---
title: Interviewing Guide
sidebar_label: Interviewing Guide
sidebar_position: 3
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:::info on this page
* Understanding MOC model to craft a great interview process
* Interview templates and examples
* Job description template and assessment tool
* Intro to Behavioral Interview Questions
* Interview Etiquette
:::

## Introduction

Finding the right people for your growing team can be a daunting task. What should go into your job description? What should you look for when interviewing? That’s why this guide was created. It will help you answer all your questions, and craft a solid framework for recruiting, interviewing, and hiring strong candidates. 


## Hiring starts with an approved MOC*

Hiring right starts with a clear understanding of what success looks like for a position – and the skills and capability needed to be successful in this role. The Mission, Outcomes and Competencies “MOC” framework is intended to drive the crafting of a great interview process with clear cues for your interviewers and drive a positive experience for everyone involved with great hiring decisions as a result.


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## TL; DR – MOC (Mission, Outcomes, and Competencies)



* MISSION- Essentially, why does this role exist and what’s the charter? 
* OUTCOMES- What does success look like in the first 12 months?
* COMPETENCIES- What knowledge, skills, and abilities are needed to succeed?



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### MOC: Template

This template is designed to help kick start a Job Description (JD) doc by filling in the essence of what we're looking for. It gives internal people and the applicant clarity on why the job is important (Mission), what that person is actually accountable for (Objectives) and what skillsets are critical for us to interview them for along the way (Competencies).

===

Reporting to:_**Manager Name**_

**Mission**

_What do we need this person to do over the next 12 months (essence of the job in 2­-3 plain English sentences). This isn't a marketing copy, it's just the explanation you'd give over Slack._

**Outcomes**

_What specific outcomes are we looking for this hire to achieve in their first 12-18 months? 5-8 specific and important goals that support the mission, ranked by order of importance; outcomes also influence what needs to report to them to be successful?  Go deeper and also address the problem (s) this person will be solving._



1. 
2.  

**Competencies**

_Flowing out from the mission and outcomes, competencies articulate how we expect this person to operate in achieving the goals. Think about this with two views: 1. How we expect this person to operate in achieving the goals, and 2. What set of experiences/ accomplishments do they have that give them a unique advantage in achieving our outcomes list above? The interview process will be designed so at least 2 people provide signal on each of these._



1. Competency 1: 
2. Competency 2: 

**Interview Plan**

_Which 3-5 people should be part of the interview process for uncovering these competencies and how should that process work?_

===


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## Job Description Template

Now that you have an idea of what you expect from the role, and the type of candidate you think would be ideal, you are ready to draft your Job Description. Feel free to use the template below:

:::tip Job Description Template



#### _Your Project or Company is hiring a_

_**Managers  Roles ONLY Add** Lead a team of [insert team details], as well as any freelancers or agency relationships; you will establish the team’s direction, alignment and commitment, grow and coach teammates, drive accountability and set tempo, foster cross-functional collaboration and be a role model to others._


#### _You will_



* _A_
* _B_
* _C_

_You should apply if:_



* _A_
* _B_
* _C_

_**Managers  Roles ONLY Add below**_



* _ Experience in establishing alignment and clarity on objectives for the team and individual(s). _
* _Previous success in coaching a team and driving accountability._
* _Demonstrated track record of fostering cross-functional collaboration across a global and remote team._

_Blurb about your company’s vision, and where candidates can go to learn more about the project._

:::

### Here is an example of a Job Description using the above template:

:::tip Job Description Example


## _Ecosystem Analyst_

_NEAR Foundation is hiring an Analytics Manager to join our Ecosystem Success Department. This is a pivotal role in powering data-driven intelligence which will build NEAR's analytics function both internally and externally. You will build out a set of open source dashboards and tools and create actionable narratives from them which you will present across the ecosystem.  As the primary builder and maintainer of the NF Analytics presence, you'll also be a leader of (and get support from) the broader NEAR analytics community. Basically, this role helps everyone understand what's happening within the NEAR ecosystem and what they can do to help the cause._

_You will:_



* _Communicate compelling actionable insights from data analysis and present them on a recurring basis both internally and externally to our ecosystem._
* _Develop strategies for effective data analysis and reporting._
* _Build and automate performance dashboards, including leading and maintaining the one at explorer.near.org/stats._
* _Develop SQL queries and data visualizations to fulfill ad-hoc analysis requests and ongoing reporting needs_
* _Execute advanced analytics projects to guide timely decision making and accelerate optimization cycles_
* _Source, coordinate and direct the work of developers as needed to fulfill these tasks_
* _Support and coordinate the NEAR analytics community._


