16 interview and hiring tips from 16 talent finding professionals

We’ve been asked if we have any tips for people who are going to interview, applying for positions to start their career, or how to get an interview on how to take their next step up the ladder.

Due to not being recruiters or have much experience with recruiting or going to interview we didn’t have many answers, let alone accurate or good answers.

We had similar questions asked about how women in tech could excel to which our answer was to get 30 tips from 30 women in tech and due to the success of that we’ve compiled one on recruitment.

In an attempt to answer the questions we’ve had over the past few weeks, help you further your career, and set yourself up for a strong start, we asked 16 different people who between them have extensive experience recruiting for global leadership roles to entry-level positions.

In a report by McKinsey & Company earlier this month, it said that “in the weeks from April 6 to 19, 2020, 23 percent of businesses had temporarily closed or paused trading, with around 60 percent of businesses that continued to trade reporting a fall in revenues.”

If you’re looking for an answer on what you can do during furlough or how you can set yourself up for that video interview, there’s advice in here to help you excel in your career.

If you’re a recruiter either for an agency, company, or self-employed, we now have a job board on our website where you can post your available positions for them to be seen by thousands of monthly returning and unique visitors.

If you find any of these tips helpful, please reach out to the person to let them know via their LinkedIn or leave a comment.

Additionally, let us know what you thought of the article by dropping us a comment and making sure you’re signed up to the newsletter to get more articles like this delivered directly to your inbox.

15 tips coming up

Molly Allen, Head of Data & Analytics, Oakwell Hampton and UK’s Most Inspiring Newcomer 2019 by The Recruiter

In today’s society I think it’s very easy to get wrapped up in the feeling that we’re not good enough or there are hundreds of people out there that could do a better job than we could, but this simply isn’t the case. It’s your uniqueness that makes you special. There will never be anyone else exactly like you, you have unique talents and you are the only person who thinks like you. Don’t sell yourself short, be confident (but not obnoxious) believe in your abilities and when you aren’t sure, express an eagerness to learn and develop. You can’t go wrong!

Creativity – This is something that is often overlooked. We’re all creative, despite us agreeing with it or not but what really will help you to stand out is by tapping into your creative mind. Thinking outside the box, innovation, and being authentic is extremely important.

Become an Expert – Understandably this comes with time but if you want to be in a position where you’re hard to replace and in high demand, you need to really know your stuff. Be inquisitive, take the time to read, attend the seminar, and free courses, and this not only means you’re more likely to excel in your career but also demonstrates passion.

Knowledge is power. I think it’s extremely important to do something you love. Now I appreciate not everyone knows from day one what their dream job is, and naturally this is a process but figuring this out should be the Number One priority. If you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life. You’ll naturally want to improve and continually learn which means you’re bound to be successful from being an expert at your trade.

Last but not least, research, research, research. Before you interview any company it’s extremely important to do your due diligence on the business and interviewers. I don’t know why but this is something people have simply stopped doing. Then it’s about asking thought-provoking questions and trying to understand what you have from a skills perspective or could do that would add value to this company. Why are your skills needed? What experience do you have that would be advantageous in this position? The more preparation you do, the more likely you’ll nail it.

Good luck!

Talitha Boitel-Gill, Associate Director, Harnham

The Data recruitment market remains fast-paced, so you need to move quickly and be decisive. You should keep your interview processes speedy and not look for candidates to complete any more than three stages. That being said, if you ask a candidate to complete a test or a task before ever speaking to you, don’t expect this to go over well. 

Furthermore, this isn’t a one-way process, so make sure you sell the role to your candidates as well. Be clear on what the role does, and doesn’t, offer so that you don’t have to repeat the process in a few months after they leave dissatisfied. Finally, make sure you come in with a fair offer as too often companies lose talent because they either under-offer, or aren’t competitive in their packages. 

Kerry Couldridge, Data Specialist, Morgan McKinley

It goes without saying that the Technology sector is constantly innovating and that makes it both a fascinating area to be in and fast-paced. As a result, engaging with others in the market and investing in your own development, either inside or outside of your professional commitments, goes a long way.

