Arpad Szakal, ACC’s Post

If you are about to have an interview, I highly recommend reviewing this post (and its comments)! Refreshing ideas to reveal whether the role, the organización, the challenge, and the team seem more aligned to what YOU are looking for. #dailytip #follow #recruiter #recruitmenttips #hrworld #leadership

Sometimes it just feels, organisations make the interview process difficult because they could. Don't you think, it would be better if we conduct as minimally as possible rounds ?. Also to make the interview process interesting or candidate friendly, why not pick some problems from the sprint jira board and discuss & see how the candidate approaches?. At the end of the day, when the candidate joins, these kinds of things will be assigned to him/her to work upon. Remember, don't disclose the exact things because it could cause compliance issues. Also if a candidate is good enough to go through and approach the problems you are resolving in your organisation, I think, we shouldn't just throw to go through more and more interview rounds on the candidate's face. If you can't trust the candidate in 2 rounds, mark my words, you won't be able to trust even after 20 rounds. This is again just a random number. I am not setting any norms on how many rounds should be taken?. Moreover, the process is equally mutual on the paper, it should be in reality also. It's not just the salary for which even after getting a job offer, candidates still think to look out. If you make them feel not so good while interviewing, they might get a question in their head, I tolerated a few things in the interview, what if it gets more intolerable after I join. Last but not the least, communication related to feedback, is very important. Make a survey, most candidates will like to get feedback even if the verdict says it's negative. Sometimes the recruiters just say, they will get back but they never. After spending so much time in the process, we deserve the least, not to be ghosted out. If you ever get fortunate, you will get a constructive feedback from the recruiter with a very detailed analysis so that you could work upon and apply with them after few months or years depending on you. The interview process is a very broad topic to discuss upon. But these are a few things that could make the candidates feel comfortable while going through it as they must be going through an enormous amount of stress already due to the interview prep. You may have a different opinion, feel free to add. #niladri_speaks #interview #interviewprocess #retrospection

One of the biggest misses a candidate falls into in an interview process with a company is failing to convince the stakeholders of your ability to add value early on in the process. This is especially true when a Private Equity investor is involved. You passed the paper test and now you have your interview. For some reason, a lot of people focus on the "what's in it for me" during an interview process early on (what does work/life balance look like, how many days from home, etc.) If you want to move past the first date, don't. Those items are relevant, yes, but your mission as a candidate needs to be geared towards receiving an offer. You put your name in the hat, now show up. I often tell candidates as a partial joke that "you cannot turn down an offer you haven't received". There is always a fit component involved and it is very true that people hire people they like. However, it is challenging for you to change your "culture profile" as it is composed of what makes you tick and the character you possess. Therefore, it is far more important at the early stages of the process to convince the stakeholders that you can add value. This isn't simply a matter of talking shop and sounding smart, especially when dealing with other bright and highly successful individuals. You have to demonstrate both the strategic thought process necessarily to do the job AND the ability to execute the plan and deliver results. The best way to do this is to share prior experiences that are relevant. Communication is key. Yes, you don't want to come across as arrogant but you need to state clearly and concisely what you personally accomplished and how you did it. Use actual facts as data evidence (we did A, and my role was Y, and the result was $X00M in cost savings). Sometimes when you show up for the first interview, you may not be aware of the major challenges a role will face or the areas of opportunity. If you can, try to flush these out with thoughtful questions as early in an interview as is possible. "Miss Hiring Manager, I understand that you're hiring for X and I get the gist of what that role does at other organizations. Could you share a bit more about what your vision of this role is and the value this position will drive? That will also help me highlight the most relevant experiences I've had that align." Of course you want the interview to be a dialogue, but there's nothing wrong with leading the conversation. Remember, your number 1 goal is to sell yourself and if you aren't certain what they're looking to buy, ask to find out. At the end of the day, it isn't the most qualified candidate who ultimately gets the job. It is always the candidate who can articulate and demonstrate that they are the most qualified candidate who gets the job. Communication skills > hard skills as business is always about people. #privateequity #recruiting #interviewtips #GVentures

