Interviewing - The Actual Interview(s)
Interviewing - The Actual Interview(s)
You're prepared - be positive and be yourself!
It was a long road to get here, but after catching the recruiter’s eye and passing a screening, you’ve been scheduled for the real deal: The Interview!
What to expect
Typically you’ll have a few days or a week to prepare and your interview(s) could consist of any of the following (remote or in-person):
Multiple 1:1 meetings with 3-5 different people in the organization
1-2 meetings with individuals, then a panel interview as the last step
1-3 meetings with individuals, then a presentation to a panel (or individual)
Coding/practical exercise with a scenario or virtual environment
That’s quite a few options and it could be some combination of those, too!
In my experience, you should receive a list of who you’ll be interviewing with and their roles (more than half the time) so you can do some research like we wrote about earlier.
Revisiting your homework
Since many interviewers are asking behavioral questions now, make sure you’ve prepared scenarios in the STAR format we wrote about earlier.
You should have at least three different scenarios outlined that you’re well-versed in. Remember, you actually lived/experienced these things, so don’t get nervous! I’d recommend having at least five prepared and they need to address different situations as mentioned previously. For ease, I’ll list some of the examples discussed earlier:
Tell us about a time you disagreed with your manager or leader.
Tell us about a time you took on a project that wasn’t in your job description.
Can you tell us about a situation where you had to discipline or terminate someone?
Try to remember the STAR technique and give your interviewers the answers, and most importantly, the data that they need. They will probably ask you refining questions like “what specifically was your role,” if you’re speaking too much in terms of the team or using “we”. They might also ask you what was the outcome/result. Remember, they’re looking for quantifiable data that shows what your contribution was and how you measured it. Having actual numbers is better than saying “we increased sales,”. They’re not trying to fact-check you, so it’s OK if you’re not exact (you may no longer have access to the reports/dashboard/stats).
Other questions
After your behavioral/scenario/STAR questions, they may ask you simpler questions that you should be prepared for. Some of these may look familiar from the screening.
Have answers ready for any of the following:
Why are you looking?
Why did you leave your last job?
How do you feel about ambiguity in your job role?
This is an individual contributor role - why are you looking for that since you’ve previously been in leadership?
This will be your first management/leadership role - what have you done to prepare for it?
How would you handle supporting multiple time zones since we’re a global company?
To close or not to close?
Many people (typically sales people) will tell you NOT to leave a meeting/interview without a “hard close”. Something that doesn’t allow them to simply say or “no”, but is more open-ended, like:
It’s not that busy next week - should I block out Wednesday or Friday to follow up?
Regarding next steps, will I be hearing back from you this week or next?
Personally, I don’t like the “hard close” because even the hiring manager may not have direct authority to simply hire you since there are typically multiple people’s feedback to evaluate. Also, some companies simply do not allow the interviewers to give you any feedback at all regarding your performance.
As the interview wraps up, I like to reiterate my interest in the role and ask them when should I expect to hear about next steps. Perhaps something along the lines of:
I enjoyed speaking with you and learning more about the company. From what your information about the role sounds like, I’d love to join and I think I can immediately make a positive contribution. If there are next steps, when should I expect to hear from you or HR?
Thank you for the time today! I learned a lot and nothing in the discussion or job description has scared me off. In fact, it really sounds like a role I’d enjoy. If there are next steps, when should I expect to hear from you or HR?
Interviewing isn’t easy
Most people find that interviewing is not easy. It can be stressful because there’s pressure to perform, especially for a role you really want. You don’t want to sound desperate, nervous, anxious, unprepared, etc.
Ultimately, even though it’s very important, it’s not life or death.
It’s not easy dealing with pressure in any situation (sports, acting, chess, etc.), but try to frame the interview as something positive thing no matter what. In this competitive job market, you’ve already caught the recruiter’s eye, made it past a screening, and possibly won over some interviewers. That’s an accomplishment!
Take what you’ve learned (both good and bad), make a note if necessary, and gear up for the next one. Maybe it’s detailing more experience on your resume, perhaps you need to knock out a certification to show people you’re continuing to learn, or maybe you just need to practice interviewing so you can feel calmer and smoother (like you are in your current role!).
Speak to your peers - you may know someone that can share some advice and perspective. For example, do you know a manager that regularly interviews people for a growing team? Do you know a colleague that has been through a few interviews recently that can share their experiences?
If, in fact, you were successful, well you’ve got other things to celebrate!
If there are any specific questions I can answer, I’d love to help if I can.