Whether you are being hired for a C-level position or an entry-level one, here are some things to keep in mind

So, you might want to be a founder of a startup yourself one day. Or run a business of your own. Or even be a CEO of a company of such type. But before you do that you might start from the beginning, freshly graduated from a university and gain enough and important experiences you need for your future career. To do that, first, be a good candidate for startups, so that they will pick you and see you as their future asset.

As I go through series of interviews to build teams during my career in startup-type companies, there are some common traits we need and look for. I would sum up to about four traits that startups look for in their interviewing candidates — and we use these whenever we look for our next Head of XXX, or our CMO, COO, CTO, or CEO. And in many cases, we chose to hire the candidates that have fewer technical skills and more on these traits, than the ones who came strongly on technical skills only (technical skill meaning the specific skill needed for the role).

1. Versatile and dynamic

A startup needs people who can show that they are very versatile. That is, they can do many roles, many tasks assigned, and that they are not limited to one role only, and happy to learn new lines of work. Keep in mind that if you want to learn the business fast, you need to understand the whole organisation’s functions. In the interview, we see this in your background experiences or in-school activities.

2. Ability to change and learn quickly

Because the speed in startup companies is faster than normal SME company by 2-3 times, and faster than a big corporates by about 5 times, things change quickly — in some we say the change occurs by the hours. So you need to show that you are quick to adapt and learn. This includes the mentality to understand the change and be able to convey the rationale of the change to the team. In the interview, we see this from your communications skill and answers.

Also read: The art of spotting the best tech talent, straight from an experienced recruiter

3. Team player and a good culture fit

Each Startup has its own culture. This does not only regard work related team dynamics. To fit in the culture, you need to be a team player. In the interview, tell us your lifestyle and your relaxation or weekend activities. This shows how well you can fit into the team.

4. Analytical and not afraid to speak their mind

This is when you need to think of several questions before going in the interviews. Hence, in the end of the interview, when we ask you if you have any questions, you can fire them out. In the interview, the questions you ask show your analytical skill and your ability to speak out your mind.

Conclusion

Of course, an interview is just part of the process. Be prepared, but also be yourself. And if your are not selected, then you know why. In a startup environment, we need people who can move quickly, be agile, and help us think of solutions (and preventive measures). Do more than what is shown in your job description page, then you’ll thrive and be a leader, handles your own big team in no time. 🙂

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