Section 14: Interviewing
Understanding the goal at each phase can help in setting yourself apart from the competition.
Instead of viewing the interview process from the candidate side, let's think about it through the eyes of the hiring team.
The reason the team is hiring is because there's a need or problem to solve for.
Hiring the most qualified candidate will solve the problem and make everyone's life easier.
Understanding this single sentence will make everything that follows much clearer. For the hiring team, the goal is to find the most qualified candidate. The process of finding them looks like this:
Application Phase
Prior to the job being posted, the hiring manager and recruiter often meet to discuss the qualifications, experience, and skills the ideal candidate would have. The job is then posted for candidates to submit their applications.
The hiring team's goal is to collect a diverse pool of highly qualified candidates. In this example, let's say 100 candidates apply. Your goal is to capture the recruiter's attention by being seen as one of the most qualified candidates.
Recruiter Screen
After the application window closes, recruiters review applications to find candidates that closely match what the hiring manager is looking for. Out of the original 100 candidates, they might contact the top 5-10 candidates for a recruiter screen.
During this call, the recruiter confirms candidates meet the qualifications, learn more about their background, and ensure salary expectations align with the role. Your goal during a recruiter screen is to explain how you meet the qualifications and why you're the best person for the role.
Onsite/Panel Interviews
Following the recruiter screen, the top candidates (3-4 in this example) move on to the onsite/panel interviews phase. This might include one interview, multiple interviews, or a panel with multiple people at the same time.
The hiring team's goal is to find the most qualified candidate through in-depth questions about past experience and hypothetical "Imagine that you..." questions. Your goal is to position yourself as the top candidate with answers that connect your experience, problem-solving ability, and ambitions to the job description.
Job Offer/Negotiation
The hiring team narrows down their selection to a top candidate and maybe 1-2 alternates. An offer is presented to the top candidate.
The recruiter and candidate go back and forth until both parties agree on the salary, benefits, start date, etc. Your goal is to negotiate a fair and acceptable salary.
The interview process varies depending on the industry, company, job, and job level.
Some may be expedited and only consist of 1-2 interviews, while others include multiple phases taking place over many weeks. The recruiter is your best resource to clarify what the exact interview process will look like.