Networking and Interviewing: Breaking Stigmas

To start things off, thank you for taking the time to read my blog post! To preface, this article is intended for readers who are in the midst of interview processes, those trying to wrap their heads around how to get started as they prepare for interviews, and even those feeling around for a sense of what the market is like. Take what works best for YOU. Everyone will have a unique and different scenario. For context, my background is in consulting and technology, predominantly Salesforce technology.??

With the technology marketplace constantly changing and evolving and being a Talent Acquisition leader, I’ve found we often get in our own way, especially with the stigmas and stereotypes that exist in the space. For example, “an interview process is to vet candidates for the company” when this is an opportunity to create a two-way street and allow you as the candidate to interview the potential employer. Everyone is at a different point in their career journey; resume anxiety, interview prep, etc. To shed light from a recruiter perspective, there are three key components when it comes to finding a new role that I want to dive into: Networking, Interviewing, and Making a Decision.?

Let’s jump into things!

1.?Networking, the thing you often put on the back burner – I believe networking with companies is the first step that allows for you and the company to get to know each other for the right role in an informal setting. Recruiting is all about timing and alignment, so being on a company’s/recruiter’s radar because you had an informal coffee chat months ago is ALWAYS a positive thing!

You may ask, what do I do on a networking call?

Set expectations. Are you looking immediately? Are you just feeling around? Setting expectations off the bat allows everyone to be on the same page and ensures that this call doesn’t turn into a heavy skills screening call if you are not looking for that.

Always be your authentic self and be prepared to articulate what you are looking for. I believe this is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do in any step of finding a new role! If you find yourself trying to put a different image of who you are in front of an interviewer because you feel like you will have a better chance, you aren’t celebrating your authentic self and that is important. Chances are you would have ended up in an environment you felt your true self could never come out.

Be Curious. Strategically reach people who may have perspective working for that employer (but avoid mass reach outs on LinkedIn). If you like what you hear, ask them who might be the best person to speak with next to have more formal conversations.

If you are looking to make a career change, network with folks active in the ecosystem, not specific companies right off the bat. This does a couple of things; learning more about the ecosystem you are looking into, potentially building a mentor connection, and most importantly, opening so many more doors. An individual that’s active in the ecosystem will likely know of multiple company connections that might be great to chat with and could even make warm introductions.

2.?????Interviewing - An interview process should be a TWO-WAY street, for both you as the candidate and the company as the interviewer.

You can gauge what working for that company might look like from interviews. You are interviewing for the next step in your career, your livelihood, so you should be picky in the next role you are getting yourself into. I will reiterate this, be your genuine self and ALWAYS celebrate your authenticity. In doing so, you greatly increase your chances to find a company that will celebrate you for you!

Be transparent, in a polite and professional fashion, right off the bat. I always want to dive into ALL the factors down the line, if expectations have been set that this isn’t a networking call and we will be moving forward in the process. You can be open with compensation expectations, timeline, other interview processes (you do not need to share the name of the company), etc. The more the recruiters/interviewers know right off the bat, the more they can advocate that this alignment is the best alignment for YOU as well!

You can ask for feedback from your interviews. It’s honestly shocking to me how many candidates tell me "thank you" and this is the first time that they heard feedback from a company on an interview. Quite frankly, that just blows my mind that it isn’t a norm. Knowing that you can ask for feedback, I would recommend coming from a place of trying to understand the why so you can take that feedback and learn to close those gaps for the future.

You can ask to speak with someone that could shed more light on a specific area of a company you are trying to get clarity on. A diverse group of interviewers is important in an interview process so you can get the best picture of the team and company you could be working with. If you aren’t getting the conversation you were hoping for, know that you can ask!

3.?????Making a Decision - If you get to a point where there is an offer presented, it is 100% YOUR decision to accept or not, plain and simple.

Don’t allow external pressures to sway your decision and take some time to think things through. For example, if a company expects a decision right away and won’t allow you any time to think about it, my mind automatically goes to, “what are they hiding by pushing so hard and quickly?”

If you have questions, ask them. You should be able to have the best picture of the role, team, and company you are potentially joining. If you still have remaining questions by the offer stage, ask them! For example, benefits can be confusing, I know I always have questions, so dive in deeper if you have to.

If you have competing offers, you can be open and transparent with where things stand (again, don’t have to give names). If you are interviewing, this sometimes allows for fast-track processes, I would just make sure the company isn’t skipping interview steps to do so (shows a process being less standardized). If you do have an offer on the table, it also shows that you are honest and transparent and if you decide to go with another offer, allows for the communication to be much smoother where that company doesn’t feel blindsided. A company can also learn from why you decided to join another company and make changes for future states, something all recruiting teams should appreciate.

Follow your gut with decisions on any potential offer. Keep your short-term and long-term goals in mind, both personal and professional. At the offer stage, if the process is structured the right way, you should have all your questions answered and should have a clear picture of what you might be getting into. If something feels off, trust your gut, your instincts are rooted in your authentic and genuine self, so take the time to listen!

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, I hope you are able to take something away that will be helpful in any future conversations! In summary, keep in mind that all conversations should be a two-way street for all parties involved, and ALWAYS be your authentic self in the conversations that you have. A company should be just as invested in making sure that they are the right fit for you and your future as in seeing if you are a right fit for the role they are hiring for.