Applying for your dream job? Five insider tips by a startup CEO.
By: Boris Manhart
Tags: Job Search, Recruiting, HR, Hiring, Job Interview

As the CEO of a fast-growing startup, I’m continually screening CVs and applications. More and more candidates ask me for feedback in the application process. I think it’s great, it’s always a great reflection exercise for me as well, and I always try to write back. Unfortunately, I cannot give detailed feedback in every case. Therefore, I have decided to summarize the five most important aspects for me when it comes to finding the right position for your next career chapter.

1. Don’t only seek for positions. Seek an environment that suits you.

The corporate culture must fit you. It’s important to choose your company instead of only your role. Read the company blog, posts on LinkedIn, or reviews from employees. It can really be helpful to use all the details you find to get a feel for the team and to decide whether it’s a match.

2. Keep on following, even if you’re not actively seeking.

If you know that you would like to develop professionally and are considering a change of employer at some point of time, then take care of the issue early enough. Follow the development of companies that interest you. Also, use tools like LinkedIn or company blogs. See if you can identify with the company over a more extended period. And maybe, at some point, you suddenly see the perfect role published on the company’s website. Even better, maybe you already have an idea as to what you could potentially add to the company.

3. Stand out

When you apply, you already have a significant advantage if you’ve followed a company’s communication for a longer period of time. You know what they’re looking for. Now you can shine. Try to say why you want to work precisely at that place. If the company asks for additional information in a questionnaire, for example, put some effort into answering the questions. Those questions likely exist for a good reason. If you get a task, try knocking it out of the park.

I am usually very focussed on examining if candidates have a similar mindset and feel comfortable working in our company culture. The important thing for applicants: Share how you operate. There is no point in pretending to fit. You really have to fit otherwise it’s not going to work.

4. Try to get into a conversation.

Honestly: There is not an infinite amount of interview questions that can be asked. From the point of view of a recruiter, it’s mainly about ensuring two things: Does the candidate fit the company culture and team, and can they fulfill the role? However, any question is only a starting point. Try to think about the workplace beforehand and then ask questions yourself. You have the opportunity to learn all about your potential future employer. The best interviews are not even interviews, but rather conversations at eye level — individuals motivated to find out if they fit together. It can help to have a vision of the company and your role in it in mind. It won’t be 100% accurate. But go from there. Refine it as you learn more. Be curious. You’re not just applying to the company, it’s also the other way around.

5. Be authentic

An interview can, of course, be stressful, and sometimes it isn’t easy to be yourself in such a situation. But I am aware of this as an employer, and I try to make the experience as pleasant as possible. Furthermore, I can assure you that I am also not fully relaxed either. Again, it’s not a one-way street. We’re all human, it’s part of an important decision and it’s somewhat of a test for everyone involved. It might sound simple, but take some deep breaths into your stomach for a minute before the interview starts, and try to be authentic. It’s all about you being you in regards to the job and not about a role that you can only play for a short time.