Lots of times, the hiring process feels like a weird song-and-dance. Employers are looking to fill a role, and they want to make a good hire. Applicants are looking for a job and want to find a good fit. So why does it often feel like the two sides are at odds with one another?
That’s not how we do it at Reaktor. When we talk to people, we really view them as our next potential coworker. We want you to succeed. So because of that, we’re pulling back the curtain to give you seven simple tips on how to get hired at Reaktor.
Think of the interview as a conversation, not an interrogation.
The whole point is to talk to each other and get to know one another. Mutually. It’s perfectly okay to be a bit nervous. (We’re probably a bit nervous, too!) The folks you’ll be talking to are used to nerves, so they can look past it and see your true colours.
Keep your CV nice and compact.
As a rule-of-thumb, we’d suggest no more than two pages. And the same goes for your cover letter—limit that to one page. Include a brief description of each of your previous jobs in your CV. Tell us about the cool things you’ve been up to, and what you really want to do in the future. Avoid major overlapping and repetition between your CV and cover letter. Resist the urge to clutter your application with too much glitter and candy. We want it elegant and clear-cut. And never send your documents in an open format like doc/x. Instead, opt for a pdf or similar. For even more suggestions, check out Best. Application. Ever.
Be yourself.
Don’t put up an act. Pretending to be someone you’re not probably won’t get you through the first interview, let alone the first few weeks in your new job. And dress like you normally would. We want to meet the real you, the person we’re thinking of hiring.
Tell us about who you are and what you’re into.
We’re honestly interested in getting to know you because we want you to be a part of our company and its culture. We also believe that more well-rounded people make better developers, engineers, designers, data scientists, sales people, HR reps, and employees in general. Your life outside of work is how you refresh and recharge, and that is super valuable to us.
So when we ask you what you’re passionate about, don’t feel like you have to respond with something about category theory, Figma, or typography. If you’re a java wizard from 9 to 5, but when you get home you like to spend time taking photographs or baking bread, that’s great! Don’t hold back from mentioning something that seems unrelated to the job. If it’s what makes you you, we want to hear it. And it may reveal that you’re the multi-talent we’re looking for.
Make sure you show what you know.
We really value hard-core know-how, and of course the newest technology trends get our attention. Figure out beforehand what it is you’re really good at, and then tell us.On the other hand, it’s good to be aware of and open about things you still need to improve in. That shows us you have humility and self-awareness. But here’s a caution: please don’t worry too much about whether you’re good enough or not. If we’re talking to you, then we feel you’ve demonstrated so far you’ve got what it takes. We’ll figure the rest out together. Plus, many current Reaktorians were unsure about if they’d “measure up”—but they got hired. There’s nothing to lose.
Got people skills? Perfect.
We really value social skills at Reaktor. A huge part of our process is working with each other and clients, so if collaboration is a challenge for you, this might be a tough fit. (Note: This does not mean you have to be an extrovert! We just need you to know how to navigate team situations.) Reflect on what kind of communities and work cultures you’ve been a part of and how different setups influenced your interactions.
Go for it.
You can keep brushing up on your skills forever, but you know what? You can also keep developing while in the job. We don’t need you to be perfect—we need you to have a burning desire to learn. The potential in you is the juiciest bit.
Take our advice and see where it lands you. And remember—we’ve all been in your shoes before. So we can empathize with everything you’re going through. If it’s a no-go this time, you can always apply again later. In the end, a job interview is always very educational. Why not apply right now?