When you make it to these interviews the recruiter and hiring manager have already confirmed you are qualified for the job, now they are assessing if you will work well with the teams across the organization, if your communication skills will engage others, and how you will impact your co-workers and the success of the company.  Remember, to ask the recruiter for a prep call and information in an email before every step and request feedback after each interview whether they share it or not. Always ask.  The team or panel interview is typically a few people from cross-functional teams that you may work with. If you submitted a business case or case study then this is probably when you will present and discuss it.  You should anticipate that they will ask follow-up questions to learn more about your thought process and what it would be like to collaborate or depend on you for a solution. They might ask your reasons for specific assumptions, what data you would rely on if the situation changed, or the trade-offs you would make. Prepare to communicate your thoughts technically and non-technically and tell them how your solution will affect each of their functions to demonstrate your consideration and understanding of their roles. Not every position will require a leadership interview, but when it does, you will meet with a director or higher, and occasionally a member of the C-Suite. They shouldn't be engaged in the things you do every day. Leadership is interested in knowing how well-versed you are in the field and how your work directly affects the organization's success. When you prepare, modify your career examples to highlight the high-level strategic impact of your work throughout the company.  The culture interview is probably someone who has been at the company for a long time and knows the ecosystem well. Not only are they curious about your ability to broaden their horizons intellectually, but they are also curious about how you might impact your colleagues on a social level. In order to show them how approachable, adaptable, and open you are, this is usually a casual conversation in which you share your experiences and the lessons you've learnt.  Each step of the interview process has a goal to learn and assess something different about you.  Read the blog to learn more here https://buff.ly/3Q8wmYx & read about how our #interviewcoaching helped our clients land new jobs, promotions, and salary increases on our testimonials page !  We provide our clients with our Interview prep worksheet and access to our entire team's network so you have everything they need!  Questions? Book a free session with one of our coaches! #careercoach #interviewcoach #interviewprep#interviewpractice #careercoaching #careercoaches#jobsearchcoach #careerpivot#careertransitions#resumeadvice #jobsearchadvice #recruiters#hiringmanagers #remotejobs 

So, you got a call from a recruiter about the job you applied for online and now it’s time to prepare for an interview... For many job seekers, this is the first time they have worked with a recruiter. While an experienced recruiter will take the time to fully prepare you, this can be an BIG area of opportunity that is missed by inexperienced candidates. Asking smart questions to your recruiter gives you the first opportunity to make a lasting impression. A recruiter has a relationship with the hiring team and will be your advocate throughout the interview and hiring process. Taking the time to discuss these things beforehand shows that you are committed to your success. Here’s a comprehensive list of smart questions to ask your recruiter BEFORE an interview. 📌Interview Logistics: → What date and time will the interview be? Confirm time zones! → What format will the interview be? Phone call, video call, does this interview require me to download specific apps or software? → What is the appropriate dress code for this interview? → What is the company’s typical interview process look like? A series of calls? → How much time can I expect between interview steps? → How long do you anticipate the interview to take? → Will the company require me to provide samples of my work? → Can the company accommodate any special needs I have? → Is there a skills/competency test or assessment I need to prepare for prior to the interview? → What kind of follow up timeline can I expect after the interview process is complete? 📌About the Interview: → Who in the company will I be interviewing with? → How many people will be interviewing me on this call? → What kind of interview questions can I expect? → Do you recommend a certain type of interview format I should follow for my responses? (For example: S.T.A.R.) → What skills and competencies do you recommend I highlight during the interview? 📌About the Position: → What can you tell me about the company culture? → What can you tell me about the team I will be working with? → Is this role expected to be in-person, fully remote or hybrid? → Why did this role become available? → How long has this role been open? → How quickly does this role need to be filled? → Do you know how many other candidates are interviewing for this role? → What candidate qualities do you think are most important to the hiring team? Recruiters, have any good questions to add? Drop them in the comments below. Job seekers feel free to pass this list on to anyone you know who could use the help! #interviewprep #recruiting #staffing #tipsfromarecruiter #interviewtips

