(Photo credit @charlesdeluvio)
You’d be surprised at how many candidates don’t take the time to do the following — and how much value each of these items will provide in any interview situation.
When looking to work at any tech company, understand how they make money.
Learn what their business model is, even if at a high level. Here are 53 of them to check out!
For startups: many funders have changed how lenient they are with companies that burn cash for a long period of time without generating revenue, so be aware of how long the runway is for newer startups. Great article on this: How To Vet A Venture-Funded Startup
For larger companies: aim to find a role within the money-making part of the company FIRST. Then, once you’ve had success there, it’ll be easier to pivot into another part of the company.
If you’re selected to interview, fill out this template to help you understand how the company works & makes money.
Use that information to answer interview questions with more depth and to ask insightful questions about the company’s growth/stability.
This will help you with interviews for *any* type of role at a tech company and will put you miles ahead of most other interviewees who didn’t take the time.
Prepare for the variety of ways that you will be interviewing in your job search.
Phone Interview Tips From a Career Expert That'll Get You to Round Two
Consider using 1-2 post-it notes as strategic reminders. Maybe you always forget to give results in your PAR answer? Write down the PAR framework on a post-it (Project Action Result) to help you. Just don’t have too many post-its - or you’ll look at them and not your interviewer!
When preparing for interviews in tech, one technique that requires a lot of preparation is “disagreeing tactfully with your interviewer.”
This HBR article does a great job of describing 4 steps for how to effectively employ this interview technique: do your homework; give yourself space to think; ask permission to speak candidly, and trust your instincts.
Use this technique because you operate well in a company culture that appreciates discussion & debate. (The best part of the CareerLeader assessment is the MyCultureMatch section. In this sample pdf result, check out pages 13-16 to see the 4 main types of company cultures and see which one(s) align best with your preferences.)
