online computer job adverts is something I’ve covered before for Free-Work because, let’s face it, organisations don’t always say what they mean!

But do read, re-read and read again the job advert because, if they are decent, employers will provide fair warning of what’s in store in the interview.

Nine-stage interview: here’s five parts of the process…

All nine stages of a tech job requiring a nine-stage interview were actually outlined in one recent job advertisement. So the details of the advert SHOULD let you know what’s coming in terms of both interviews and technical tests.

For example, the nine-stage interview job advert included the following five parts:

1. Hiring Manager Interview Test

2. Take-Home Technical Test

3. 30 minute-case study followed by a 30-minute ‘case study review call.’

4. Interview with CIO

5. Final interviews -- with the CIO and CEO

When you can’t say you weren’t warned

Although those who read, re-read and read the advert again technically know what’s coming in terms of interview and technical tests, be aware.

The nine-stage job advert I spied (which inspired the above bulleted list) did NOT state: “CANDIDATES WILL FACE A NINE-STAGE INTERVIEW.”

And the employer or agent behind the advert didn’t even number each of the nine stages of the interview! That said, if you applied, you could hardly say that you hadn’t been warned.

2.  Do the maths while keeping other irons in the fire

I’ve already made my feelings known on tech interviews that ask too much of the work-seeker.

While I stand by (1) above, – i.e. if the employer is transparent about the interview stages and components then kudos, I still think freelance candidates (in particular) need to evaluate the interview’s likely time requirement, against other projects they’ve got on the go.

So crunch the numbers to see if it’s going to be potentially worth your while. How many chargeable hours will you likely forego? What’s the jackpot if you’re hired?

Six-week interview for a 3-month contract? No, me neither…

I know one candidate whose total interview time, from application to final interview and offer +acceptance, was 6 weeks. And that was on just a three-month contract!

Also, keep other irons in the fire. Why? Well, I know another candidate who endured two interviews and bravely signalled he’d undergo a third, but due to the third being constantly delayed by the employer, along came a better contract and the contractor took it!

3. Be laser-like with your short and snappy presentation

You’re not entering 'Britain’s Next Top Techie.'

So if you’re asked to make a presentation, case study or similar at an IT job interview:

• Ask who the audience is;

• Ask what the aim or objective is (and then be laser-like about that goal);

• Ask how long the exercise must last.

Don’t waste your evenings building flashy decks. You're a freelancer, not a show pony.

Even permies should price up protracted interview presentations

My take? If it’s an overly long presentation that’s required, then it’s unpaid consulting which the employer is seeking.

Even if you’re not usually contract or freelance, price up the presentation, or politely pass.

4. Beware clients or agents brandishing devices

We know that included in some technical interviews or tests, laptops or devices owned by the prospective employer can be provided to the candidate for them to work on.

The risk here is that all of a sudden, you’re effectively ‘working’ for the prospective employer.

When the onboarding duration makes you want to charge a day rate

We’ve seen it with an onboarding process that the IT contractor was asked to undertake, albeit using an agency-provided device.

Due to delays and technical issues beyond his control, the contractor ended up spending so much time trying to make their own appointment happen, with onboarding admin, that they wanted to charge a day rate!

So again, be very wary of the time suckage here.

‘Unpaid consulting’ - in all but name

Almost needless to say, you very likely won’t be paid anything for your time on the provided device unless you agree something, in writing with the agency/client, BEFORE opening the laptop. And even then, I wouldn’t fancy your chances of securing such a sign-off.

My view? If the interview process invites you to build a tool, map out their cloud strategy, or solve a live business issue? That’s not a test -- that’s unpaid consulting.

5. Don’t chase ghosts, but do use your recruiter while applying the ‘sniff test’

Let’s be clear, contractors should not expect their agency to provide them with a device in a standard interview process. But contractors can expect their agent to provide regular updates!

In fact, there’s no good reason you should be chasing updates after you’ve sat interview one or interview two.

And there’s definitely no good reason why you should be chasing ghosts!

What techies should expect from a recruitment agency

Being kept in the loop about the interview process, including being sent feedback on your technical test, is what your recruiter is there for. Your agency should keep things moving for you; chase politely, and shield you from admin, and the prospective employer messing you around!

A bit like tech job contractors, recruiters have a reputation to protect. Most agents won’t want their candidates to have to jump through an excessive number of hoops.

Ask your recruitment agent three questions if you’re hoop-jumping a lot…

So if you’re suddenly finding yourself exhausted from the numerous demands of a tech interview, ask your agent what’s going on.

Three questions you could pose if you’re an IT contractor tired of hoop-jumping:

1. Does the employer really want a permie, and that’s really why this process feels so full-time?

2. Does career community portal Glassdoor.co.uk bear out your concerns, and what does your agent say about the feedback posted?

3. How long was the time-to-hire of the last IT contractor that your agent placed there, and are they still on-contract there?

TLDR: IT contractor interview survival tips for HS 2025

For all the flaws of marathon tech job interviews, here’s one truth that still stands tall that shouldn’t be underestimated:

If you don’t go for the job, you definitely won’t get the job!

It might sound obvious, but I find myself having to say this to tech job candidates almost every day. Quite honestly, the truism that 'you've got to be in it -- to win it' is still somehow overlooked.

When to (probably) cut and run…

Of course, the appeal of independent contracting is that it’s down to you, as an individual, to decide what you are willing to put up with in the interview process. And, conversely, what you WON’T put up with!

Generally speaking, trust your instincts, consult with your agent and if the interview process feels odd, excessive, or like you’re being strung along, cut and run. The best clients move fast and treat you with respect. Because at the end of the day, CANDIDATE IS KING. Employers would do well not to forget it!