You've ended the interview process with the company of your dreams. What happens next? What can you expect? Modern interviewing can be a complicated process. Job seekers in today's job market must master multiple formats of interviewing, from phone to video to in-person. All of which come with their own unique strategies and challenges and today we'll be sharing different formats and strategies for tech interviews. I'll be covering the three main formats; phone, video, and in-person, along with tips and tricks to help you excel at all three. The phone interview will usually be the first format you'll encounter during the interview process. Phone screens in tech are normally conducted by members of the HR team. Often recruiters. Recruiters are looking for the fundamentals, such as whether you can tell your own story and whether you're excited about the company. They're gauging how well you understand the role of an SDR and how committed you are to pursuing a sales career. They're also assessing your general fit for the company culture. Here are some tips for phone screens. Firstly, and I know this is odd; remember to smile when on the phone, interviewers can hear whether someone is smiling through the phone and your answers really show. Another tip for phone interviews is to place your most important talking points on sticky notes around your computer. Jotted notes or bullets work better than full scripts because reading off a script can sound robotic and rehearsed. Keep things conversational. The initial moments of an interview are crucial for conveying a first impression. Take this opportunity to build rapport with your interviewer. Show interest in your interviewer, the way you would when meeting a new co-worker for the first time. Remember that interviewers are human too, and it's okay to have a genuine conversation with them. The next format is video, these interviews will be conducted by members of the sales team, such as an SDR Manager. In video interviews, professional dress is key. Employers will be looking at how you carry yourself, including non-verbal communications like body language and eye contact. The camera should show your head and shoulders and there should be nothing in the background, just a plain wall. Extraneous objects in the background can be very distracting. In video interviews, as in all interviews, it's essential to be very prepared. Your preparation for an interview should take at least 20 hours, 3-5 hours a day of researching, practicing, and conducting mock interviews. One way to prepare is by writing out questions you'd like to ask interviewers, but be careful to ask different questions for each person you interview with. Employers will notice if you ask the same question multiple times because, believe it or not, they're talking to each other in between them interviewing you. Asking good questions that show research and preparation and that are non-generic can make you stand out as a candidate. Another way to prepare is to look at your resume from an outsider's perspective and think of any questions someone might ask. Is there some sort of gap that you need to speak to or is there a surprising change in career path? Anything an employer might notice, be prepared to speak to these aspects of your resume and interview. In the final stages, you might have had more video conversations or you might have had an on-site interview depending on the context of the role and company. This phase will often be conducted by a panel of interviewers, which may include SDR peers. The panel will be looking for certain qualities like whether you are fit for the team, whether you understand the company's product and competitors, and whether you have new and exciting ideas. Since you have a whole panel of interviewers, it's essential to research each person individually prior to the interview. Dress professionally and make eye contact. Be sure to convey enthusiasm through your verbal and non-verbal communication. Always bring copies of your resume if you go to an on-site. If not, ensure that each interviewer has received this document in advance. In your preparation, think about a 30, 60, 90 day plan. What would you do in the first 30, 60, and 90 days to excel in this role? Your plan should include things like learning as much as you can about the company's ideal customer profile or ICP, and spending time with fellow SDRs and [inaudible] to learn about their messaging and value propositions. A key aspect to remember about interviews is that it's just a conversation. I think the more that people think of it as a make-or-break moment, that this person's interviewing me and I have to give all the right answers, I think is the wrong mentality to go into it. It helped me a lot to realize that I'm just having another conversation with another person and that I'm actually interviewing the company just as much as the company is interviewing me, because it's a two-way street. Not only are they assessing if I'm a good fit for the company, but I'm also assessing, is this company the right fit for me? So if you go at it with the mentality of I'm just having a conversation, I'm just trying to get to know the person and get to know the company, you'll be a lot more relaxed and you'll be able to be a lot more genuine with your answers. Remember that it's important to approach each interview format differently within unique set of strategies for each type. To recap, we covered three formats for tech interviews, phone, video, and in-person. No matter the format, the interview is an opportunity for you to share your story and demonstrate you're fit for the role. Let them get to know the real you. That is the most important part of all.
