This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rihab Lajmi, a 26-year-old living in Germany. Her employment history has been verified by BI. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
You may have heard of FAANG being used as an acronym for Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google — and that’s exactly what inspired the name of my company.
FAANG jobs are highly coveted and represent success in tech. So about six months ago, I quit my job as a Cloud space architect at Google to create an AI recruiting platform to help people land their dream jobs.
Our conversational AI recruiter “Buddy” conducts custom simulated video interviews for job applicants based on the company’s preferences, culture, and technical needs. Our vision is to scale “Buddy” to become every job seeker’s companion to prepare for job interviews.
By adopting this name, we aim to empower individuals to achieve their career aspirations, whether at FAANG or elsewhere. So far, we’ve interviewed over 35 recruiters to learn more about what they’re looking for.
Before Google, I worked at Microsoft and went through dozens of interviews at other companies like Amazon. Through my own experience and from speaking with recruiters directly, these are my biggest takeaways on how to excel in an interview.
1. Request a champion call with the hiring manager
In many interview processes, the hiring manager won’t show up until the final round of interviews. That person often has the final say so it’s good practice to increase your visibility early on.
If you don’t have a call scheduled with the hiring manager prior to the first interview, request it. This breaks the ice and helps them remember you later.
The call should be casual and you should start by introducing yourself. Then, you can ask about them and what they’re looking for. This will also help you get more information as you go through the interview process.
2. Begin the interview with small talk
Starting with small talk may help the interviewer remember you later on. You can start by asking the interviewer questions about the company or you can try a less formal approach if they seem open.
A lot of the people I’ve worked with have been international so I often start with questions about where they’re from and then mention my favorite dish from that region.
Make sure you read the room and don’t let the small talk go on for too long. Some interviewers like to chat more than others so make sure to pay attention to verbal cues.
3. Be concise
People often look at interviews like an exam — don’t go into it with that approach. While you should do your homework and prepare for the interview, it’s important that you don’t get bogged down by the details.
The person who is interviewing you will lose their focus if you talk too much. They also are assessing your ability to communicate so being concise can help you score higher or make a better impression.
4. Weave in your personality when answering questions
The company wants to get to know you as a person. So when it comes to behavioral questions, do your best to weave in stories and examples that highlight parts of your personality.
For example, if someone asks about a time you had to work through a conflict, don’t put an emphasis on the problem or the solution. Instead, make sure you focus on how you went about solving the problem and how you communicated.
5. Don’t follow up right after the interview
Don’t follow up with a recruiter right after the interview and don’t contact them more than twice. It could take a while to make the decision, especially if it’s a competitive role, and if you appear overly eager you could lose leverage power with salary negotiation.
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