ServiceNow Technical Interview Hacks

I have been on both sides of the interview table and I wanted to share some valuable insights that I think helps an interview go well.

Some Background

To be perfectly honest, I am hoping you read this - and want to apply to join our team!

Undoubtedly, our team are some of the best in the business. And,.. because we work in such highly regulated environments, security and compliance focused activities are second nature to us.

Becoming a Great Technical Consultant is not for the feint of heart.

I treat every interview like a conversation with the primary aim to learn something about the person. It should always be a two way street.

Your current situation

Maybe you landed in your current position by accident. You wont be alone in that. Most of us did!

Think about what you really want out of your next move, before you start applying.

Talk to your current manager about your current position and existing opportunities in the role and company. It's always better to work through your career development transparently. I also recognise in some cases this may not be possible.

If you don't think you can have an upfront conversation with your manager, you should be able to raise that internally. And, sometimes you just know.

Introductions

Don't start your introduction by reading out your CV.

Consider this format:

• Name, current role. Length of service in ServiceNow.

• Highlight domain and industry specific experiences that relate to the role and shine through.
• Talk about your motivations, circle back to the role you are interviewing for and handover to the interviewer(s).

If you have specific topics you want to cover, mention this upfront so you can dwell on it appropriately.

Have some questions ready at the start which you can look to get answered throughout the interview.

Be clear upfront if you have a hard stop.

Take notes.

The interviewer should manage the time. If you are late, it happens sometimes, lead with an apology. Don't rely on a good excuse, or talk about personal situations.

Make it clear that you recognise the value of time.

Recruiters

All of my ServiceNow roles were via recruiters (I've only had 3!). I often get calls directly from some of the recruiters I've worked with over the years and its great to check in with them, even just to understand their perspective of the market.

The best ones still link me for coffee, and pick up the bill!

ServiceNow is a hot topic, so having ServiceNow keywords on your CV/LinkedIn Profile will definitely attract recruiters. Your Inbox is likely filled with multiple InMails, for exciting opportunities already.

Speak to recruiters and find out who they work with, the types of positions they are working and the kind of people they have placed.

Talk in terms of what you want. Be honest with yourself first. Work on your story. They should understand the market, your current status and help support you in any move.

Recruiters charge the hiring company a fee and get paid for successful placements, typically with a minimum period. The best recruiters want you to be successful in the role and your career, not just the interview.

Never allow yourself to have multiple recruiters represent you for the same position, that's a faux pas.

Building relationships with recruiters is just basic networking and its healthy.

Getting the interview

Once you've started figuring out what kind of role you want, and what kind of work you want to do, start building your profile to align.

For the purposes of this article, I will assume you are applying for some kind of Developer or Technical Consultant role, as that is where most of my experience lies, although some of the notes here may well apply to other scenarios. I hope my perspective is useful.

Keep it brief

No one has done everything. If you think you have , no one needs to know every detail.

If your CV is more than 2 pages, it can (does) look like noise. As communication is so vital to consulting, being able to distill down your own merits to a single page is a sign of strength.

If you want to get creative, don't let it take away from the core points. Unless you are applying for a role as graphic designer.

Typos do matter, sorry.

Communication, attention to detail, documentation - your CV gives you a chance to show it all off in one hit.

Also, remove personal data. Just region, email & phone number. No dates of birth or photo.

Congruence

Make sure your CV and LinkedIn line up, including dates and job roles. I would suggest including more detail on LinkedIn (but not sensitive/Client names) - and let your CV point to that. General hygiene: keep your LinkedIn up to date regularly and use it for your own reference. You will need to have accurate dates when it comes to pre-employment checks and clearances, anyway.

This is all part of your story.

Make sure you've joined the dots up before the interviewer.

Learning Lingo

If you are putting certain terms and acronyms on your CV, be prepared to explain them.

If you haven't got the cert yet, just say you have completed the training. If you have completed the training, be prepared to share what you have learned. If you haven't completed the training, don't say you have. If you don't know something, say so.

Talk about how you learn, and how you can be supported.

Don't call it SNOW.

Visas, Sponsorship and Right To Work

Be very clear about this to avoid wasting anyone's time.

The role should clearly state any requirements and options for sponsorship.

Salary Surveys

I don't think you need to disclose your current earnings during negotiations. But you should have an idea on the market rates and where you sit, and also what you would be happy with.

If money is your primary motivation, better to be upfront. Don't shy away from hard facts, although this should be handled in advance as part of screening. Negotiation should happen once you are moving toward getting an offer.

Salary surveys are available and these are based on multiple factors which give you a general perspective. Check the stats and where they came from, who produced the survey, and when. Look out for certain tricks. I noticed during 2021 & 2022 I think - the definition on a certain survey changed the years to be considered a Senior Dev from 6 years to 4 years.

IMHO: You cannot move the goalposts to suit your motives! It all comes down to expectations, and the role of a Senior (from where I'm sitting, at least) means they will be required to carry the team in times of need.

Being a Senior is more than just a title. It comes with a price tag, and the cross to bear.

Experience != Time Spent

You might have spent 10 years or 2 years in the same seat, but what did you do with that time? What did you learn? How did you learn? What problems did you solve? What value did you bring? What was your contribution? What mistakes did you make? What would you do differently? How does that all help you perform effectively and grow into this new role?

Be specific and talk about examples where YOU demonstrated YOUR abilities.

If you find it difficult to map your own experiences and skills to the requirements of the role, you may find it difficult to map the deliverables in an SOW to the acceptance criteria in a story refinement.

Think about what you have done, and talk about how that experience is relevant going forward. Clarify expectations of the role. Remember, its a two way street.

Remote Working

I assume your next interview will be virtual.

Make sure your network works. Upgrade your broadband if you must or use a hotspot. Test it and reboot your machine in advance. Close some browser tabs (scary).

Put a virtual background on. If you are going to be working with Client's sensitive data, its important that your environment will support this.

Dress for an interview.

Read the Room

If you find yourself talking too much, pause. Acknowledge it and get back to the discussion topics.

Look for cues.

Doing this virtually or onsite, you will be in front of the customer at some point so the interview is also an opportunity to demonstrate how you interact with people in a similar setting.

Check for open roles, and practice now!

If you are based in the UK and looking for your next opportunity, check out this role at Wrangu as an example: ServiceNow Technical Consultant GRC/SecOps

We also have roles open for Dutch speakers based in the Netherlands, I will post.

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