Our clients love to see candidates who are passionate about and dedicated to their specialist area, if they’re to invest heavily in you, they want to see that you also have invested in yourself.

Some simple (and free) ways of doing so could be; developing your tech skills using open-source software, attending conferences or meetups, engaging in conversations over LinkedIn, and publishing your own material/research.

The technology market is growing rapidly but so is the competition and so standing out is essential!

Emma Cowling, Leadership Coach, Emma Cowling Coaching; Women in Games Ambassador, Women in Games WIGJ

Your network can be invaluable for finding a job and making a career change, but do you know how to get the most from it? 

It can be pretty soul-destroying to work your way around your network asking if they have a job for you. Most of them won’t. But what they will have is a deeper insight into the sorts of jobs that are out there, and connections to people who may be looking. 

Most people are happy to help and support others in progressing their careers, so instead of trying to use your network to find a job, use it to research the type of role you’d like to do. 

Find people in jobs that you’re interested in and have conversations with them about their role. Find out what they do on a day to day basis, what they enjoy most, and what their biggest challenges are. This will not only give you insight on whether you’d really like the job that they are doing, but it also provides an opening for a discussion about your skills, what you’re interested in, and the sort of job you are looking for.

Instead of a short chat where they say they have no job for you, this type of conversation allows you to get deeper into talking about your motivations and desires, increasing the chance of you staying in their memory, so if they do come across a job that fits, they will be in touch. 

And at the end of the conversation, there’s no harm in asking if they can help you further your research by introducing you to a couple of other people working in this type of role – a great way to expand your network and increase your chance of connecting with someone who knows of a role for you. 

Harrison Goode, Co-Founder, Edge Tech Headhunters

Always use a specialist for your niche hiring

Yes, yes, yes you have an internal recruitment team that fills the majority of your roles from finance to IT, cleaners to HR. But what about those super niche roles for key projects that the company is embarking on? The ones that your internal team has never heard of until you tell them they need that seemingly mystical unicorn of a candidate. Use that specialist agency because if they are surely a specialist, they will have a network solely of those unicorns that seem to be impossible to find. Not only will this save you time but it will reduce your blood pressure having to worry about getting that important project off the ground!

Be agile

There is nothing worse than a company that aren’t agile when they hire. They boast about this capability once the employee works for the company, but the process doesn’t reflect this at all, and this can hurt you in more ways than one.

Firstly, it can put the candidate off, they’re thinking “if this process is 5 stages long and I have to meet the CEO’s pet dog along with the 15 board members, then what will it be like working there and trying to get things done”.

Secondly, time kills! If you have a two-week gap between interviews and that candidate has other things on the go. You can bet they will be gone before you’ve even given CV feedback. In such niche tech markets you need to act fast if you like someone. We’ve had a client turn a process around in 48 hours from CV submission to offer…now that’s how you do it in 2020.

Adapt. If a certain stakeholder is on maternity leave or in the Bahamas on holiday for two weeks CHANGE THE PROCESS. Add someone else in, do a skype, just whatever you do, don’t keep things as they are. If you’re reluctant to change then what will the candidate think about how the rest of the business reacts to change?

Daniel Holdsworth, Analytics and Data Science Recruiter, PeopleGenius

Over the recent lockdown PeopleGenius have still been very active and have live roles we’ve been arranging interviews for, though this has turned into more Teams and Zoom Interviews as you would expect. We’ve had some incredible Interviews which we’ve virtually sat in on – and there have been a few hiccups. The Top Tips from the team at PeopleGenius for your Video Interviews are as follows, with some more detail below in how to truly prepare for non-technical Interviews remotely.