This was around the COVID period when I was first given the responsibility to recruit a huge team and my first thought was, "What makes a good interview process?" I decided to start by remembering my own experiences as a candidate and noting them in my diary as a habit to pen down my thoughts (certainly respecting the pre-defined guidelines). I noted things such as: What did I like the most about the process/interviewer? What I didn't like about the process/interviewer? I remembered the interviews where I had enough space to talk and where the questions made me think. I liked knowing exactly where I stood at the end of an interview. Hence, I wanted to create a process that felt good for the person being interviewed and also met what the organization needed. So, I used these memories to create an interview style that I thought would work well. Of course, subject matter expertise needs a different pool of questions. As I began interviewing people, I saw many different reactions. The best part was seeing people who desperately needed the job get it. Some were so happy, they cried. Honestly a couple of times it was difficult to hold my emotions seeing them, but I managed. But not every part of the job was easy. Sometimes, I had to tell people we couldn't hire them. That was hard. I tried to give them useful feedback, but not everyone took it well. Some were thankful, but others didn't want to hear it. Each of these experiences taught me something. What I've learned is that recruiting is not just about finding the right person for the job. It's about treating each candidate with respect, giving clear feedback, and sometimes making tough decisions. Every interview is a chance to learn something new, both about people and about myself. It's a big responsibility, but it's also really rewarding and satisfying because of its WHY. There is no real conclusion to this post, except to say that whatever you do, do it with empathy. The goal should always be a win-win situation for both the organization and the candidate. This approach may not always be the easiest, but it is certainly the most rewarding. Thanks to all the members of the Talent Acquisition fraternity who approach this work with a balance of full empathy and objectivity, striving for a win-win while touching lives beyond just the resumes. 🙌 Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences as an interviewer/interviewee. What lessons have you learned, and how do you incorporate empathy into your professional journey? Feel free to share in the comments! #recruitment #talentacquisition #empathyinaction #winwin

I have yet to find a way to learn everything I need to know about a candidate during the interview process. And no, I don't think a longer process is the answer. Here are the three tactics I've been using instead to determine if a candidate is a good fit: 1. Press for specifics. Don't just ask if they have experience with something (you can see that on their resume), ask the candidate how they specifically used a tool or skill to solve a problem. After they answer, keep asking questions about that situation. It's not about a right or wrong answer, it's about understanding the true scope of their experience. 2. Allow candidates to follow-up. Is it important for people to be able to think on their feet? Sure. But is it the only thing that matters when interviewing a candidate? Nope. If you ask for more specifics but the candidate is getting a bit hung up, offer for them to follow up after (email, Loom, etc) with a response. Then move on. Interviews are not a pop quiz. 3. Spend more time preparing. As the interviewer, it's your job to keep the interview focused and on-topic. It's easy to go down a rabbit hole with a candidate on something that's irrelevant to the role. In a first interview, you should focus on the topics that are critical to being successful in the role. Spend more time reviewing their resume, picking out specific items you want to dig into further, and having a list of must-discuss topics. Many interviewers jump in with standard questions, but having a plan for the specific candidate will help you get the most out of your time together. You can offer to take them to lunch or coffee later to talk more casually about their interests and get to know them more as a person. What are other interviewing strategies you've used to help learn more about candidates without extending the process? #hiring #interviewing

