Andrew Bateman’s Post

I've been an interviewee for over a decade, and I've never been disqualified in an interview for any of the following: - Asking for time to write down the question - Using notes or materials I brought - Asking them to repeat a question - Pausing to build my answer - Asking to clarify the question - Asking a hard question about the company - Asking a tough question about the management style at the company It's fine to control the pace and tone of the conversation. A good hiring manager wants the best version of you during the interview. That way they know what they're getting. Ask for what you need. Rock the interview. Stop worrying so much about all the little details. #interview #Job #Tech #IT

Is there such thing as TOO many questions during the interview process?   I've been in interviews when none are asked, and when a huge amount have been asked.   I personally don't think there's a limit once they're relevant (and haven't been covered previously).    Asking questions shows your interest and you'll inevitably gain a better understanding of the business and role - after all, it's a two-way street.   Take a few extra minutes to create a 'Pre-Interview' list, with several important things you'd like to learn about the company's culture, development opportunities, management, the overall business strategy, pipeline, and opportunities, (along with details of your role!)   As the great man Roy Keane once said "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail."

You can't vent about your current job during an interview. It's tempting! Let's face it, we've all been there. Sharing the 'real deal' is almost cathartic. But I'm afraid it's a trap. Interviews are showcases, not therapy sessions. Your recruiter ISN'T a therapist but feel free to vent to them instead. If your talk negatively about your current employer, it sends out red flags. It paints a picture of someone who might not handle future challenges gracefully. So, stay positive. Focus on what you've learned, how you've grown, and where you're headed next. It's about steering the conversation towards your potentials and aspirations.

I've seen a lot of good discussion about interviews today, which makes me question why we hire the way we do. From my experience across multiple companies, the standard approach of conducting several "behavioral" interviews doesn't seem to be effective. The outcome? A typical distribution of high, average, and low performers. When NextBoard begins hiring (fingers crossed!), I'd like to take a different approach. Yes, we'll conduct interviews, but not an endless series. Instead, we'll complement one or two brief conversations with practical assessments like mock cases and lean heavily on references. Hearing from someone else that a candidate is a rock star is far more valuable to me than hearing it from the candidate themselves. What do you think?

You know what I love? When I hear a company say they want to move fast in hiring. It's exciting to be rushed through multiple rounds of interviews. I love the feeling of urgency and energy that suggests they see my value and are eager to bring me on board. But what happens after all that energy and emotion, when I am met with silence? No follow-up. No updates. Just radio silence for weeks. This scenario has become all too familiar for me, and I’m sure many of you can relate. It’s disheartening and confusing. How can there be such a rush to interview and then no communication at all? What is happening behind the scenes that us candidates are missing?

I’ve interviewed for over 100+ hours in the last 60 days. and this interview hack 4X my productivity without me even knowing. Let me break it down: The hack: Scheduling back-to-back 15-minute interviews. Here's the scenario: 100s of applicants. One significant role. Limited time. We used to run hour-long interviews. Sounds thorough, right? Wrong. It was draining, blurred our judgment, and honestly, it wasn't necessary. Then we tried something new… Rapid-fire, 15-minute interviews. One after another. And wow, what a difference! Imagine this: In the space of two hours, you've met eight candidates. Fresh, focused, and without any dull moments. It's like speed dating for recruitment. You get a snapshot of each candidate - their energy, confidence, quick thinking. The real magic? The power of comparison. When interviews are spread out, details fade. But stack them together? You instantly recall who stood out, who was just not quite right, and who had that spark. It's not just about saving time. It's about clarity. Seeing candidates back-to-back sharpens your decision-making. You're not just choosing the best of the day; you're choosing the best, period.

This 1 piece of advice changed how I interviewed –  managers need people ASAP! Think from a hiring manager’s perspective: - They have targets to meet - Reports to make and present - Daily stand-ups with the team - Meetings to attend with the higher-ups Their lives are too busy to have hundreds of interviews for a position. Prepare to impress the hiring managers. Here are 5 quick tips to get there: - Demonstrate that you are coachable. - Your appearance matters – dress to impress. - Prepare well for the questions expected in the interview. - Ask insightful questions to show that you aren’t an amateur. - Tell your achievements that show you can get great results for the new team. Impress the hiring managers and you’ll shorten your distance to getting the offer letter.

Thanks Delia Caluser for sharing your valuable inspiration. We have all had our share of experiences. Understanding what a candidate feels (me being one of them) in such situations is crucial for ensuring a positive and respectful interview process. Here are some best practices I adopted: 1. Empathy: I put myself in the candidate's shoes, imagining how it would feel to undergo a lengthy and disorganized interview process. This helps me empathize with their potential frustrations and concerns. 2. Transparency: I strive to maintain transparency throughout the process by clearly communicating expectations, timelines, and any potential challenges the candidate may face. This helps build trust and ensures that candidates are fully informed. 3. Feedback: I actively seek feedback from candidates about their experience during the interview process. This could be through informal conversations or structured feedback surveys. Understanding their perspective allows me to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments. 4. Respect for Time: I prioritize respecting the candidate's time by keeping the interview process streamlined and efficient. This means minimizing unnecessary rounds, providing timely updates, and scheduling interviews at convenient times. 5. Continuous Improvement: I regularly review and refine our interview processes based on feedback from candidates and internal stakeholders. This ensures that we are constantly striving to create a positive and respectful experience for all candidates. By adopting these practices, I aim to create an interview process that not only identifies the best talent but also respects the time and experiences of all candidates involved. Could you share your own experiences and discuss how you envision a more pleasant interview process? Would love to improvise my best practices 😊. #interviewexperience #jobsearch #CareerGoals #JobInterview #professionaldevelopment

Welcome back to the third series of our Interview tips and tricks! With the evolving talent acquisition landscape, virtual interviews are the new normal. If you are applying for your first job, or looking for a better growth opportunity, it's equally crucial to be adaptive and well prepared for your virtual rounds of interview. In this series, we are here to share expert advice to help you stand out and make a great impression. Follow us to stay updated and ensure you don't miss our upcoming series!

Why does it take 12 days to provide feedback post interview? On average people that have been interviewed are waiting almost two weeks to find out how they got on. There's nothing quite like a lengthy wait to make you feel special. There's absolutely no way those interviewees are questioning everything they said, did or replaying the interview over and over. Absolutely not. No way... We bet you don't make your internal applicants wait two weeks, so why do it to others? "But the hiring manager is too busy..." This. Is. Not. An. Excuse. This merely drives home how little you think of the hiring process and how little you care about the people at the centre of it. As soon as you leave that interview, you know what you think of that person, the good and not so good bits. But, if nothing else, the very least you can do is be transparent. Tell people they'll be waiting weeks. If you can't get your act together, stop putting the burden on the candidate. If you want to wait, let them know so they can make a decision with all the relevant information to hand. You might lose them to someone else, but if that's your concern then they must have been good, so what are you waiting for? #PeopleFirstCandidatesSecond #Hiring #HiringIsBroken #ChangeIsComing