A Successful Interviewing Mentality
This article will cover the stages of a generic interview process and will aim to ease any unknowns or apprehensions that you may have around the complexity of the process.
Being able to prepare your own thoughts proactively throughout a process is invaluable to securing your dream job.
1st Stage – Intro Call
The first stage of the interview process is usually a phone screen. This is likely with a HR representative, however, can sometimes be with the hiring manager, nevertheless, it is generally less technical and more of a learning process for both parties.
The mentality going into the first stage can be relaxed but professional. There is no need to feel intimidated from taking a 1st stage interview, there are no underlying obligations at this stage and it is just as much of a fact-finding experience for the candidate as it is for the hiring manager.
The purpose of the first stage is to gather an overarching impression of the company, team structure, and position to assess whether this could be the right opportunity for you. It is ok to still have questions following this stage, as long as you have a general idea that this is a company you are interested in working for.
2nd Stage – The Technical
The second stage is generally a video call or an on-site with the hiring manager and/or the team. This conversation is more technical, giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and ability.
Your mentality heading into the 2nd stage of an interview process is that this is you showing what you can do. Collaborating well with the team on problem-solving live, or giving examples of when you have done that in the past is always a great asset, whilst clearly showing where you contribute and what you bring to the table.
What you want to establish in your mind from the technical interview is do I enjoy this work? Can I see myself working within this team? What type of work will I be undertaking in the day to day of this position?
Establishing answers to these questions will set you up well after the 2nd stage to create a clearer picture if this is the right position for you.
3rd Stage – The Final
The final stage is with a higher-level manager within the company. For most companies, it will be a VP or CEO and will cover topics such as aims, goals, and career trajectory.
At this stage, you want to definitively gain a clear picture in your mind of whether you want this position or not. Once you have a personal understanding of this you can then establish what offer you would need to get from the company to happily accept a position there.
A benefit of working with a recruitment consultant at this stage is you can be transparent with the recruiter on your thoughts and where an offer needs to be for you to accept. This mindset can be scaled to any level of compensation package.
Once you have finished your final interview, answer two simple questions; Do I want this job? How much do I need to be offered to accept the position?
Once you have definitives on these questions, you can work closely with your recruiter to attain the ideal offer for your ideal position.
If you are interested in finding a new position, have a looking at the Adapt Talent vacancies page, or contact us today.
