Hot answers tagged interviews
18
I don't like it. If your team gets to meet the candidate afterwards and you have time when the candidate has left to talk to your team for feedback that should be more than adequate. I don't see how employees watching the interview contributes much, you have to make sure there's a good chance they work well together but this can be gauged post interview in ...
12
Personally, I think that seems like a trivial reason to exclude somebody if they are qualified. Your primary objective should be to find the person who will do the best job, not has the best followup (unless the job is following up I guess. :)
I think there are other things that can influence this too?
How did you conclude the interview? Did you give ...
10
That sounds like a bad idea and I would not participate in it on either side of the table or viewing room. Too Stasi-like for me. So many things can go wrong - this is meant to be an interview - not entertainment or casual viewing.
If you need multiple people involved then have them in the room with you or have them interview one by one.
The whole ...
10
I would think it is advisable (fairer and possibly safer) to let the interviewee know before hand that this session is being recorded or observed remotely by a separate team to help your organization make a better hiring decision.
There is certainly precedent for this with proper disclosures in other technology as well as creative organizations. (Walt ...
7
In your position, there are several questions you need to ask. Some are for the startup and some are for you. For the startup, I would recommend asking things like:
Cash Position and Burn Rate: This is pretty critical since you need to determine how long they have money for.
Types and number of investors: It's good to know if you are dealing with Angel, ...
6
I think that the issues you raise are a good start. Here are five more bullets to add to your list:
What are your biggest problems? This is a sanity check. If the person is delusional, he will say something like "nothing". If you get the standard answer of "growing fast enough", just smile politely. The correct answer is probably something like ...
4
I am sure that there are a lot of guys/gals on this site who will give you some excellent questions to ask. Having moved from a Multinational to a small (20 people) company in the past - the biggest thing was to make sure you are ready for the major culture shock. Gone are the long standing set processes that you have been programmed to adhere to for the ...
4
The one that gets focussed upon (at least in the UK) is much the same as going back permanent after a spell contracting: "We think you'll get bored" and a dozen variations on this theme.
Essentially even if you wow them with your suitability for the role a concern will be that you'll be off at the first sniff of the next opportunity first chance you get! ...
3
Topics to ask:
General background questions.
Specifics on past experiences with startups.
Resource law firm can provide to startup.
Costs/fee structure, liabilities.
What the firm/individual doesn't cover.
Contract details.
Places to find reviews of lawyers:
Avvo
LawyerRatingz
Martin
Dale
Research.Lawyers.com
3
By and large, employers just want to know you can do the job they need done. If you're not applying to run their company, they probably won't care why your company closed.
My wife and I closed our software consultancy in late 2001, and I just list it as a job on my resume, with title "President/CTO". Since then, potential employers have mostly concentrated ...
3
I don't think there is any one formula for what makes someone stay or go.
So I would mix as many of the following as you can
Good work place. Doesn't have to be like the RedBull office but make sure its not a dank, dark, hole miles from anywhere (especially food and drink) choosen because it was the bottom of the barrel on price.
Very few rules, only ...
3
Questions to ask:
How would you describe the culture here? (At a startup, there's so few people that if you don't match the culture you will not have a good time.)
How do you make money / find new customers / determine what to build? (If you don't understand and agree with the answer, you're not going to fit in!)
For "expectations" for benefits and ...
3
I currently work for a small startup (current team is 4). A few quick things to keep in mind as you go into this:
You will be working a lot, a normal week will most likely be 55-75 hours. Make sure you are ok with working some crazy hours, 1 day is a long time at a startup :-)
You will be paid less then you are making now, possibly a lot less, this will ...
3
Working for a startup, can be a very different experience compared to a well established company. Aside from the sort of questions you might expect about the compensation package, you should probably talk about the people, the work ethic/expectations, the culture they wish to build.
Additionally, talk a lot about the product, and about the "why" in the ...
2
Usually, for startup employees, what I look for is a resilience to failure and the right attitude. The best candidates understand that mistakes are required and make use of them. You can have any personality type yet still have this quality or mindset. You can also not have this quality now yet gain it later.
That said, most hires are selected on ...
2
To keep it simple I would say the primary start up draws would be:
Ability to make a difference. Something unique and potential to change the game.
A place where there input and efforts make a true difference in the business and product
Challenging and creative work
Freedom to use the technology and tools that make the most sense for the job
At least ...
2
A few comments - I think you are LOW on the cost of living difference. 30 people and a year and a half after series A no longer seems like a startup to me.
I'd ask what their burn rate is and their revenue (if any) and what their goals are for the next month, 6 months, year, etc.
Ask what they expect of you and why they are looking for a director of ...
2
If they came through a recruiter, its the recruiter's job to follow up with you not theirs, I am only speaking from experience but I would feel awkward following up directly with a company if I got the interview through a recruiter. Rather, I would talk with the recruiter to express my interest. Some recruiters are lazy and just don't get back to the ...
2
Thin-skinned?
If many of your candidates aren't following up, then that's just how interviews work, and you should consider it normal. I've sometimes sent thank-you notes for interviews, but usually not. What exactly are you looking for? Have you followed up with them to express your interest in hiring them? If not, why are you expecting them to follow ...
2
I actually went through this process last month myself.
The final interview seemed much easier than the telephone interview the round before to me. In my experience it almost seemed as if there mind was made up before I had arrived to the final interview (we were successful).
The final interview was mainly just about explaining the idea to members of the ...
1
Well, it depends.
There is perhaps no need to conduct a second interview. If the short-listed candidates are truly skillful, knowledgeable and best matched with your job requirements then it’s no harm to boldly ask their willingness if they want to become your employees. But if they don’t come up with an exact answer, don’t drop them straight away, keep ...
1
Take a look at the conference/judging/listing criteria and put yourself in the judges shoes. Ask yourself the following questions
Why you (or me)?
How are you different from the other 300 applicants that we are interviewing?
How do you fit in with the mandate or objectives of the conference?
Once you have a basic script, record it and rehearse it till ...
1
One of the beauties of the Internet is that most interviews can be conducted through email or through some form of chat. It's very common for an interview to occur over a few days as you email back and forth, and the format provides a comfortable way for both parties to communicate with each other.
However...
You said you already have interviews scheduled? ...
1
I would ask the founder these type of questions and I would listen carefully to the answers.
What are your vision and future plans for the company?
What qualities and values are you looking for in the employees you hire?
What qualifications and expertise are you looking for in me?
What are your expectations of me?
How would you describe the company culture ...
1
Read one of Paul Graham's essays: http://www.paulgraham.com/really.html
And Steve Blank's as well: http://steveblank.com/2010/01/14/a-startup-is-not-a-smaller-version-of-a-large-company/
1
There are three important things that a startup needs to get right:
Technology, Team and Market
If you don't believe in all three, then it's not going anywhere. Ask detailed questions about all three until you are satisfied.
Another good question is "What keeps you up at night?" If they say nothing or give you a BS answer, then maybe they have not thought ...
1
First thing: Really understand what the product/service they're building is and ask yourself "do I believe this will succeed?"
If not, leave.
If you do believe in it, then the question becomes "do they have the people/resources to enable it to succeed?"
If both answers are positive, then the only one left is "will this be fun?"
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