• Make sure there will be NO interruptions – NONE! Even if this means you have to re-arrange the meeting, this is nowhere near as catastrophic as having your roommate, toddler, partner, or postman walk in on the interview and that be how the Interview is remembered.
• Have your CV, the role profile, and anything pertinent to the Interview at hand. Whether this is printed out or files open on your device. You cannot remember everything – having information readily available and the ability to cross-check is really useful
• Eye Contact – Really. Wondering eyes give the impression of a lack of focus or even worse – not being truthful. Make sure you’re engaging with your audience and this means paying attention to their faces. Even if there are 4 people interviewing you – do the rounds with your eyes!
• Dress for an interview – fully. This needs no explanation

Competency-based and/or HR led Interviews can be a real test for some budding and even experienced Data Scientists. Competency-based Interviews in regards to soft skills are often the part where people of a more analytical persuasion can fall over. This isn’t where your comfort zone is, you’re not talking about your technical prowess nor any exciting projects you’ll get to work on — this is more about you and how you’ll fit in, the way you work with other people and whether you’re a good fit for the business.

This part of the interview is just as, if not more, important than the others. It could be the person conducting this side of the interview has the last say. Have a look over some example Competency-based questions such as ‘what’s your biggest weakness’, ‘what are your own standards of success’ or one of my favourites — ‘name a time when things haven’t gone your way and how did you overcome it’.

The interviewers will be looking for specific examples describing exactly what you did in certain situations, not what the team’s role as a whole was, or what you would do in a hypothetical situation. You can choose to use relevant examples from your current job, a previous role, or a situation outside of work altogether.

You will be asked to discuss the example in some detail. It is likely that the interviewers will then follow with some probing questions, possibly to clarify a particular point. They will be interested in the outcome of the situation, whether there was anything you learned from the experience etc. The interviewers want a lot more than one-word answers or statements.

This is a real opportunity to display character and grit and what you’re made of as a human being — it may not be your favourite part of the interview though do embrace it and treat it with as much respect as your Technical tests. At the end of the day — this business has seen your profile, they know you’ve got a degree in Comp Science / Stats and they know you can use Python or R — now they need to know who you are.

Jack Hollocks, Senior Recruitment Consultant, SR2 – Socially Responsible Recruitment

Whether remote or in-person the fundamentals of interview preparation are the same, with a few key areas to focus on. Make sure you know about the company, how they operate, and have some information to back up your thoughts. If you are going through a recruitment consultant they should be able to provide plenty of information here and help you out, if not look at the company’s blog posts and news articles to get a real feel for what is going on there. Next make sure you have really looked into what the role will, the method for this will be very similar to the above. Companies also quite often post interviews with employees to give a feel for what it is like, we are also seeing more and more companies making code available on Github to give you an idea of what they are working on. 

For your preparation, make sure you are familiar with your own CV as questions are likely to be asked here. Have an idea for responses you will have to questions around your choices, whether you are coming straight out of University or have made a career change… why? Your own strengths and weaknesses are always an awkward topic of conversation but if you can articulate your thoughts well on this it will go a long way. If you have completed a tech test already as part of the process have a look through for things you changed if you were to revisit it. Ask about the dress code, if they are relaxed then make sure to go smart casual to err on the side of caution

Finally don’t be late. Ever. Whether remote or in-person make sure you are ready to go 10 minutes before and nothing is going to distract or get in the way during the interview (phone, children, pets, etc.)

Outside of that do your best, learn from every interview, always ask for honest feedback. Good Luck!

Will Horner, Co-Founder, Edge Tech Headhunters

With the employment market in a state of flux, and Covid19 affecting the way people live their everyday lives, we’ve found that more and more organisations changing their selection and onboarding methods.

As an organisation we rarely work on graduate positions, however, we feel the key principals of role searching at the moment remain the same. In an already tough market place, it’s important to have a core focus and base your job search on well-researched sectors that interest you, it is important that you know what you want and what you are looking for – it becomes very apparent very quickly as a hiring manager that you are just looking for any job rather than starting a career. 

With new on-boarding methods (video interviews) it’s as important as ever to really demonstrate your personality, drive, and ambition. As a graduate, organisations really wish to understand your growth potential and aptitude for a certain position. Using grad sales as an example your educational background in some cases becomes null and void and your energy, resilience, and organisational skills really need to come to the fore.

