Hey everybody. Welcome back to Recruiting 101 with Camille and Kierra. Recruiting 101 is dedicated to helping candidates understand the process from a recruiter’s perspective. In this segment, we’ll be sharing tips and tricks as we experience. Them. This week’s topic is all about how candidates can be competitive in the interview process and the offer stage.
And also we have some special guests today. We have the hosts of the Hirewell Hot Corner. so they’re here to help us tackle this topic just because their show is sports related and it’s all about being competitive as a candidate. So, welcome, Louie and Dan. Go ahead and introduce yourself. Tell us a little bit about your role here at Hirewell I can jump in and start. I’m Louis Morici I’m a part of the sales practice here tackling anything from, directors of sales all the way to entry level BDRs. I’ve been here for about two years and absolutely thrilled to be here with you guys. I’m thrilled that you are here as well. . And I’m, Dan Spittel I am on our on-demand practice. I’ve been with Hirewell for coming up on a year now. currently working with, a client in the tech space, and also thrilled to be here with you guys today. Awesome. Yeah. Thank you for joining us. so I guess I wanted to start off by asking how do you go about tailoring your interview answers to a specific job or team?
So, Dan, how would you go about starting that? Sure. so, we talk about tailoring your resume to a job posting. Um, you know, the same can be done for the interview process. Uh, you know, it’s, it’s taking a deeper dive into the specifics of what they’re looking for from, a positional standpoint.
So be able to talk on the specific key instances of where they’re looking for experiences that you certainly possess. use the information that they give you to your advantage, uh, and use information throughout the interview process to your advantage as well. you’ll get a lot of information from the people that you’re interviewing with as far as.
Their idea of the role, their, goals for this person. And you can use that later on in the interview process to, answer certain questions they may have for you. Reiterate to the points of your experiences, your resume, and don’t be afraid to take notes. we as interviewers typically take notes for all of our screens for our candidates so we can paint them in the best picture forward.
don’t be afraid to do the same thing. It really shows the initiative, and shows that you’re listening. It shows that you care, uh, and that you can use. those to swing back around to questions they might pose for you later. So, Louie, I don’t know if you have a better answer for that type of thing from your sales perspective.
I do, and, being in sales, it’s a little bit easier to quantify with numbers. Um, so displaying, percentage to quota things that you’ve done and hitting your targets constantly are, a very easy way to show success. Um, you know, it, it’s preparing a cheat sheet, being able to give them a very concise answer when talking about your numbers.
Um, really being able to, to highlight your accomplishments. And it’s again, much easier in sales than in some other regards, but, Aside from numbers, I, think there’s ways to, dive into your success. So Camille, what do you think about that? Yeah, so I think I hear a lot about storytelling during the interview process.
I think it’s really great to take whatever the interviewer is telling you and really work it into your past experiences and share. Hey, so I redid this process. I was able to save my past company. This much money, I see that’s on your agenda for the coming year. How about like we work together. on that Project and just share about your strategy and suggestions that you have that’s worked for the past.
So putting together like that data from the past, what you’ve accomplished, and then telling a story about how you can work on key things from their agenda for the coming year to save them money and just really show that you would be an asset to the company and like a great addition to the team.
And some other things that I think are really great is making sure that you’re researching the company, especially with what’s going on right now in the economy. It’s great to know what’s going on in like the latest news articles, even on LinkedIn or you can just Google them. Super easy to find, but really great.
So you can say in the interview, Hey, I saw this like. I saw these layoffs, I saw these new initiatives, like what’s the plan for this? And really show that you did a lot of research on the company, that you’re ready to tackle the goals with the team, whether it’s a startup, whether it’s a very well established company, just showing that you’re aware of what’s going on with the company.
Um, and just ask questions. Yeah, I think it is also important that when you’re doing your company research, that you’re checking out their website so you know what that looks like. following the company on LinkedIn Knowing what they post about. Um, being able to talk about those things, during your interview shows that you’re really interested.
And it also shows that you have done your research prior to the interview. a lot of times I like to use, um, the, the question that they ask a lot of times in interviews is, why do you want to work here? And I think this is a great. Point to bring up that you’ve done your research by saying, well, I really like this about your company.
I noticed that you post about this, and I really love that aspect of it. So I think there’s different ways you can bring that up, which could be really beneficial in the overall process of that. So, um, another thing that I think is really important is preparing interview questions for the hiring manager.
Um, how do you think we should go about doing that, and what suggestions do you have that would, um, kind of set you up for success that way? Camille, do you have any? . ideas Yeah, so I think, like I had mentioned about recent things in the news or articles, asking about how that will affect, like the company as a whole, what they’re looking to accomplish this year, and really just figuring out what their goals are for the future and tying your expertise and your experience into that.
Like, oh, I could help with that. I did that at my past company. so just kind of, putting together some questions based on your. research Beforehand, just to make yourself look more competitive as a candidate, showing your interest and excitement for the role, and that you want to be there for the long run to accomplish those goals that are important to them.