Having read my tips for applicants, someone asked about some tips for hiring managers. As I come out of several interviews, here you have some tips fresh from the oven: 1. Do your homework. Know the candidates' profiles and write down your curiosity lines so you can follow up. Why did they stay so long or so short on that job? Why are they jumping or staying or not moving? Anything that sparks your curiosity. Do you know any listed supervisors? Follow your gut (it is not your gut; it is the part of your brain that is not linked to communication; thus, it cannot 'speak' to you!) 2. Relax and help the candidates (and the panel) have fun. Your job is to get the best out of the candidates, not to put them to the test (unless your gut is saying something is not adding up!). Recruiting is so serious that you cannot be serious while interviewing. Laugh, crack a joke, offer coffee. Help them shine, but take notes of what you're not satisfied with. Smile throughout! The interview should be light, fun, and friendly. The debrief with the panel will be heavy, cold, and thorough. 3. Park your ego and identify your biases. This is not about you. Yes, you have the power, but it has been given solely to get the best possible person to achieve results. Beware of your likes and dislikes, and be open about your biases with the panel members. Help each other mitigate them. If you think you have no biases, hurry to the mirror! We all have plenty; the sooner we identify them, the better equipped we'll be to mitigate them. 4. Be curious and spontaneous; leave your bureaucratic comfort zone. The questions and the protocol are mechanisms to ensure fairness and get information from the candidates about their capabilities, skills, competencies, personalities, likes, and dislikes. They do not bind your brain and judgment. If you are not getting what you need, be fair to the candidate and ask again or differently. It is in your best interest to get the best person to deliver results, not the best interviewer. Beware of those that tell you all you want to hear. Chances are you're listening to yourself and your biases! 5. Face the music and give feedback: During an interview, only you, the hiring manager, can make a mistake. Time will tell if you made the right decisions or not. In any case, it is your decision, and candidates deserve an explanation about it. Be sincere, clear, and well-intentioned. No one likes to be told they were not selected, but we all appreciate being given the respect and courtesy of a truthful explanation, even if we disagree. By the way, if your feedback is that they should have given better examples, remember you are the master of ceremonies of that event. You could have asked then! It is not about the answers but what you concluded from them. GOOD LUCK

How successful candidates get the job offer: The interview process is an opportunity to sell your skills to the employer. Like how the buyer's needs are uncovered in sales, you must discover what the employer's hiring need is. And you do that by asking questions. Here is the scenario: In every interview, you’ll get the typical “Tell me about yourself.” You do not tell them your life story and wait for the next question. Instead, you strategically answer with a 1-2 minute elevator pitch. Directly following your elevator pitch, explain why your experience is relevant to the job (you were given an interview after all) and ask a question that further clarifies the role. For example, it may sound like: “Given my experience with xyz technologies, this role aligns well based on the company’s initiatives. What parts of my background piqued your interest that I can elaborate on?" “When looking at the role, I was curious about a-b-c. Can you tell me more about what that looks like?” With these questions, the interviewer will share more about the role (both implicitly and explicitly) and what need it fills for the company. That is your chance to align your experiences with their need using the STAR method, telling a story that is timely and relevant. It’s important to remember this is a two-way conversation, not a one-way interrogation. You need to be asking the interviewer just as many questions as they’re asking you. Following your answers with a relevant next question shows that you are engaged and have given the opportunity a lot of thought. Some other questions that I like to ask throughout the interview: “What are some of the challenges the team is currently facing and what are the potential skill gaps?” “What is expected to be accomplished in this role in the first 3 months, 6 months, and year?” “How can the person hired for this role immediately make an impact?” Keep in mind that your questions need to be open ended, they cannot be yes/no questions. The interview is a chance for you to match your experience with their needs, and the best way to do that is by addressing their needs head on. --- Looking for talent and market advice? Send me a message and we can discuss your current strategies. #InterviewStrategy #Recruitment #Talent

Our latest blog delves into the world of interview questions that truly test an applicant's quick-thinking abilities. We've gathered insights from top industry experts, including CEOs and HR Directors, who share their favorite questions that will keep candidates on their toes during interviews. From questions about overcoming professional failures to adapting to unexpected challenges, these questions reveal a lot about an applicant's adaptability, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Thanks to Janelle Owens Zak Michalyshyn Steven Mostyn Linn Atiyeh Brendan Bray Megan Blanco, MBA Ben Schwencke Julia Kelly Phil McParlane Jaanus Põder Sebastian Morgan Martin Potocki So, if you're curious about how these questions can help you find the best talent for your company, read here: https://lnkd.in/d2n7tEcQ #interview #jobs #recruitment