Some key tips for nailing your video interview:

• Dress the part, make sure you are one notch above their company dress code (no this does not mean a tux)- make sure you wear smart shoes, even if you are in front of your laptop, it has an important psychological effect on you
• Eliminate all distractions – TV’s, pets, partners, open windows, etc.
• Lighting and neutral backgrounds are key – using lamps or natural light are best, avoid having a window/light directly behind you
• Make sure you use headphones and a mic and always sign on 10 minutes early in case you have technical issues

Richard Jackson, Founder and CEO, Oxygen Digital Recruitment

 As a strategic consultancy specialising in supporting business attract, retain, and promote AI & Data Science talent my advice is centered on this sector. The first thing to consider is what changes have we seen over the past months caused by the global pandemic? Initially demand has dropped significantly whilst the number of people actively looking for new positions has unfortunately gone up. This means the market has become a client-led one where businesses now have more choice but at the same time are likely to be more hesitant to hire based on the unknown of future restrictions/lockdowns and recessionary shifts in the industry. With all of these changes the one positive constant is that investment in Data initiatives is often seen as a positive one to help strengthen revenue channels and provide cost adaptation.

Should you find yourself in a position where you’re interviewing for a new job then the one question you must ask yourself is:

“How do I make sure I stand out from the crowd?”

For this we must think about what makes up the perfect candidate from an employer’s perspective? We would suggest a blend of technical knowledge vs professional experience vs cultural fit. This can then be broken down to help think about how we represent each of the 3 parts in the best possible way during an interview

Technical knowledge: If it’s on your CV be prepared to answer a technical question to a good depth of understanding. We can sometimes see 20 – 30 different technologies on a person’s CV these days but employers are becoming wise to this and will want to really dig through the surface to understand if you’ve actually used it or just seen it in a previous ecosystem. Businesses’ are often more interested in what’s gone wrong for you and how you’ve fixed it as opposed to what you say you can do. Think about examples of both success’ & failures then consider what you did to provide a solution. This really helps to back up positive statements.

Professional & cultural experience: From studies we’ve performed a large proportion (over 60%) of our customers value cultural fit over a technical one. Their view is that technology can be learned whilst the feel and communication of a team is the most important factor when it comes to building and integrating successful AI & data Science strategies. Get personal with your interviewer! Try and find common ground either through research prior to or by asking them about the social and cultural aspects of the business. This will show you care as much as they do.

The final piece of advice I would give is beware of the evolving Full Stack roles. We’re seeing DevOps, MLops, SR Engineers, Full Stack Developers, Full Stack Data Scientists. The lure of the “full stack” is likely to continue as business’ consider who to bring into their organisations in order to strengthen and grow. When it comes to Data Science specifically we’ve seen a big shift in business’ looking for people that are Engineers at heart and who love the input and engineering of data as much as the output. If you’re struggling to break into the world of Data Science now might be a good time to consider additional training within Data Engineering tools and technologies, development of personal projects, internships etc. in order to gain valuable experience that will help you stand out from the crowd.

Ryan Kirwan, Cybersecurity Recruiter, LTHarper

Preparing for interviews, whether they are face to face, video, or telephone, will always slightly differ. However, in all cases, there are several things to consider beforehand:

Utilising Job Specs:

Where possible it’s always helpful to have a job spec or a detailed piece of information outlining exactly what the role will entail and the type of experience the employer is looking to see. I’ll be the first to admit sometimes these job specs can be overkill and often confusing, but there will certainly be relevant information within them. I always advise my candidates to look at each of the responsibilities detailed and note down how their previous experience matches back to each one. This task helps to bring past experiences to the forefront of your mind and can be especially useful during telephone interviews as you can refer to the notes made.

Dress Code:

Given the current situation globally a lot of the interviews taking place are via telephone or video. When taking part in a video interview, I’d recommend wearing something smart – it’s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. Where possible do your research or ask about the dress code they adhere to in their workplace and take it up a notch to show you’re serious.