And I think, another part of it, we talked about tailoring the interview, to the information you have in front of you. If you’re really strong in a certain area within the job, ask more specific questions about that, really pry into that, and then talk more of your experiences. really highlight yourself so that you become that memorable factor when you’re thinking, oh, we really need someone who can do this or this.
That person is really strong in that. I like. that And I think it even stems to our, our, the next part of this is talking about the thank you email. You know, tailoring that to, kind of reiterate some of the points that were made throughout the interview so they could say, oh yeah, I really liked this person and how they did this.
it sits well with an interviewer and I’m sure that we can all relate when someone actually is able to pinpoint a, a specific occurrence. So, I think that’s good way to stem into setting up the follow up. Thank you. email Yeah, I would agree. Um, I also, um, found some, or I think I posted on this topic and someone commented that, his wife actually got the job because of doing this.
Um, apparently the interviewer had told her that it was between two candidates, but because she followed up, um, they decided to go with her instead. Um, or that’s like what kind of leveraged their decision. So I do think that follow-ups make a huge difference when it comes to. that Yeah, and I think they always have, you know how the interviewers have like a debrief interview after?
I think if you reiterate, and maybe they can use those as talking points to the other interviewers, like maybe they didn’t, Susie didn’t say that in your interview, but she really put a lot of emphasis. On that in mind. So I really think that’s an important point, just making sure you’re reiterating like why you’d be a great fit for the role, anything they have on the agenda for the coming year, why you would be a great addition to the team to help with that.
Um, and just sharing your interest and specific reasons why you’d be a great fit. Always, always, always follow up. I’m never mad at candidates who follow up a few different times. Um, you know, it doesn’t get annoying to me. it shows me that you care. It shows me that you’re really interested, and it keeps the line of communication open as recruiters.
We love it when you talk to us and we don’t always have to talk to you. Um, and even, at the end of the day, if we don’t move forward with you in the process, that communication will really bode well for you. Later on, if something else happens to pop up within, one of our clients or the company we’re working.
Definitely and keep that bridge. Like don’t, don’t burn the bridge. Keep the relationship really healthy. I know that’s super important for any sales positions as well. And just any relationships. Like even with us, if we work with a candidate and they start at a new company and maybe they want to help, um, hire and use us as an external resource, like it’s always so important to keep that relationship healthy and just check in.
So maybe you could even do that after you’ve interviewed like a year later or something. Just add them on LinkedIn, send them a message, hope that they’re doing well, because you never know where that relationship will go. So I think that’s a great tip along with the follow up email. Make sure to add them on LinkedIn and just wish them like happy holidays every now and then.
Just keep in touch. Yeah, you never know, where that connection can lead in the future if it’s not an immediate, um. Advantage for you at that point. Um, so I guess the last question that I would have for you guys is what is, um, some advice that you would give to somebody who’s feeling discouraged? I know, um, the job process, the job seeking interviewing can be, um, a struggle and overwhelming.
So what, advice would you give? As, we’re talking to our friends from the Hirewell Hot Corner. Yeah. I would be remiss if we didn’t make something about sports while we’re here. and so with the NFL playoffs going on we’re down to four teams. They’re going to be really duking it out.
Really heavy competition, but only one can win. I think it’s all about a mindset thing. I’ve been watching Ted Lasso recently, one of his sayings is have the memory of a goldfish. so, be able to, learn from the occurrences, but really, keep on grinding, something’s going to come along the way.
Yeah. Well, I think that is something that everyone should keep in mind. Camille do you have something to add? Sorry. That’s okay. Yeah, I think as a candidate it’s important to brush it off. Like just as recruiters and just as anyone in any profession, you’re going to get a lot of nos. You’re going to get a lot of no shows.
You’re going to get turned down a lot. It’s important to brush it off and just keep putting in the work, because that right opportunity will come for you. And that’s with anything in life. Um, so I think it’s just important just to stay strong, stay on your toes. Um, just keep putting yourself out there. It’ll work.
out Absolutely. Well, thank you so much. Dan, did you want to add something more? just wanted to follow up from Camille’s point about, consistently keeping on, uh, be like Brett Maher. Uh, if you don’t know who that is, he is the kicker for the Dallas Cowboys. Uh, in their playoff game last week, he missed not one, not two, not three, but four extra points in a row.
And that is a record. Um, but you know what? He kept on. trying Kicked a couple field goals in their game against the Niners, so didn’t let it get up to him, didn’t get down on himself, just kept on going out there and doing his job. So that’s all I can say is be like Brett Maher. He still has a job after all this.
I, think everyone’s in a good spot. They’ll get through it. Yes, that is true. If he can do it, so can you. Well, thank you so much for joining us today. remember to check out all of our content on talentinsights.hirewell.com and follow us on LinkedIn for more content. Thank you for joining us and, coming on recruiting 101 Thanks for having us. See you guys later.
