We have all heard the interview horror stories. To help ease the nerves a bit, we have gathered the top tips from our Talent Acquisition team here at Aviatrix. These are some of the fool-proof ways to get the most out of your interview.

Photo credit: Photo by Christina @ Wocintechchat via Unsplash

Preparation basics.

Do your homework, just as if meeting a customer for the first time. At a minimum:

• Be able to describe what the company does.
• Investigate potential interviewers via LinkedIn and Google. Often, at Aviatrix, you will find that your interviewer is an accomplished speaker or podcaster, which can supply content you can review.
• Ask your talent advisor (recruiter) for resources. At Aviatrix, we have managers who openly outline their technical interview.
  1. Customer Solution Architect interview info
  2. Technical Marketing Engineer interview info
  3. Aviatrix Solutions Architects Zone – Cloud Networking Community

Prepare questions.

Interviewing is like dating. Hiring managers get most excited about candidates who seem the most engaged and interested! Asking job-related questions will help display your seriousness. When preparing, you will likely think of questions about the company and the job. Jot those down and take them to the meeting(s). The interview is your opportunity to create dialogue and build rapport with interviewers. With relevant and purposeful questions, you will understand the opportunity better and whether it maps to your career goals.

• Understand the job requirements and the “nice to haves.” This should be top of mind. What will you be doing and what skills does the manager require you to have?
• If you do not have all the required or desired skills, just say so. It is helpful when candidates confess, “I haven’t done that yet, but would love to learn.”   Nobody is perfect.
• Think of the best manager and environment you experienced in your career. Notice the qualities of those and prepare questions to figure out if the interviewing manager and company can supply what you need to produce your best work.

Prep answers.

If you can answer the following questions for yourself, you will have much to pull from when answering interview questions.

• Think of two or three of the most impactful initiatives on which you worked or led. What/who was difficult about it? What is your superpower?
• If you were the CEO, would you hire you? Highlight those qualities.
• Boost your ego – read former performance reviews. “In my last performance review, my manager commented X, Y, Z.”
• Don’t be shy – highlight recognition awards, volunteer activities, or special achievements.

Breathe.

The Scientific American article, “Proper Breathing Brings Better Health,” outlines breathing techniques to reduce anxiety. Great news; when these are practiced regularly, you will enjoy overall less stress.

Speak deliberately.

It is natural to speak quickly when you are nervous or excited. When this happens, there is a tendency for the interviewer to miss some details. Also, avoid rambling by remembering exactly what question you are answering. If the interviewer asks you to elaborate, do so, but start in a concise manner answering the question and then taking a pause.

Be authentic.

Nobody likes canned ham, canned answers, or canned people. The beauty of our team is that we are all genuinely different – and we welcome those differences. Bring yourself to the interview, in all your imperfect glory.

Reasons for leaving jobs.

Be able to succinctly explain why employment ended at each job. Did you leave for money? Or too long a commute? Be careful with this since it creates some questions that you will do the same again. Also, state clearly if a former manager recruited you to a new position, as that is evidence of splendid work.

What is in it for you?

Topics such as benefits, compensation, stock options, etc. are best handled by the recruiter. Your interviews with the hiring manager and other interviewers should focus on understanding the role and your ability to do that job.

Know your resume.

Be prepared to talk about whatever you have listed. Have it in front of you, in fact, during the meeting, should the interviewer ask you about something specific.

“I” vs “We.”

Highlight your specific role when talking about projects! Did you own the project or were you part of a team? Purposefully say “I” or “we.” Some people use the term “we” and it can lead interviewers to believe that you cannot perform that same work individually.

Close the deal.

If you like what you are learning in the meeting, say so. Back to the dating analogy, ask for the next date (step). Take the process as far as you can. This may be as simple as saying, “This sounds like a great fit so far. What is the next step?” or as playful as saying, “When can I start?”

Remember, the interviewer is trying to determine your strengths, and your areas to learn and develop. There will be questions you do not answer gracefully – and that is ok. You are not expected to ace every question.

So, breathe (#4!) and enjoy meeting other people who are focused on building the future of multi-cloud networking. Download our Interview Prep Guide to get ready for your interview.