Job hunting is a lot of work. There are a huge number of moving parts to get right and a lot of things to remember.
You’ll need to spend time on your CV, creating an individual one for each role you apply for so that it best shows your skills and abilities for that particular job. Then, you'll need to make sure that your cover letter is finished to perfection too.
If you’ve managed to get past the recruiter call – some figures indicate that only around 2% of applicants do – and you finally have an interview for your dream job, you’d be forgiven for putting your feet up. But here’s where your effort needs to double down. You’ll need to prepare: researching the company and the role, brushing up on your own skills and experiences so you’ve got case studies and examples at your fingertips, and you are as ready as you can be.
Two-way street
What you shouldn’t forget in all your preparation is that an interview is a two-way street. You’re there to assess whether you’d like to work there as much as the company is trying to work out if you’re going to be a fit for the job. So, at the point where you’re asked if you’ve got any questions, this is your chance to conduct your own mini-interview to find out a few key things that may well inform your decision to proceed or not.
Here are three key things to ask.
“What is your role in the company, and what has your career path looked like since you joined?”
This will tell you a couple of things. If the person interviewing you has been there a while and is still in the same position, there may not be a lot of internal promotion happening. If they have progressed swiftly, that is a much more promising sign for your own career path. You can also use this question as an opportunity to ask about professional development and mentoring. What opportunities does the company offer, and what sort of regular feedback and reviews are available?
“Is this a new role, or will I be replacing someone who is leaving?”
If it’s a new role, you can follow up by asking what sort of resources you can expect to have and the expectations the company has for it. If you’re replacing someone, make sure to ask why the person is leaving and how long they were doing the job. Those responses could give you some interesting insight into staff turnover and team resourcing.
“Who will I report to and what other teams or managers will I be working with?”
Understanding hierarchies is one of the trickiest things to get to grips with at a new place, and every company is different. This answer could be really key for you if you prefer to work in a very flat structure and you’re interviewing for a role at a company with a lot of layers of people to answer to. Finding a fit for the way you want to work is really important.
Feeling confident about starting the job hunt? We’re checking out three companies that are hiring right now, and there are lots more to discover on the Tech.eu Job Board.
Airbnb
The world’s favorite way to book a stay anywhere around the globe, Airbnb has offices all over Europe. Right now, you can check out Business Operations, Quality Insights Analyst and Systems Engineer roles at the company. Discover additional open roles.
Siemens AG
German multinational conglomerate corporation, Siemens AG is the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe. Its headquarters is in Munich, and it has offices globally. Right now, the company is hiring for a Head of Engineering, Cyber Security Engineer & Architect and a Head of Digital Experience. Find more open roles.
Accenture
Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Right now, the company is seeking a Google Cloud Security Solutioning and Sales Senior Manager, Risk Senior Manager and Technology Strategy Consultant. More open roles can be found here.
Discover thousands more open roles now on the Tech.eu Job Board
Would you like to write the first comment?
Login to post comments