Interview Best Practices

Do you have a job interview coming up? Or are you curious what tips recruiters have when it comes to job interviews? Then you have come to the right place!

We got you covered with a curated list of interview tips and tricks directly from our own HR professionals here at EQ.

Prep before!

“Test your camera and microphone prior to the interview to ensure a smooth interview experience. Pick a spot that is well lit and well maintained. Also make sure to communicate any expected distractions to your interviewers in the beginning (i.e. construction, common sirens, etc.)” - John Little, Recruiting Coordinator
                       
“Dress for a remote interview the same way you would for face to face and ask a friend to run through a mock interview with you beforehand!”             - Jenny Clarke, Senior People Operations Manager

Also, it is important you do your research on the company as prep. It is common in interviews for an interviewer to ask you questions about the company’s values, tech, competitors, etc. Make sure you are up to date on company information so you know the best way to respond if asked.

Be yourself

Authenticity is important in an interview process! During the interview process you want to remain authentic and let your personality shine through. This will help yourself, and a recruiter, know if you are a right fit for the company.

Below are some tips on how to be authentic during the interview process:

• Be honest: Being honest about your skills, what you are looking for in a job, etc. will only benefit you. By being honest with yourself, you may realize a company is not the right fit for you, and that is okay. Being honest will help you find the right position and right company for you.
  
• Communicate strengths and weaknesses: We all have them. During the interview process, it is important to be candid about your strengths and weaknesses. Just because you are really good at something and may need to work on another skill, doesn’t mean you won't be able to learn from your weaknesses. Communicating your strengths and weaknesses will also help a recruiter see what areas you may need to work on if you do secure the job.
  
• Ask questions: There is no such thing as a dumb question. By asking questions, you not only show the recruiter you are interested, but it shows you are genuinely interested in a position. Everyone has questions when it comes to a new job; don’t be afraid to ask yours.
  
• Ask for clarification if needed
  

“If you are asked a question and you don't fully understand it, don't attempt to answer it until you have asked for more detail and really understand what you are being asked. Also, if you lose your train of thought or have a mind blank, ask the interviewers if you can come back to that question. Take a moment, have a drink of water and a few deep breaths. Remember the interviewers are not there to catch you out.  They want you to do well and to succeed so try to relax as much as possible.”         - Jenny Clarke, Senior People Operations Manager

Review your resume

One of the best pieces of interview advice I’ve given is to review your resume and directly tie your own experiences back to the job description. Doing this has a few benefits:

• You are able to see if your experience has prepared you for this new role
• When asked about your experiences in an interview, you can tie it back to the job description to show the recruiter you have the experience needed for the job
• It will give you talking points within the interview
  

Interested in applying to EverQuote? Check out our open roles here.