Interview Guide

Table of contents

Interview prepPrepare your pitchInterview questionsQuestions to askInterview dayFollow upFollow up template

Interview prep

Do research and take notesView the company's websiteProduct: what is the 30-60 second elevator pitch?

Careers: Look at the details of the role you are interviewing for.What is it like to work there?

About us: when was the company founded? By who?

Research the company on CrunchbaseFunding, employee size, founded date, news, and competitors.Dive deep into this stuff!

Research the company on LinkedInInterviewers: what the backgrounds of the people you areinterviewing with? Do you have anything in common with them(past employers, college, activities)? Do you have commonconnections?

Connections: are you connected with anyone that works there? Ifso, speak with them to learn more about the company and role.

Employees in your desired role: what are the backgrounds of thecurrent employees that are in the role that you are interviewingfor?

Pro tip: send LinkedIn connection requests to the people youwill be interviewing with. In the body of the request write "I amvery excited about the opportunity and I look forward tospeaking with you."

Prepare your pitch

Set yourself apartPitch the companyWhat is the company’s value prop?

What is it they are uniquely bringing to the market that no othercompany brings?

Who are their competitors? How does the company you areinterviewing for stand out?

Pitch yourself

Be prepared to talk to all the information you have included onthe resume that you submitted for the given job and beprepared to explain each bullet point with an example -- tell astory. Remember: Stories sell, information tells! (so don't just listoff what you did, paint a vivid picture!)

Be prepared to talk in specific terms about your interest in thejob and the employer. Be able to answer "Why are youinterviewing for this position?” with a well thought out, articulateresponse.

How have your past successes and experiences prepared you tobring value to the company and success in the role?

Why are you the best fit for the role?

Interview questions

Write down and practice your answers to the commoninterview questions below

“What’s your biggest weakness?”Think of a genuine issue you have as well as ways you havemanaged to work with/around it (“I’m not naturally a veryorganized thinker, but I’ve become very organized on paper andin my personal space as a result”).

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”Be honest about what your greater aspirations are (ex. goingback to school, starting your own business); ambition is a verydesirable trait in an employee.

“Why do you want this job?”You can answer the question by using it as a way of highlightingyour skills (“I shine in fast-paced, high-pressure situations andwould love to have the opportunity to cultivate my talents here”).

“Why did you leave your last job?”Don't act bitter or lay blame, as this will make you lookungracious and hard to work with and try to put a positive spinon things.

Pro-Tip: Don't be afraid to admit that you don't know something.While you definitely want to seem knowledgeable, don't lie tomake it seem like you know something you don't. You probablywon't fool your interviewer, and admitting to not knowingsomething is much more impressive than lying during yourinterview.

Common questions you'll be asked

Questions to ask

Interviewer specific"Why did you leave [past employer] to join [company]? How doyou like it here?"

"When you look at the above-average performers and averageor under-performing people on your team, what are thecharacteristics of the above-average?"

"What would you say have been the biggest surprises for youafter joining the company?"

Company specific

"What new markets are the company planning to explore in thenext couple of years?” or “What professional growthopportunities are tailored for this role?” Both show that youwant to be on the same page as the people you’ll be workingfor."

"What is the company's growth trajectory? Do you plan to haveanother round of funding? If so, what do you plan to using thefunding for? What's the exit strategy?"

Pro tip: talking and listening should be split around 50/50. Don’ttalk 80% of the time, it’s a turn off and doesn’t show that you’re agood active listener. Also, ask questions to bond with theinterviewer and project your enthusiasm. Inquire about his/herposition and background.

Prepare 5+ questions

Interview day

The basicsIt's better to overdress than underdress. We alwaysrecommend that you wear a suit.

Get a good nights rest and show up to the office 15minutes early. (General life tip: 5 minutes early is ontime, "on time" is late).

Bring positive energy and smile.

Be honest. The company will likely do backdoorreference checking.

Sell yourselfExplain why you are the perfect fit for the job. #own-it!

The more you prepare and research the better off you'llbe.

Be articulate. Keep answers short and simple, and backup points with examples.

The closeAsk each interviewer if they have any hesitations movingforward with you. Reiterate your excitement about theopportunity. Ask them about next steps.

Some tips

Follow up

Follow ups are extremely important

Collect business cards from everyone you speak to.

Send follow up emails within 24 hours and send handwritten cards too! Even if you don't move on, the handwritten cards make an impact and you never know you'llcome across again later in your life and career.

Follow up templateHi [First name],

Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule tomeet me and discuss the [position] currently available at[company name].I enjoyed learning about the [product / service].

Obviously, to sell [product/service] to prospective customers,one has to be good at prospecting, connecting with leads anddemonstrating that he or she understands their situation to gainthe trust needed to move forward.

I believe that I can bring these strengths to your organization;-First, you recall my [your background].-Second, my success [XYZ] gave me a more comprehensiveunderstanding of real business issues. I feel this will allow me tomap [company’s product] to customer needs very professionallyand efficiently.-Finally, I have the drive to learn the solution offering, the[market] and [company name] culture as the means to ensuremy success as part of your team.

If you have any feedback or questions that were left unansweredfrom our meeting, please let me know.

Again, thank you so much for your time and the opportunity. Ilook forward to hearing back from you soon.

Kind regards,[Your name]

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