##### _You’ll have:_


* _4+ years of background from consulting, Investment banking, fintech/payments company and/or other high growth organization with operational experience in a quantitative or analytical role._
* _Ability to effectively communicate actionable data-driven insights to all audiences. Ability to demystify measurement and translate data to consumable, relatable stories. Communication -- turning data into digestible, actionable insights about the ecosystem -- is the most important part of this role._
* _Strong SQL, Python or R, and Excel skills; Experience with Looker, or other data visualization tools_
* _Strong analytical skills set: ability to identify and isolate trends, and connect them to customer behavioral patterns, and business impacts._
* _Experience building data pipelines, running SQL queries and updating/ building dashboards, etc. \Expert SQL Proficiency._
* _Self-starter and resourceful mindset with a passion to learn and succeed._
* _Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, Marketing, or related technical field or equivalent experience._


##### _We value:_



* _ECOSYSTEM-FIRST: always put the health and success of the ecosystem above any individual's interest._
* _OPENNESS: operate transparently and consistently share knowledge to build open communities._
* _PRAGMATISM OVER PERFECTION: find the right solution not the ideal solution and beat dogmatism by openly considering all ideas._
* _MAKE IT FEEL SIMPLE: strive to make the complex feel simple so the technology is accessible to all._
* _GROW CONSTANTLY: learn, improve and fail productively so the project and community are always becoming more effective._


##### _About the NEAR Foundation_

_The NEAR Foundation is a nonprofit, non-beneficiary foundation based in Switzerland which supports community-driven innovation and the Open Web with a specific focus on the NEAR platform. The Foundation distributes grant funding into the NEAR ecosystem, coordinates governance among participants, educates people about the protocol and ensures that relationships among the community members are as strong and sustainable as the apps they build. It seeks to combine the inclusive care of a community-driven NGO with the at-scale effectiveness of a Silicon Valley startup._

##### _This is a full-time, remote position._ 

:::

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## Interview Plan Development: 

This section provides a layout for screening and interviewing candidates.

**Pre-screen Stage: **



* Application Review
* Hiring Manager Application Review
* Recruiter Screen
* Hiring Manager Screens:

**Interview Loop: 3-4 interviewers**



* Value Alignment Assessment- 45mins (these are standardized questions)
* Skills Assessment- 60- mins
* Skills Assessment- 60- mins

***Homework Round (this can be before or after the loop)**



* There should be a session to discuss the assessment

**Final Round: (role dependent)**



* Deep dive into the homework & interview



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## Behavioral - Competency Interviewing 


#### **What is a Competency?**

Competencies are a set of demonstrated characteristics and skills that are required to perform critical work functions successfully.


#### **How to use them in interviews**

The[ MOC](https://near-foundation.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PT/pages/62685185) framework can help outline a role and identify the top competencies needed to perform this role. Then in the interview process, you can ask questions related to the competencies to validate if the candidate's experience matches the position you are looking to fill.


#### **Can this type of interview be used for technical roles?**

Yes, this type of interviewing can be used for all kinds of roles. By pairing technical assessments and case studies with the behavior interviews you will be able to validate the candidate has all the competencies needed for the position. 

##### **Example:**

_Software Engineer, Solutions & Enterprise Platforms_

_Experience Needed_



* _Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related fields is a must_
* _Experience or ability to work with systems-level languages, Rust is preferred but Go and C would also be eligible;_
* _Good understanding of blockchain protocol_

_Competencies Required_



* _Analytical_
* _Articulate_
* _Problem Solver_
* _Adaptable_
* _Team Player_


#### **Questions you can ask for each competency:**



* **Analytical:**
    *  Describe a time when you had to interpret technical data to form solid conclusions. 
    * Articulate Briefly describe the most complex role you’ve ever had. 
* **Problem Solver** 
    * Tell me about a time when you found a solution to a challenging problem. Why was it a problem and what was your approach to solving it?
* **Adaptable** 
    * Describe a time when you worked in a rapidly changing environment. How did you handle this?
* **Team Player** 
    * Give me an example of a time when you took on additional responsibilities to support your team. How did you feel doing this? 

#### Take a look at the [Behavioral Interview Questions](support/hr-resources/behavioral-interview-questions.md) article of this wiki to take a deeper dive into this topic.


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## Interview Etiquette 


## Reminders for a great candidate experience :) 

A final word on the interview process. Remember, your candidates are evaluating you just as much as you are evaluating them. First impressions go both ways. These bullet points will help you communicate to your candidates that you value their time, put thought into their role, your project, and your vision. Following these simple etiquette tips will help  you look professional, and help them feel welcome as they advance through the hiring process you create.



* Set up your interviews as soon as you can once responses to your job posting start arriving in your inbox. 
* Be on time for your interview! It’s respectful and shows that you care about them.
* If you need to reschedule your interview, do it at least 24 hours in advance. Don’t reschedule more than once as it can make the candidate feel unimportant.
* Don’t leave the candidates hanging in a zoom alone - although sometimes emergencies happen, it’s important to send them a message directly in these situations. 
* Submit your scorecard to your team within 24 hours of conducting the interview.


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