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New Year, New Job: Interview Preparation Tips for 2024

By Helen Clark

12.1.23

As we dive into 2023, many people see the new year as a great opportunity to start fresh, usually in the form of lifestyle changes, but often a new year can spark inspiration to change jobs.  

Here at LMRE, a lot of what our consultants do daily is prepare and equip their candidates with tips and tricks on how best to approach and tackle interviews. Often our clients will brief us on what they are looking for, what stands out to them, what their red flags are etc. which we are then able to relay to our candidates.    

The interviewer generally has a very short period of time to gain an impression of a candidate. They will most likely also be interviewing multiple candidates for the same position, so making a long-lasting impression is vital to ensure progression to the next stage! Therefore, you want to make sure you put your best foot forward, and that you do not get tripped up at the first hurdle.  

So, you’ve secured a first-round interview at a company, how should you be preparing?    

 

Relate to the requirements list 

The job description is the best way to fully grasp what the hiring manager is looking for. Before the interview, make sure that you have fully read through, noted, and understood the job description. This will not only show the interviewer that you are prepared and organised but it will provide structure and fluidity to the conversation.    

Without sounding scripted, explain to the interviewer how you meet these requirements in a concise and clear manner. For example, if the job spec notes that the client is looking for a candidate with B2B SAAS experience and a hunter profile, highlight that you’ve worked the past 2 years in a B2B SAAS company where you did client acquisitions. It is crucial that any experience you highlight is supported with real figures (sales, marketing budgets, % increase etc.). By following these steps, you’ll immediately have the client’s attention. 

 

Do your research! 

Doing your research and learning more about the company, its structure, its competition etc., will mean you can answer any question in more detail.   

It is important to find out specific facts about the company:  

  • What are their products and services? 
  • What is their growth potential for the future? 
  • Who are their main competitors? 
  • How are they viewed in the marketplace?

 

Prepare in the form of an elevator pitch 

Keep your answers sweet and to the point. You want to provide just enough information for the interviewer to get an overview of you and your experience, whilst at the same time avoiding going into too much detail. It is important to give the interviewer the opportunity to ask more questions on points that are of interest to them, and this is where doing research about the company, the role, and what they are looking for is crucial. More specifically, doing research prior to the interview will mean that you can tailor your answers with the experience that is required, avoiding the risk of going off on tangents and providing irrelevant information. 

 

Introduce yourself and outline your experience 

An introduction of yourself should include a brief explanation of your current situation and/or most recent position, summarising your previous work history and key highlights of your experience. Focus on answers that relate to work experience and try not to deviate into personal details.  Anyone that isn’t a graduate can skip their education unless they’ve been to a top University*. 

*Side note: there are slight nuances depending on the country the PropTech is located in. Our French PropTech clients definitely place a higher focus on education and ‘top’ Universities, whereas none of our German PropTech clients put too much focus on this point. 

 

Explain why you are looking to move 

To give the interviewer context, explain what your current situation is, why you are open to a job change and why this job and this company is of interest to you. Aim to give a positive answer about the future of your career and avoid talking badly about a previous employer. 

 

Any more questions? 

Finish off by inviting the interviewer to ask you for any more details on the points you have covered, your CV in general, and/or anything else they’d like to know about you. It is also always a good idea to come to your interview prepared with a few questions that you can ask the interviewer. This is an excellent opportunity to show off the research you have done into the company before the interview. Having a list of questions to ask makes you look interested, enthusiastic, and engaged – all qualities that the employer will be looking for. It also gives you one final chance to further highlight your relevant attributes and experience.  

Good questions to ask can be ‘Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of the role?’ or ‘Are there opportunities for training and progression within the role/company?’. Asking about the team you’re joining, their clients or their sales/product/marketing strategy are also great questions to prepare to impress the employer.  Avoid questions that can be answered on their website or questions regarding salary or holiday allowance – these can be asked at a later stage.   

 

Follow-up plan 

A great way to show both your commitment and interest in the role is to follow up with the interviewer to thank them for their time. A simple gesture that will ensure you make a good impression on the employer.   

 

To summarise… 

As the saying goes, ‘practice makes perfect’, and it’s most certainly true for interviews. There’s no shame in practicing this with someone else prior to an interview, film yourself and look back over the recording, or lean on your recruiter to seek advice. The pitch should be well practiced so you can present yourself confidently, yet without appearing scripted. It should highlight your main attributes and experience and how these match the position on offer, whilst at the same time highlighting your enthusiasm for the role, company, and PropTech! 

Here at LMRE, our consultants are 360-degree recruiters, meaning that they are in constant communication with both our clients and candidates. We aim to provide the very best advice for candidates looking for new job opportunities, so please get in touch!   

LMRE are specialist PropTech recruiters, if you need help growing your business or making any key hires please get in touch via the form below!

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