If you’re a candidate with extensive experience and considering a new role in a tech startup, there is no doubt that you will be able to bring a lot to the table. All that experience and the skills you have developed can make you a huge asset to a startup team. However, as is the case with all candidates, if you're going to get that dream role, you’ll still need to perform well at the interview.
You’ll need to show that you’re proactive, that you’ve got a can-do attitude and that you’re the curious sort. But, if you’re going to secure that all-important job offer, here are a few of the interview mistakes that you should avoid - typical mistakes which experienced candidates unfortunately often tend to make!
Lack of preparation
Even though you may have had lots of experience in job interviews, having the “I’ve done this lots of times, I can wing it” mindset is not the right approach to take. Most interviewers will be able to spot this quite clearly and apart from being pretty disrespectful, it will simply indicate to them that you are a tad lazy and not genuinely interested in the role anyway. If you were, you’d have put the effort in.
No matter how experienced a candidate you may be, that basic preparation is vital. From doing your research on the company and its market sector through to the more practical elements like planning your route so you arrive at the interview on time or ensuring you’ve got the tech right and are distraction free for a virtual or remote interview.
Using “we did this, we did that” examples
Let’s face it - when you’ve been invited for an interview, it’s because the employer has been impressed by you - by your CV and what they know so far. At the interview, they want to dig a little deeper and find out some more about you! So, when you’re asked a question about what you did in a previous role or in a particular scenario, the worst thing to do is to give a “we did” response, describing what your team or company did.
For an interviewer, this can be really irritating! After all, they won’t be able to distinguish exactly what role you played in this team effort and they won’t be able to identify what your input, value or skill set was. Yes, your team may have had great success and achieved fab things, however, all the interviewer wants to know is how you personally contributed to that.
It’s admittedly not always a natural thing to do since most of us are accustomed in business to use “we” and to talk about our collective efforts. However it’s something that you really need to focus on changing for an interview, otherwise, you’re actually doing yourself a huge disservice.
The “I’ve done loads of that, that’s what I do all the time” responses
You might be the most experienced candidate that they’re meeting, however, if you’re pretty blasé in your responses, that won’t impress the interviewers at all. Even if they are asking you about something which you have done at every stage in your career, it’s not good enough to simply palm them off with a generic answer about how you’ve got lots of experience in that, or how you always do it.
Responding to their questions will also convey a pretty nonchalant impression. It shows that you haven’t really prepared for the interview, properly studied the job spec or spent any time trying to figure out what types of examples they are likely to ask you about.
Interviewers want to hear about the specifics - that one example that shines through, that single project that really highlights your skills, that individual client that you worked with. The more detail you can provide the better, as this will really help the interviewer to get a much clearer impression of what you are about.
Not answering the question
Even if you’re a candidate with lots of great experience, there’s still a chance that you’ll be a little nervous at the interview and be so caught up in trying to impress that you’ll end up making a pretty common mistake - not actually answering the question you’ve been asked. You might perhaps start out ok but then veer off on a tangent and end up forgetting what you were asked in the first place.
To an interviewer, this can come across as both unprofessional and also as though you weren’t really listening to them, to begin with. To make sure this doesn’t happen, listen carefully to what you’re being asked, take a few moments to compose yourself and think about your answer. If you’re unsure about the questions, ask for a little clarification. Forget the rambling and the waffling!
Explaining how you would do something differently
When you’re asked to give an example of how you did something, you’ve got to remember that this is not your opportunity to show off or try and teach the interviewers how to do it. After all, the hiring manager will already know how to do it - they won’t need a lesson from you - no matter how skilled or experienced you may be.
If you take this approach, it will actually come off as a tad patronising and that won’t do you any favours at all. When asked to give an example like this, the interviewer simply wants to know how you did it, not a detailed teaching guide! In fact, in a way, the interview is an opportunity for the interviewer to show off - to tell you all about their fab company and the work that they do!
Remember too, that if you are asked about something which you have not yet had the experience of, don’t automatically give a hypothetical response about what you would do, without clarifying this to the interviewer first. Be honest and explain that you have not had direct experience in this as yet, however, if they wish, you could perhaps explain how you would do it if given the opportunity. An open admission like this is a much better approach.
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Offering personalised, consultative service, at TableCrowd Talent we’re a specialist recruitment agency with our finger on the pulse of the startup and scaleup scene. We are committed to matching graduates, professionals and C-level executives to exciting startup and scaleup jobs across London, the UK and Europe.
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