Always asks questions:

During an interview there will almost always be an opportunity for you to ask questions of the interviewer – an interview isn’t just about you selling yourself to the company but also about the interviewer selling the company to you. Prepare several questions prior and make the most out of this opportunity!

There is always one question I recommend you (the candidate) ask to show that you are not just thinking about what the job is going to do for you but how you can bring value to said business/company. This question is “What does success look like in the next 3-6 months for me in this role?”

Research:

There is no excuse to turn up to an interview without any prior knowledge of the company, especially in this day and age where almost all the information can be found online. Look at the company’s history, size, presence, and any recent news articles beforehand because often they’ll ask a question around your knowledge of the company.

Dan Lewis, Associate Director, Harnham

Before starting your hiring process, you should know what you are hiring an analyst or Data Scientist for. They are detail-oriented individuals, so if you mention projects and ideas in an interview, they will remember and expect to work on those should they get the role. If you don’t know why you need the analyst, they won’t see why they should join. Answer this ‘why question first before beginning any interviews.

Gemma Lockhart, Founder, GL Talent Consulting

Thorough research is key to a confident and ultimately successful interview. Start your research at least 3 days before the interview if you can. Don’t stop at the company website, watch video content, read articles, research into the leadership team, industry trends, competitors, and clients. The candidates who make the biggest impression ask the best questions during the interview. Prepare thoughtful questions in advance which will help you to maximise what you can learn about the company as well as showcase your knowledge. Finally, sending a follow-up email after the interview to thank the interviewer for their time and to reiterate your interest is a step that many people forget and is a further reminder of why you’re the best candidate for the job. 

Elizabeth Lions, President, LIONSOLOGY; Talent Advisor, FISERV; Career Coach/Leadership Development Coach

Follow up with the employer but be very sensitive. Your approach is everything. Rather than short emails asking where you stand in the process, ask the recruiter how they are during this time. Sensitivity, compassion, and humanity is key during a job search in the throws of COVID19. When the market opens back up, employers will remember you, not by your skillset, but in how you worked with them and approached them during the search. Understand that companies may not be able to tell you that their position is on hold or that they won’t be filling it right now. It will feel recruiters may not be honest, but in reality, they may not be able to disclose everything to the job seeker right now.  Some are unable to un-post roles and are told directly not to do that because it can cause negative market perception or impact their stock. Regardless, follow up, and above all be mindful of your approach.

Be video and camera-ready from everything from the interview to the negotiation. Getting comfortable being a professional on a Zoom call is the most critical skill you can gain right now. Understanding all the settings, functions, and qualities of the different online video platforms from SKYPE to Zoom are key so you’ll be tech-savvy for the interview. Considering video speed, checking your internet connection, and being comfortable on the camera will pay you dividends because trends are showing many large companies will not be back in their offices until early next year. Business is not usual. The ones that are the most competitive and that will land the quickest will be natural in a video interview or in person.

Robert Mitchell, Senior Recruiter – Data Science & Data Engineering, NP Group

Working in the Data Science technology space I have seen some companies stop hiring while others are moving forward as normal with adapted ways of onboarding, such as Video conference interviews and remote working with equipment sent to you if needed. Some people have been made redundant from their jobs, while others have been put on furlough and everyone is facing a lot of uncertainty as to how long this will continue, but the one thing we all share right now is TIME. Use this time wisely to add to your repertoire and sharpen your existing set of skills.

1. “Have code to show off” A lot of clients who hire data scientist’s and developers will normally ask for you to complete a coding test at stage 2 of interviews, but not many candidates know that to get a companies attention in the first place and secure a round 1 interview, a Github or another coding platform is a great way to show off your Python or other coding skills before they have even talked to you. With this in mind it’s a great time to do some coding katas and add lines to your Github to be viewed by employers when applying for jobs now or in the future.

2. “Learn something new” Over the last few years of working in the Data Science market I have seen growing demands for candidates with knowledge in areas such as NLP or Computer Vision, so If you have an MSc and good Python skills, now is the time to learn these other areas as sometimes employers only require “Knowledge of” and not commercial experience. This also applies to developers and engineers, if you are missing experience in things like AWS Cloud, Docker & Kubernetes or Non Relational databases now is the time to learn.

