Interviewing in 2021

As I go through the process of a finding a new role, I remember why I hate it so much. The narrative that talent is in short measure and that employers need to step-up, is a reality. But as I interact with different companies, I come to the realisation that this is not a money problem. And companies that provide a great interview experience have an edge, over more well funded ones. What I witness, for the most part, are companies that have pretty appalling processes. From basic things like arriving late to the interview, to having gaps of weeks before coming back. I do wonder if this is a problem with me, or a wider issue in the industry. It feels that interviewing candidates is an after thought, a necessity, and the lowest priority of a company.

Half of the questions asked, during the first stage interview, are easily answered if one would spend 5 minutes here.

-Tell me Rui, what are you looking for next?

* [Ah here we go again] **

-I wrote this small post, where I described it. But in a nutshell I am looking for…

In a world where demand is much higher than the offer, companies can standout easily, by putting some non-monetary effort into it.

Furthermore, the amount of time between phases is a good indicator of what’s to come. After one week without hearing back, my mind is elsewhere. Even when I am excited about the role and the company, if no one comes back, I assume it’s a rejection and my focus shifts to the next one. Employers don’t think about a candidate’s enthusiasm decaying over time. It’s also a reason why sending emails between a signed contract and the role starting is a good investment: it keeps the spark alive! Finally if I have a bad experience with an interview process, I will make sure people in my network are aware of it. A rejection, doesn’t imply a poor interview experience.

Hiring is a tough endeavour, make no mistake about it. It’s a lot of effort by both sides. What I continue seeing, by non big tech companies, is that the same basic mistakes happen over and over again. I am firm believer that companies can overcome a lower offer, by nailing the interview process, and leaving the candidate hungry to work there.