👩🏼‍💻 What all successful candidates have in common?

Meet the best candidate and learn how to become the one!

I was a good and a bad candidate, landed and missed tons of opportunities! Please learn from my experience and become the best candidate in the nearest future.

I interviewed a variety of talented candidates, and all the successful ones have similarities. Below I summarized 4️⃣ most valuable factors.

Over 10 years of experience: I have worked in 10 countries (now I am a professional in Silicon Valley, U.S.A), went to 100+ interviews, so I particularly know how high is the talent density in international and fortune-500 companies.

So, how does the most wanted candidate look like, and why?

What hiring process supports this? 

🧑🏼‍💻 Meet Tom, our Ideal Candidate. A few things about Tom, he is:

1. Extremely prepared and practiced answers to all questions and hates improvising! 

💭 I failed at my first interviews and saw many talented people failing. At the beginning I underestimated behavioral questions ("tell me about a time when you..."), or did not expected some parts of the interview to be important, like: "what questions do you have for me?". Even though I prepared some answers, like "tell me about yourself", I did not practice telling that story. That was a mistake worth me missed opportunities.

❗️Nowadays, many companies will specify the particular questions to prepare for. The interview itself is highly structured by minutes: first 5 min on introductions, last 5-10 for candidate's questions, X cases or questions during an interview! 

🆙Facebook is sending an interview guide with videos of interview examples, specifies what to prepare and even where to find peers for practicing.
🆙Amazon is sharing its leadership principles qs examples before the interview. 🆙Mckinsey shares expectations on case interviews and even has 3 test examples on the official website. Consulting candidates usually practiced 20-80 cases with partners (equals to 30-120 hours)!
🆙Other international companies (like Robinhood, Stripe, etc.) called me to share topics and questions to prepare before the interview. By sharing questions, companies will expect a candidate to come prepared, practice answers, and collect interesting insights and questions. Best candidates do not improvise! 

🧑🏼‍💻 Tom (Ideal Candidate) has a Stellar Resume, polished Cover Letter, and Linkedin profile.

He made his best to find out interview questions and practice answers.

Tom has a strong motivation (at least 3 factors "why to work here") and is up to date with the recent company news. He is familiar with current company challenges and brainstormed possible solutions.

He prepared valuable questions to an interviewer. Tom checked an interviewer profile. Tom is not perfect, but he is familiar with his strong and weak sides and demonstrates self-awareness.

At our career accelerator, we scheduled specific lessons for each Candidate to practice his or her answers, got feedback, and learn how to tailor frameworks — it is one of the most important parts of the program! 

✅ToDo: Learn how to stellar on the interview, Ask recruiter, skim GlassDoor for companies Interviews Qs and Answers, Google common answers structures, ask people in the company for advice.

2. Growing network of colleagues and makes an effort to find this "unposted job."

I found my job with Linkedin, I am contacted on Linkedin about job opportunities at least 5 (!) times a month, and my connections are posting "I am hiring" daily! I will be more open to hiring a candidate with a wide network — this person is more valuable professionally! 

🧑🏼‍💻 Tom has connected on Linkedin and constantly (not only when looking for a next opportunity) growing the network.

He is in touch with ex-colleagues, establishing new connections during educational programs, conferences, or professional communities.

Tom proactively involves in the desired company culture even before the interview.

Best jobs will never be posted and will be filled in internally, so try to be that “Close Candidate” when an opportunity will become open! That helps Tom to find unique opportunities, get a referral and even advice for interview preparation. Win-win! 

✅ToDo: Grow your Linkedin network, keep in touch with people, apply to professional communities or at least career FB groups. Reach out to people with "I am hiring" sign on a Linkedin profile picture. It works!

3. Has 100% fit with the role.

International companies have a very high talent competition and can pick the candidate with the right experience. Meaning that these companies are less loyal to a person with a gap in knowledge or experience. 

🧑🏼‍💻 Tom fixed these gaps before applying or addresses the disadvantage in the cover letter.

Rule of thumb: you need to highlight in the profile that you are stellar at the first 3 job requirements. Otherwise, you won't pass screener!

Recent statistics: 80% of the Career Accelerator program candidates increase interview conversion rates to 30+% after starting using this rule! 

✅ToDo: Make sure your resume is tailored to the first 3 job requirements, prepare relevant achievements to highlight them. If not, explain why you still the best candidate in the cover letter.

4. Extremely nice, polite, and a great communicator.

Increase the level of politeness by one position even if it seems artificial. Believe me, it is not! 

🧑🏼‍💻 Tom is familiar with "small talk," usually smiling (even on the phone interview) because the tone of the voice becomes nicer. When answering questions, he pauses for 10 seconds to structure his thoughts.

Tom practiced answers with peers and got feedback. He knows where to pause and ask an interviewer, "Does he have any other questions", etc. 

✅ToDo: read Culture Map to understand the difference and expectations better, it is a brilliant book that helps find connections with different cultures and opens the mind! And practice, practice, practice! Learn STAR framework. Enjoy! 

👍🏼P.S. One piece of advice to be less nervous on the interview: remember, the company risk to make a mistake is much higher than a candidate's one simply because hiring mistakes are incredibly hard to fix. Candidate in case of a bad interview with one company will simply interview with another! 

👍🏼 P.P.S. No worries, there are TONS of companies on the market, you'll find THE ONE! 

🍀 Good luck, you'll make it!

Comment or contact us if you have any questions!

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