3. “Spice up your profile” When was the last time you updated your CV or your LinkedIn profile? Most candidates will just send out the same profile they had years ago with no updates made apart from adding a most recent position, well now is the time to clean it up. Make sure you highlight the most relevant tech skills you have for the job you want at the top of your profile, eg: Python and libraries like Pandas, Numpy, SK-Learn, Keras, etc Then highlight exactly what you did in your roles, how you helped those businesses or built that solution, so future employers can see relevance to their role straight away and of course mention clearly what you want from your next role or the future, you will be surprised how many candidates don’t even mention this. If you do these 3 things you will be more than ready for your next role either now or when things hopefully go back to normality.

Zoë Morris, President, Jefferson Frank

Being a niche technology recruiter, we know how difficult it can be to nail down professionals with all the right skills and experience. One thing we always encourage with our candidates is learning associated skills, or even getting an understanding of competitor technologies.  

With AWS for example, many businesses operate a hybrid cloud strategy, so it pays to understand how AWS products and services fit into the wider context of cloud computing, and where typical businesses will be migrating from. Very rarely will a job role be 100% focused on just one technology or skill, so this experience can really come in handy, not just on the job but also in the interview process. 

In our 2019/20 survey of the AWS ecosystem, we found that while the majority of professionals have an average of twelve years of experience in the technology sector, they only have an average of three years working with their focus technology, AWS. They also see experience in the wider IT industry as the greatest factor impacting earning potential, greater even than experience working with AWS. 

In an interview scenario, having a good working knowledge of the wider sector or industry can really set you apart from the other applicants. Remember that your employer is hiring you for your expertise, so can probably relate to the challenges posed by your job role – that’s why they’ve made the decision to hire! 

If you can discuss the strengths and weaknesses of certain processes and technologies, the obstacles and logistics in relation to the wider sector, and what you might do differently, you’ll immediately legitimise yourself as an experienced candidate. This could be enough to secure you the job before they even test your practical skills, because clear knowledge and understanding simply can’t be bluffed.

Matt Willard, Sourcing Recruiter – Machine Learning (Leadership), Facebook

When it comes to interviewing for a new job, non-technical behaviours are as (if not more) important than technical skills (as technical skills can be learned, although there will be varying expectations at each company). Communicate honestly, be reflective, and share examples of learnings from failures or mistakes as comfortably as the wins. Show a growth mindset while acknowledging you’re not perfect, as no one is. Ask the recruiter what behavioral traits are accessed (E.G teamwork, empathy) and then have 2 examples for each.

You should also give some thought to the questions you want to ask and be confident to ask hard questions (“what’s your favourite thing about working here” and “what’s the most frustrating thing about working here” for example). Ask questions around the growth of the team and the role you are interviewing for. Ask questions around the culture, you want to ensure your working somewhere you can be your authentic self rather than pretending to not be who you are. Ask questions around the culture that are important to you whether it be diversity, team-first, or anything else, they are your questions. It’s vital to ensure you’re working somewhere you can be your authentic self. People often don’t realise that they are interviewing Facebook as much as we are interviewing them.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted most interviews to videoconference calls, the phrase Fail to prepare, prepare to fail is very apt. Once you’ve received and read the preparation material, ensure you make a plan in your calendar and stick to it. Feel free to arrange further calls with your recruiter to discuss progress and preparation topics. You should also feel empowered to ask the recruiter about dress codes or anything else that goes through your mind – recruiters want to hire you, so don’t worry if your question sounds unusual. I’d also highly recommend asking a technical friend to run through a Mock Interview with you.

Finally, prepare your tech for the videoconference interview – test the internet connection, find a comfortable and organized space, and most importantly get comfortable with the software used during the interview, whether it’s Google Draw, BlueJeans or a Whiteboard. 

Here are some link/s which may help:

https://www.facebook.com/careers/life/how-were-adapting-to-virtual-interviews